abandon, ability, able, about, above, absence, absolute, absolutely, abstract, abundance, academy, accent, accept, access, accident, accompany, accomplish, according, account, accurate, achieve, achievement, acid, acknowledge, acquire, across, action, active, activity, actor, actual, actually, adapt, addition, additional, address, adequate, adjust, administration, admire, admission, admit, adolescent, adopt, adult, advance, advantage, adventure, advertise, advice, advise, adviser, advocate, affair, affect, afford, afraid, after, afternoon, again, against, age, agency, agenda, agent, aggressive, ago, agree, agreement, agriculture, ahead, aid, aim, air, aircraft, airline, airport, alarm, album, alcohol, alive, all, alliance, allow, ally, almost, alone, along, already, also, alter, alternative, although, always, amateur, amazing, ambition, ambulance, among, amount, analysis, analyst, analyze, ancient, and, anger, angle, angry, animal, anniversary, announce, annual, another, answer, anticipate, anxiety, any, anybody, anymore, anyone, anything, anyway, anywhere, apart, apartment, apologize, apparent, apparently, appeal, appear, appearance, apple, application, apply, appoint, appointment, appreciate, approach, appropriate, approval, approve, approximately, architect, area, argue, argument, arise, arm, armed, army, around, arrange, arrangement, arrest, arrival, arrive, art, article, artist, artistic, as, ashamed, aside, ask, asleep, aspect, assault, assert, assess, assessment, asset, assign, assignment, assist, assistance, assistant, associate, association, assume, assumption, assure, at, athlete, athletic, atmosphere, attach, attack, attempt, attend, attention, attitude, attorney, attract, attraction, attractive, attribute, audience, author, authority, auto, available, average, avoid, award, aware, awareness, away, awful, baby, back, background, bad, badly, bag, balance, ball, ban, band, bank, bar, barely, barrel, barrier, base, baseball, basic, basically, basis, basket, basketball, bath, bathroom, battery, battle, be, beach, bear, beat, beautiful, beauty, because, become, bed, bedroom, bee, beef, beer, before, begin, beginning, behavior, behind, being, belief, believe, bell, belong, below, belt, bench, bend, beneath, benefit, beside, besides, best, bet, better, between, beyond, bicycle, big, bike, bill, billion, bind, biological, bird, birth, birthday, bit, bite, black, blade, blame, blanket, blind, block, blood, blow, blue, board, boat, body, bomb, bombing, bond, bone, book, boom, boot, border, boring, born, borrow, boss, both, bother, bottle, bottom, boundary, bowl, box, boy, boyfriend, brain, branch, brand, brave, bread, break, breakfast, breast, breath, breathe, brick, bridge, brief, briefly, bright, brilliant, bring, broad, broken, brother, brown, brush, buck, budget, build, building, bullet, bunch, burden, burn, bury, bus, business, busy, but, butter, button, buy, buyer, by, cabin, cabinet, cable, cake, calculate, call, camera, camp, campaign, campus, can, Canadian, cancer, candidate, cap, capability, capable, capacity, capital, captain, capture, car, carbon, card, care, career, careful, carefully, carrier, carry, case, cash, cast, cat, catch, category, Catholic, cause, ceiling, celebrate, celebration, celebrity, cell, center, central, century, CEO, ceremony, certain, certainly, chain, chair, chairman, challenge, chamber, champion, championship, chance, change, changing, channel, chapter, character, characteristic, characterize, charge, charity, chart, chase, cheap, check, cheek, cheese, chef, chemical, chest, chicken, chief, child, childhood, Chinese, chip, chocolate, choice, cholesterol, choose, Christian, Christmas, church, cigarette, circle, circumstance, cite, citizen, city, civil, civilian, claim, class, classic, classroom, clean, clear, clearly, client, climate, climb, clinic, clinical, clock, close, closely, closer, clothes, clothing, cloud, club, clue, cluster, coach, coal, coalition, coast, coat, code, coffee, cognitive, cold, collapse, colleague, collect, collection, collective, college, colonial, color, column, combination, combine, come, comedy, comfort, comfortable, command, commander, comment, commercial, commission, commit, commitment, committee, common, communicate, communication, community, company, compare, comparison, compete, competition, competitive, competitor, complain, complaint, complete, completely, complex, complexity, compliance, complicate, complicated, component, compose, composition, comprehensive, computer, concentrate, concentration, concept, concern, concerned, concert, conclude, conclusion, concrete, condition, conduct, conference, confidence, confident, confirm, conflict, confront, confusion, Congress, congressional, connect, connection, consciousness, consensus, consequence, conservative, consider, considerable, consideration, consist, consistent, constant, constantly, constitute, constitutional, construct, construction, consultant, consume, consumer, consumption, contact, contain, container, contemporary, content, contest, context, continue, continued, contract, contrast, contribute, contribution, control, controversial, controversy, convention, conventional, conversation, convert, conviction, convince, cook, cookie, cooking, cool, cooperation, cop, cope, copy, core, corn, corner, corporate, corporation, correct, correspondent, cost, cotton, couch, could, council, count, counter, country, county, couple, courage, course, court, cousin, cover, coverage, cow, crack, craft, crash, crazy, cream, create, creation, creative, creature, credit, crew, crime, criminal, crisis, criteria, critic, critical, criticism, criticize, crop, cross, crowd, crucial, cry, cultural, culture, cup, curious, current, currently, curriculum, custom, customer, cut, cycle, dad, daily, damage, dance, danger, dangerous, dare, dark, darkness, data, database, date, daughter, day, dead, deal, dealer, dear, death, debate, debt, decade, decide, decision, deck, declare, decline, decrease, deep, deeply, deer, defeat, defend, defendant, defense, defensive, deficit, define, definitely, definition, degree, delay, deliver, delivery, demand, democracy, Democratic, Democrat, demonstrate, demonstration, deny, department, depend, dependent, depending, depict, depression, depth, deputy, derive, describe, description, desert, deserve, design, designer, desire, desk, desperate, despite, destroy, destruction, detail, detailed, detect, detection, detective, determine, develop, developing, development, device, devil, dialogue, diet, differ, difference, different, differently, difficult, difficulty, dig, digital, dimension, dining, dinner, direct, direction, directly, director, dirt, disability, disagree, disappear, disaster, discipline, disclose, discover, discovery, discrimination, discuss, discussion, disease, dish, dismiss, disorder, display, dispute, distance, distinct, distinction, distinguish, distribute, distribution, district, diverse, diversity, divide, division, divorce, DNA, do, doctor, document, dog, domestic, dominant, dominate, door, double, doubt, down, downtown, dozen, draft, drag, drama, dramatic, dramatically, draw, drawer, drawing, dream, dress, drink, drive, driver, drop, drug, dry, due, during, dust, duty, dwell, dying, dynamic, each, eager, ear, earlier, early, earn, earnings, earth, earthquake, ease, easily, east, eastern, easy, eat, economic, economy, edge, edit, edition, editor, educate, education, educational, educator, effect, effective, effectively, efficiency, efficient, effort, egg, eight, either, elderly, elect, election, electric, electrical, electricity, electronic, element, elementary, eliminate, elite, else, elsewhere, e-mail, embrace, emerge, emergency, emission, emotion, emotional, emphasis, emphasize, employ, employee, employer, employment, empty, enable, encounter, encourage, end, enemy, energy, enforcement, engage, engine, engineer, engineering, English, enhance, enjoy, enormous, enough, ensure, enter, enterprise, entertain, entertainment, entire, entirely, entrance, entry, environment, environmental, episode, equal, equally, equipment, equivalent, era, error, escape, especially, essay, essential, essentially, establish, establishment, estate, estimate, etc, ethics, ethnic, European, evaluate, evaluation, evening, event, eventually, ever, every, everybody, everyday, everyone, everything, everywhere, evidence, evolution, evolve, exact, exactly, exam, examination, examine, example, exceed, excellent, except, exception, exchange, exciting, executive, exercise, exhibit, exhibition, exist, existence, existing, expand, expansion, expect, expectation, expense, expensive, experience, experiment, expert, explain, explanation, explode, explore, explosion, expose, exposure, express, expression, extend, extension, extensive, extent, external, extra, extraordinary, extreme, extremely, eye, fabric, face, facility, fact, factor, factory, faculty, fade, fail, failure, fair, fairly, faith, fall, false, familiar, family, famous, fan, fantasy, far, farm, farmer, fashion, fast, fat, fate, father, fault, favor, favorite, fear, feature, federal, fee, feed, feel, feeling, fellow, female, fence, festival, few, fewer, fiber, fiction, field, fifteen, fifth, fifty, fight, fighter, fighting, figure, file, fill, film, final, finally, finance, financial, find, finding, fine, finger, finish, fire, firm, first, fish, fishing, fit, fitness, five, fix, flag, flame, flat, flavor, flee, flesh, flight, float, floor, flow, flower, fly, focus, folk, follow, following, food, foot, football, for, force, foreign, forest, forever, forget, form, formal, formation, former, formula, forth, fortune, forward, found, foundation, founder, four, fourth, frame, framework, free, freedom, freeze, French, frequency, frequent, frequently, fresh, friend, friendly, friendship, from, front, fruit, frustration, fuel, fulfill, full, fully, fun, function, fund, fundamental, funding, funeral, funny, furniture, furthermore, future, gain, galaxy, gallery, game, gang, gap, garage, garden, garlic, gas, gate, gather, gay, gaze, gear, gender, gene, general, generally, generate, generation, genetic, gentleman, gently, German, gesture, get, ghost, giant, gift, gifted, girl, girlfriend, give, given, glad, glance, glass, global, glove, go, goal, God, gold, golden, golf, good, govern, government, governor, grab, grace, grade, gradually, graduate, grain, grand, grandmother, grant, grass, grave, gray, great, green, grocery, ground, group, grow, growing, growth, guarantee, guard, guess, guest, guide, guideline, guilty, gun, guy, habit, habitat, hair, half, hall, hand, handful, handle, hang, happen, happy, harbor, hard, hardly, hat, hate, have, he, head, headline, headquarters, health, healthy, hear, hearing, heart, heat, heaven, heavily, heavy, heel, height, helicopter, hell, hello, help, helpful, hence, her, herb, here, heritage, hero, herself, hey, hi, hide, high, highlight, highly, highway, hill, him, himself, hip, hire, his, historic, historical, history, hit, hold, hole, holiday, holy, home, homeless, honest, honey, honor, hope, horizon, horror, horse, hospital, host, hot, hotel, hour, house, household, housing, how, however, huge, human, humor, hundred, hungry, hunter, hunting, hurt, husband, hypothesis, ice, idea, ideal, identification, identify, identity, ignore, ill, illegal, illness, illustrate, image, imagination, imagine, immediate, immediately, immigrant, immigration, impact, implement, implication, imply, importance, important, impose, impossible, impress, impression, impressive, improve, improvement, incentive, incident, include, including, income, incorporate, increase, increased, increasingly, incredible, indeed, independence, independent, index, indicate, indication, individual, industrial, industry, infant, infection, inflation, influence, inform, information, ingredient, initial, initially, initiative, injury, inner, innocent, inquiry, inside, insight, insist, inspire, install, instance, instead, institute, institution, institutional, instruction, instructor, instrument, insurance, intellectual, intelligence, intend, intense, intensity, intention, interaction, interest, interested, interesting, internal, international, Internet, interpret, interpretation, intervention, interview, introduce, introduction, invasion, invest, investigation, investigator, investment, investor, invite, involve, involved, involvement, Iraqi, Irish, iron, Islamic, island, Israeli, issue, it, Italian, item, its, itself, jacket, jail, Japanese, jet, Jew, Jewish, job, join, joint, joke, journal, journalist, journey, joy, judge, judgment, juice, jump, junior, jury, just, justice, justify, keep, key, kick, kid, kill, killer, killing, kind, king, kiss, kitchen, knee, knife, knock, know, knowledge, lab, label, labor, laboratory, lack, lady, lake, land, landscape, language, lap, large, largely, last, late, later, Latin, latter, laugh, launch, law, lawsuit, lawyer, lay, layer, lead, leader, leadership, leading, leaf, league, lean, learn, learning, least, leather, leave, left, leg, legacy, legal, legend, legislation, legislative, legislator, legitimate, lemon, length, less, lesson, let, letter, level, liberal, library, license, lie, life, lifestyle, lifetime, lift, light, like, likely, limit, limitation, limited, line, link, lip, list, listen, literary, literature, little, live, living, load, loan, local, locate, location, lock, long, long-term, look, loose, lose, loss, lost, lot, lots, loud, love, lovely, lover, low, lower, luck, lucky, lunch, luxury, machine, mad, magazine, mail, main, mainly, maintain, maintenance, major, majority, make, maker, makeup, male, mall, man, manage, management, manager, manner, manufacturer, manufacturing, many, map, margin, mark, market, marketing, marriage, married, marry, mask, mass, massive, master, match, material, math, matter, may, maybe, mayor, me, meal, mean, meaning, meanwhile, measure, measurement, meat, mechanism, media, medical, medication, medicine, medium, meet, meeting, member, membership, memory, mental, mention, menu, mere, merely, mess, message, metal, meter, method, Mexican, middle, might, military, milk, million, mind, mine, minister, minor, minority, minute, miracle, mirror, miss, missile, mission, mistake, mix, mixture, mm-hmm, mode, model, moderate, modern, modest, mom, moment, money, monitor, month, mood, moon, moral, more, moreover, morning, mortgage, most, mostly, mother, motion, motivation, motor, mountain, mouse, mouth, move, movement, movie, Mr, Mrs, Ms, much, multiple, murder, muscle, museum, music, musical, musician, Muslim, must, mutual, my, myself, mystery, myth, naked, name, narrative, narrow, nation, national, native, natural, naturally, nature, near, nearby, nearly, necessarily, necessary, neck, need, negative, negotiate, negotiation, neighbor, neighborhood, neither, nerve, nervous, net, network, never, nevertheless, new, newly, news, newspaper, next, nice, night, nine, no, nobody, nod, noise, nomination, nominee, none, nonetheless, nor, normal, normally, north, northern, nose, not, note, nothing, notice, notion, novel, now, nowhere, nuclear, number, numerous, nurse, nut, object, objective, obligation, observation, observe, observer, obtain, obvious, obviously, occasion, occasionally, occupation, occupy, occur, ocean, odd, odds, of, off, offense, offensive, offer, office, officer, official, often, oh, oil, okay, old, Olympic, on, once, one, ongoing, onion, online, only, onto, open, opening, operate, operating, operation, operator, opinion, opponent, opportunity, oppose, opposed, opposite, opposition, option, or, orange, order, ordinary, organic, organization, organize, orientation, origin, original, originally, other, others, otherwise, ought, our, ours, ourselves, out, outcome, outside, oven, over, overall, overcome, overlook, owe, own, owner, pace, pack, package, page, pain, painful, paint, painter, painting, pair, pale, Palestinian, palm, pan, panel, panic, pant, paper, paragraph, parent, park, parking, part, participant, participate, participation, particle, particular, particularly, partly, partner, partnership, party, pass, passage, passenger, passion, past, patch, path, patient, pattern, pause, pay, payment, PC, peace, peak, peer, pen, penalty, people, pepper, per, perceive, percentage, perception, perfect, perfectly, perform, performance, perhaps, period, permanent, permission, permit, person, personal, personality, personally, personnel, perspective, persuade, pet, phase, phenomenon, philosophy, phone, photo, photographer, phrase, physical, physically, physician, piano, pick, picture, pie, piece, pile, pilot, pine, pink, pipe, pitch, place, plan, plane, planet, planning, plant, plastic, plate, platform, play, player, please, pleasure, plenty, plot, plus, PM, pocket, poem, poet, poetry, point, police, policy, political, politically, politician, politics, poll, pollution, pool, poor, pop, popular, population, porch, port, portion, portrait, portray, pose, position, positive, possess, possession, possibility, possible, possibly, post, pot, potato, potential, potentially, pound, pour, poverty, powder, power, powerful, practical, practice, prayer, preach, precisely, predict, prediction, prefer, preference, pregnancy, pregnant, preparation, prepare, prescription, presence, present, presentation, preserve, president, presidential, press, pressure, pretend, pretty, prevent, previous, previously, price, pride, priest, primarily, primary, prime, principal, principle, print, prior, priority, prison, prisoner, privacy, private, probably, problem, procedure, proceed, process, processing, processor, proclaim, produce, producer, product, production, profession, professional, professor, profile, profit, program, progress, progressive, project, prominent, promise, promote, prompt, proof, proper, properly, property, proportion, proposal, propose, prosecutor, prospect, protect, protection, protein, protest, proud, prove, provide, provider, province, provision, psychological, psychology, public, publication, publicity, publish, publisher, pull, punishment, purchase, pure, purpose, pursue, push, put, qualify, quality, quarter, quarterback, quarterly, queen, quest, question, quick, quickly, quiet, quietly, quit, quite, quote, race, racial, radiation, radical, radio, rail, rain, raise, range, rank, rapid, rapidly, rare, rarely, rate, rather, rating, ratio, raw, reach, react, reaction, reader, reading, ready, real, reality, realize, really, reason, reasonable, recall, receive, recent, recently, reception, recipe, recipient, recognition, recognize, recommend, recommendation, record, recording, recover, recovery, recruit, red, reduce, reduction, refer, reference, reflect, reflection, reform, refugee, refuse, regard, regarding, regardless, regime, region, regional, register, regular, regularly, regulate, regulation, regulator, reinforce, reject, relate, relation, relationship, relative, relatively, relax, release, relevant, relief, religion, religious, rely, remain, remaining, remarkable, remember, remind, remote, remove, repeat, repeatedly, replace, replacement, reply, report, reporter, represent, representation, representative, Republican, reputation, request, require, requirement, research, researcher, resemble, reservation, resident, residential, resign, resist, resistance, resolution, resolve, resort, resource, respect, respond, response, responsibility, responsible, rest, restaurant, restore, restriction, result, retain, retire, retirement, return, reveal, revenue, review, revolution, rhythm, rice, rich, rid, ride, rifle, right, ring, rise, risk, river, road, rock, role, roll, romantic, roof, room, root, rope, rose, rough, roughly, round, route, routine, row, rub, rubber, rude, ruin, rule, run, running, rural, rush, Russian, sacred, sad, safe, safety, sake, salad, salary, sale, sales, salt, same, sample, sanction, sand, satellite, satisfaction, satisfied, satisfy, sauce, save, saving, say, scale, scandal, scare, scatter, scenario, scene, schedule, scheme, scholar, scholarship, school, science, scientific, scientist, scope, score, scream, screen, script, sea, search, season, seat, second, secondary, secret, secretary, section, sector, secure, security, see, seed, seek, seem, segment, seize, select, selection, self, sell, Senate, senator, send, senior, sense, sensitive, sentence, separate, sequence, series, serious, seriously, servant, serve, service, session, set, setting, settle, settlement, seven, several, severe, sex, sexual, shade, shadow, shake, shall, shallow, shape, share, sharp, she, sheet, shelf, shell, shelter, shift, shine, ship, shirt, shock, shoe, shoot, shooting, shop, shopping, short, shortly, shot, should, shoulder, shout, show, shower, shrug, shut, shy, sibling, sick, side, sigh, sight, sign, signal, significant, significantly, silence, silent, silver, similar, similarly, simple, simply, sin, since, sing, singer, single, sink, sir, sister, sit, site, situation, six, size, ski, skill, skin, skirt, sky, slave, sleep, slice, slide, slight, slightly, slip, slow, slowly, small, smart, smell, smile, smoke, smooth, snap, snow, so, so-called, soccer, social, society, soft, software, soil, solar, soldier, sole, solid, solution, solve, some, somebody, somehow, someone, something, sometimes, somewhat, somewhere, son, song, soon, sophisticated, sorry, sort, soul, sound, soup, source, south, southern, Soviet, space, Spanish, speak, speaker, special, specialist, species, specific, specifically, specify, speech, speed, spend, spending, spin, spirit, spiritual, split, spoil, sponsor, sport, spot, spray, spread, spring, square, squeeze, stability, stable, staff, stage, stain, stair, stake, stand, standard, standing, star, stare, start, state, statement, station, statistical, status, stay, steady, steal, steel, steep, stem, step, stick, still, stimulate, stimulus, stir, stock, stomach, stone, stop, storage, store, storm, story, straight, strange, stranger, strategic, strategy, stream, street, strength, strengthen, stress, stretch, strike, string, strip, stroke, strong, strongly, structural, structure, struggle, student, studio, study, stuff, stupid, style, subject, submit, subsequent, substance, substantial, substitute, succeed, success, successful, successfully, such, sudden, suddenly, sue, suffer, sufficient, sugar, suggest, suggestion, suicide, suit, summer, summit, sun, super, supply, support, supporter, suppose, supposed, Supreme, sure, surely, surface, surgery, surprise, surprised, surprising, surprisingly, surround, survey, survival, survive, survivor, suspect, sustain, swear, sweep, sweet, swim, swing, switch, symbol, symptom, system, table, tactic, tail, take, tale, talent, talk, tall, tank, tap, tape, target, task, taste, tax, taxi, tea, teach, teacher, teaching, team, tear, technical, technique, technology, teen, teenager, telephone, telescope, television, tell, temperature, temporary, ten, tend, tendency, tennis, tension, tent, term, terms, terrible, territory, terror, terrorist, test, testimony, testing, text, than, thank, thanks, that, the, theater, their, them, theme, themselves, then, theory, therapy, there, therefore, these, they, thick, thin, thing, think, thinking, third, thirty, this, those, though, thought, thousand, threat, threaten, three, throat, through, throughout, throw, thus, ticket, tie, tight, time, tiny, tip, tire, tissue, title, to, tobacco, today, toe, together, toilet, token, tolerate, tomato, tomorrow, tone, tongue, tonight, too, tool, tooth, top, topic, toss, total, totally, touch, tough, tour, tourist, tournament, toward, towards, tower, town, toy, trace, track, trade, tradition, traditional, traffic, tragedy, trail, train, training, transfer, transform, transformation, transition, translate, translation, transmission, transmit, transport, transportation, travel, treat, treatment, treaty, tree, tremendous, trend, trial, tribe, trick, trip, troop, trouble, truck, true, truly, trust, truth, try, tube, tunnel, turn, TV, twelve, twenty, twice, twin, two, type, typical, typically, ugly, ultimate, ultimately, unable, uncle, undergo, understand, understanding, unfortunately, uniform, union, unique, unit, United, universal, universe, university, unknown, unless, unlike, until, unusual, up, upon, upper, urban, urge, us, use, used, useful, user, usual, usually, utility, utilize, vacation, valley, valuable, value, variable, variation, variety, various, vary, vast, vegetable, vehicle, venture, version, versus, very, vessel, veteran, via, victim, victory, video, view, viewer, village, violate, violation, violence, violent, virtually, virtue, virus, visibility, visible, vision, visit, visitor, visual, vital, voice, volume, voluntary, volunteer, vote, voter, voting, wage, wait, wake, walk, wall, wander, want, war, warm, warn, warning, wash, waste, watch, water, wave, way, we, weak, weakness, wealth, wealthy, weapon, wear, weather, web, website, wedding, week, weekend, weekly, weigh, weight, welcome, welfare, well, west, western, wet, what, whatever, wheel, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, whisper, white, who, whole, whom, whose, why, wide, widely, widespread, wife, wild, wildlife, will, willing, win, wind, window, wine, wing, winner, winter, wipe, wire, wisdom, wise, wish, with, withdraw, within, without, witness, woman, wonder, wonderful, wood, wooden, word, work, worker, working, workout, workplace, works, workshop, world, worried, worry, worth, would, wound, wrap, write, writer, writing, wrong, yard, yeah, year, yell, yellow, yes, yesterday, yet, yield, you, young, your, yours, yourself, youth, zone.

My girlfriend and I are both sales people and are looking to supplement our income by expanding into the vending machine trade.
We are based in the Austin, Texas area and are looking into a model involving adult vending machines. (e-cigarettes, hemp products, 5 hour energy, gum, condoms, phone chargers) for 21+ venues. We're working with a lawyer who specializes in compliance as we know e-cigarettes are a legal grey area.
The biggest gap in our knowledge is the technical and vendor component. We understand that outside of location the biggest mistake you can make early on is equipment- we are looking for someone who would be willing to chat with us for 30 minutes about the best machines to use for Nayax card readers and where is typically best to source. We've looked into importing from China but are a little nervous although we've heard good things about a few particular brands and figure most machines aren't manufactured stateside in the first place.
If anyone with longterm experience is willing, please send a DM or comment below. We'd be happy to send an Amazon gift card as a token of our appreciation.

My girlfriend and I are both sales people and are looking to supplement our income by expanding into the vending machine trade.
We are based in the Austin, Texas area and are looking into a model involving adult vending machines. (e-cigarettes, hemp products, 5 hour energy, gum, condoms, phone chargers) for 21+ venues. We're working with a lawyer who specializes in compliance as we know e-cigarettes are a legal grey area.
The biggest gap in our knowledge is the technical and vendor component. We understand that outside of location the biggest mistake you can make early on is equipment- we are looking for someone who would be willing to chat with us for 30 minutes about the best machines to use for Nayax card readers and where is typically best to source. We've looked into importing from China but are a little nervous although we've heard good things about a few particular brands and figure most machines aren't manufactured stateside in the first place.
If anyone with longterm experience is willing, please send a DM or comment below. We'd be happy to send an Amazon gift card as a token of our appreciation.

Respiratory Disease: Definition, Causes, and Major Types

Definition:

Respiratory diseases affect the organs and tissues involved in breathing, including the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. These conditions disrupt the normal functioning of the respiratory system, leading to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Causes:

1. Infections: Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens can cause respiratory infections such as the common cold, influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis.
2. Environmental Factors: Exposure to air pollutants (e.g., cigarette smoke, vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants), allergens (e.g., pollen, dust mites, pet dander), and occupational hazards (e.g., asbestos, silica, coal dust) can irritate the respiratory system and contribute to respiratory diseases.
3. Genetic Predisposition: Some respiratory conditions, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis, have a genetic component, making individuals more susceptible to developing these diseases.
4. Lifestyle Choices: Smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and substance abuse can increase the risk of respiratory diseases and exacerbate existing conditions.
5. Chronic Conditions: Chronic diseases like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heart failure, and autoimmune disorders can affect the respiratory system and contribute to respiratory symptoms.

Major Types of Respiratory Diseases:

1. Asthma: Characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to recurrent episodes of wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A group of progressive lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, characterized by airflow limitation and respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath.
3. Pneumonia: An infection of the lung tissue caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other pathogens, leading to symptoms such as fever, cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
4. Lung Cancer: Abnormal cell growth in the lung tissues, often associated with smoking, exposure to carcinogens, and genetic factors, leading to symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, and weight loss.
5. Interstitial Lung Diseases: A group of disorders characterized by inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue (interstitium), including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
6. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): A sleep disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to disrupted breathing patterns and daytime sleepiness.

Conclusion:

Respiratory diseases encompass a wide range of conditions affecting the respiratory system, with diverse causes and manifestations. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and types of respiratory diseases is essential for effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, ultimately promoting respiratory health and well-being. Early intervention, lifestyle modifications, and proper management strategies are key in mitigating the impact of respiratory diseases on individuals and communities.
Respiratory Disease: Definition, Causes, and Major Types

Definition:

Respiratory diseases affect the organs and tissues involved in breathing, including the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. These conditions disrupt the normal functioning of the respiratory system, leading to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Causes:

1. Infections: Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens can cause respiratory infections such as the common cold, influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis.
2. Environmental Factors: Exposure to air pollutants (e.g., cigarette smoke, vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants), allergens (e.g., pollen, dust mites, pet dander), and occupational hazards (e.g., asbestos, silica, coal dust) can irritate the respiratory system and contribute to respiratory diseases.
3. Genetic Predisposition: Some respiratory conditions, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis, have a genetic component, making individuals more susceptible to developing these diseases.
4. Lifestyle Choices: Smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and substance abuse can increase the risk of respiratory diseases and exacerbate existing conditions.
5. Chronic Conditions: Chronic diseases like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heart failure, and autoimmune disorders can affect the respiratory system and contribute to respiratory symptoms.

Major Types of Respiratory Diseases:

1. Asthma: Characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to recurrent episodes of wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A group of progressive lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, characterized by airflow limitation and respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath.
3. Pneumonia: An infection of the lung tissue caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other pathogens, leading to symptoms such as fever, cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
4. Lung Cancer: Abnormal cell growth in the lung tissues, often associated with smoking, exposure to carcinogens, and genetic factors, leading to symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, and weight loss.
5. Interstitial Lung Diseases: A group of disorders characterized by inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue (interstitium), including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
6. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): A sleep disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to disrupted breathing patterns and daytime sleepiness.

Conclusion:

Respiratory diseases encompass a wide range of conditions affecting the respiratory system, with diverse causes and manifestations. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and types of respiratory diseases is essential for effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, ultimately promoting respiratory health and well-being. Early intervention, lifestyle modifications, and proper management strategies are key in mitigating the impact of respiratory diseases on individuals and communities.

Alright boys. I recently went through atomic habits and have been having a great time applying the concepts in my self improvement. So here goes nothing:------------------------------------------- BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND IDENTITY: When we want to change our behavior, there are 3 levels where we can do so.

1. Outcomes: changing your results, e.g. losing weight. Most of the goals you set are at this level
2. Process: changing your habits and systems, Most of the habits you build live at this level
3. Identity: changing your beliefs, e.g. your worldview or self-image. Most of the beliefs, assumptions, and biases you hold are associated with this level

The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become. When a habit becomes part of who you are, it is intrinsically motivating. This means the process of doing the habit is the reward, and you want to engage in it just because you enjoy it.In a nutshell, To permanently change your habits, you must also change who you are. And to change your identity, you must do a habit continuously. Identity comes out of habits.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1% BETTER EVERY DAYFor us to grow drastically, it does not take a ton of change from day to day. If we can consistently get only 1% better every single day, we will grow exponentially over time.The same applies with bad habits. If we get only 1% worse every day for a year, we will have dramatically declined by the end of that period.The effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day, yet when looking back two, five, or perhaps ten years later the value of good habits becomes strikingly apparent.----------------------------------------------Goals vs SystemsWhen we are working towards something, there are always 2 major components: A goal and a system.Our goal is the target we want to hit. The amount of money we want to earn, the weight we want to lose, the pages we want to write, and so on. Our systems are the actual processes we need to follow to reach this goal.For example: If my goal is to put on muscle, my system is what I need to do to get there. This is going to be the workout routine I follow, the meals I eat, and how I recover my muscles.We often put a lot of attention on our goals, but not enough on the systems we need to get there. This is a reason why many people fail to accomplish the goals that they set.Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are what we need to make meaningful progress towards our goals.Achieving a goal is a momentary change. If I set the goal to lose 50 pounds in 3 months, I may reach it, but there is also a good chance I will immediately gain the weight back. Systems solve a problem for good. If I like exercising, it will be much harder for me to get fat, because my identity has now been built around being in shape.Systems make you fall in love with the process rather than the product. This way you aren't waiting to get the 6-pack to be happy, and you're able to enjoy life before and after you get to your goal. This doesn't mean we don't set goals or use them to motivate us, it just means that we focus more on the processes we need to hit those goals.In a nutshell, Process > Goal. You should focus mainly on systematizing the process and making the process something part of your identity. Otherwise there is a good chance you revert right back to where you were.---------------------------------------------------HOW TO BUILD AMAZING HABITSAny habit can be broken down into a feedback loop of four steps:

1. Cue: what triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. This is a piece of information that predicts a reward.
2. Craving: This is the motivational force behind every habit. You don’t crave the habit itself, but the change in state it delivers. For example, you do not crave smoking a cigarette, you crave the feeling of relief it provides. We desire the end result.
3. Response: This is the actual habit you perform, as a thought or action. Whether a response happens or not depends on how motivated we are by the craving and how hard doing the habit is.
4. Reward: The end goal of each habit. This is the dopamine hit we get when our craving is satisfied. A good reward will teach us to do an action in the future. A mediocre or bad reward will teach us not to do this action in the future.

These four steps are automatically occurring in every habit we have. If a behavior doesn't hit all four of these stages, it is not and will never be a habit of ours. Without the first three steps, we won't do it. And without all four steps, we won't repeat it. So by using these four steps, we can create good habits. And by messing them up, we can get rid of old, bad ones. Follow these laws and you will make great progress in your habits. Reverse them and you can get rid of habits._______________________________ THE 4 LAWS OF HABIT CHANGE:
The 1st Law : Make It ObviousOur goal with this law is to create cues for good habits. We need to build a trigger to get us doing something. HERE ARE ACTIONABLE STEPS TO DO THIS:

• Create A Habit Scorecard. Write down your current habits in a list, and then write whether they are good or bad(whether or not they will get you closer to who you want to be). If you are struggling to think of habits, list through everything you do daily in order. These are all habits.

(this is not directly building cues, but it is building awareness. Habits are automatic in most cases, so being aware of how them is very important)

• Use implementation intentions. These are statements that remind of us of what we are doing ahead of time. The formula for them is as follows: “I will [new habit] at [time] in [location]”
• Use habit stacking. This is when we do new habits after ones we already do to make it feel more familiar to us. The formula is as follows: “After I [current habit], I will [do new habit]”. For example, "After I drink my coffee, I will work out"

and btw, you can combine this with implementation intentions. For example:“I will [habit] at [time] in [location]”“After I do [current habit], I will [do new habit]”

• Design your environment. Make the cues of good habits obvious and visible and reduce bad habit cues. If you want to read more, put books in front of you. If you want to spend less time on your phone, put it somewhere where it is harder to see.

We need to do these things is because we need to build awareness. If we are not aware of cues, we will not act on them. Cues are key to develop, because they are what gets the process started for us doing a habit. Without a cue, there is no consideration for us taking action.
The 2nd Law : Make It AttractiveOur goal with this law is to create an actual CRAVING to do something. If you despise doing something, it's pretty hard to stay consistent with it. Here are some way to fix that and actually enjoy the idea of doing these new habits:

• Use temptation bundling, which is when you pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do.

Don't cope obviously. You don't play fucking Fortnite on your phone while you run, or eat a cookie while you read about diet. But just throw in small things. Listen to good music while you are in the gym, for example. Have some tea while you journal. Doing these little things helps you a lot in building consistency.

• Join a culture where your desired behavior is normal. If doing something is socially accepted, you will want to do it more naturally.

You guys already are applying this by being in here. The same thing applies for different niches though. If you want to, for example, become a navy SEAL, you would want to find another community of guys doing that and learn from them.

• Create a motivation ritual. Do something you enjoy immediately before a difficult habit. Habits are attractive when we associate them with positive feelings.

Again, don't fucking cope. Make this something simple. Don't do anything that will go against the identity you are aiming for with these goals. But let yourself have fun with it.
The 3rd Law : Make It EasyOur goal with this law is to make it is as EASY to do these habits as possible. These are a few highly actionable steps for this:

• Reduce friction. Decrease the number of steps between you and your good habits.
• Prime the environment. Prepare your environment to make future actions easier. For example, if you want to eat healthier, meal prep over the weekend, so that during the week it takes only takes a few minutes to get your food and microwave it. Or if you want to exercise more, prep your gym bag in advance so that all you have to do is grab it and go. Create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible.
• Master the decisive moment. The difference between a good day and a bad day is often a few productive and healthy choices made at decisive moments. Each one is like a fork in the road, and these choices stack up throughout the day and can ultimately lead to very different outcomes. The moment you decide between ordering takeout or cooking dinner. The moment you choose between driving your car or riding your bike. The moment you decide between starting your homework or grabbing the video game controller. Identify these moments as they happen, so you can make the right decision.
• Use the Two-Minute Rule. Downscale your habits until they can easily be done in two minutes or less. If you want to start running for example, put your shoes on and tie them. If you want to read before bed each night, read one page.

This sounds silly, but it is actually very useful. If you make the first 2 minutes easy to do for whatever habit you are trying to build, it makes it easy to start. Yes, the actual habit still may be hard. But by starting out easy, you build yourself up for it. Make the habit easy to start, because you will then become much more likely to actually do it.

• Automate your habits. Invest in technology and one-time purchases that lock in future behavior. Leave your wallet at home so you don't buy junk food. Stop binge eating by buying food in single packages. The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical to do. Increase the friction until you don’t even have the option to act.

People talk a lot about using willpower to reduce bad habits, but to me that has never been as effective as this is. If you struggle with sugar and live alone, throw away the sugar. If you struggle with wasting time on YouTube, put a website blocker on YouTube. Willpower is a useful tool but it is a limited one as well. Keep that deeply in mind and automate whenever you can, so that you can use your willpower less often and have it be stronger.
The 4th Law : Make It SatisfyingThis is how you can get that "ahhhhh" feeling after you finish the habits you want to implement.

• Use reinforcement. Give yourself an immediate reward when you complete your habit. Make sure these rewards are in line with the identity you want.
• Make “doing nothing” enjoyable. When avoiding a bad habit, design a way to see the benefits. We do bad habits because they are immediately rewarding. We should find a way to make not doing them also immediately rewarding.

I have been doing this by building a "pros and cons" list when I feel tempted to do a habit that is not constructive. I write the good parts of it, and the bad. Then I see how much more bad there is, and I make the choice not to do it, which immediately feels enjoyable, because it is a win.

• Use a habit tracker. Keep track of your habit streak and don’t break the chain of momentum you have going.
• I personally like to do to this on notion or on paper. With paper, I just write the habit in my to-do list for the day, and cross it off. I personally also do not keep track of habit streaks.
• Never miss a habit two days in a row. When you forget to do a habit, make sure you get back on track immediately.

___________________...and that is it.If you've made it to the end of this guide, congrats bro. you don't have a complete lizard brain LOL. Thank you for reading and thank you for giving me your valuable time for this. IN SUMMARY: Process>Goals Change Identity to Change HabitsThe 4 Laws Of Behavior Change: Make it Obvious Make it Easy Make it Attractive Make it satisfying ..................................................Have a good day boys. We got this.

Smoking Elimination Bill

A
BILL
TO
Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.
(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target,
(b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan,
(c) the best available data regarding smoking within the United Kingdom, and
(d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week
(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco,
(b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus,
(c) heated tobacco products, or
(d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or
(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.
(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency,
(b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted,
(c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products
(b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy,
(b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy,
(c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age,
(b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age,
(c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods,
(d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises,
(e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products
(b) replace Section 1 subsection c with:

“c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or-
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or
(b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or
(c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Smoking Elimination Act 2024.
This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government
Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.
This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.
Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.
Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.
To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.
The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.
This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.
Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.
The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into force no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).
This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.
The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.
The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.
And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.
Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.
This reading shall end on Friday 3rd May at 10PM.

B1665 - Smoking Elimination Bill - Final Division

A
BILL
TO
Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.
(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target, (b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan, (d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week
(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco, (b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus, (c) heated tobacco products, or (d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or
(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.
(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency,

(b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted,
(c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products

(b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy, (b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy, (c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age, (b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age, (c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods, (d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises, (e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products (b) replace Section 1 subsection c with: “c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or- (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or (b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or (c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2024.
This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame u/SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir u/weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government
Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.
This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.
Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.
Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.
To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.
The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.
This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.
Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.
The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into for https://www.reddit.com/MHOC/comments/1bskb2u/b1665_smoking_elimination_bill_2nd_reading/ no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).
This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.
The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.
The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.
And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.
Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.
Lords may vote either Content, Not Content or Present to the Bill.
This Division ends on the 25th of April at 10PM BST.

I recently got a pretty good deal on eBay for an Crystal Original Xbox along with a controller and 4 games + all leads for £40 ($50).
The Xbox seemed in good condition from the photo albeit a little yellow, although I figured this could be from the photo or just yellowing from years of the plastic and how it was stored etc.
I've received the Xbox today and it's in a pretty shocking state. The Console is very yellow rather than transparent and it smells really badly of smoke/cigarettes.
I've disassembled the Xbox to give it a clean and there's tatobacco everywhere, inside the controller, the Xbox, etc.
I've used soapy water to scrub everything I can (the plastic casing, the buttons etc) but what can I do about the other internals and the metal shield? The internal components all smell pretty bad too and all look really discolored.
The Xbox is fine, powers on perfectly, reads games, etc, but it's just in a really bad way smell/color wise.
Is there any tips for getting the color of the Xbox Shell closer to how it used to be?
And regarding the internals, do you have any tips for the discoloration or the smell? Currenlty I've got everything airing out in my conservatory, but to be honest I think I've got more chance of it making my conservatory smell of cigarettes than I have of anything else.
Thanks all!

B1665 - Smoking Elimination Bill - Second Reading

A
BILL
TO
Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.
(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target, (b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan, (d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week
(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco, (b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus, (c) heated tobacco products, or (d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—
​

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or
(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

​
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
​

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.
(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—
​

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency,
(b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted,
(c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:
​

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products
(b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy, (b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy, (c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age, (b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age, (c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods, (d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises, (e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products (b) replace Section 1 subsection c with: “c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or- (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or (b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or (c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2024.
This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame u/SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir u/weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government
Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.
This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.
Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.
Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.
To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.
The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.
This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.
Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.
The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into forhttps://www.reddit.com/MHOC/comments/1bskb2u/b1665_smoking_elimination_bill_2nd_reading/ce no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).
This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.
The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.
The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.
And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.
Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.
Lords can debate and submit amendments until the 22nd of April at 10pm BST.

The following contains a sensitive debrief accounting of one Corpus Crewman by the name of Avan Nadirr. This account has sat in the central Corpus database since star date [REDACTED].
It has only recently been declassified due to an anomalous and unprecedented data breach by unknown inside forces during the attack on Amalthea, Jupiter- star date [REDACTED]. After this attack, multiple personnel records and data files were leaked by anonymous sources.
This document has since been translated from Corpus to Origin by Solaris volunteers.
Some may find the contents of this document shocking, disturbing, and possibly even horrifying.
Viewer discretion is advised.
...
My name is Avan N. 13,578th Basic Division. Not too long ago, I was stationed on E Gate, Venus.
I remember my commanding officer telling us "Prepare for death at the hands of something you will never understand, nor will you ever process the power of."
That stands true even now.
I don't think anyone in our regimine really understood those words when they really counted. Everyone, including me, took it as some kind of big joke. "Oh, it's just the old coot trying to scare us." Little did he know, of course, nothing could scare us. We were crewmen now. We were hand picked for this job. The Board were at our backs, Parvos Granum smiled down on us, Profit was all that mattered. Now that the Dera were in our hands, no one could touch us- not Vox Solaris, not the Grineer, not anyone.
"Prepare for death at the hands of something you will never understand, nor will you ever process the power of."
... I'm not ashamed to admit it because I'm sure everyone would agree with me. Doro was a bitter old bastard. No matter what you did, he'd find a problem with it somewhere. Always analyzing, always planning, always correcting. Don't swing your guns around. Don't track mud everywhere. Don't do this, don't do that, you get the gist. He'd been working for the board for nearly 80 years at that point, and he showed no signs of stopping. For Profit, of course. All for Profit. Said things for Profit, did things for Profit, did many things he had come to regret all for the almighty credit. Back then?... Well, shit, he was my fucking hero. He's the exact kind of man I wanted to become in my time in the division. I wanted to work my way up- I wanted to be in Aurax one day. Go big or go home, baby. Top of the food chain, peak of the pecking order. I wanted to be the one scaring the freshbloods someday.
But... well, fuck's sake, that's all a crock of shit now, isn't it? I see that now. I see through the lies. They tell you that when you sign on to give you hope. To make you subservient. To get you chasing their credits so you don't question anything going on around you. You don't question the malpractice and subjugation because there's no money in it for you. You don't question why outposts suddenly go dark all across the system and why you suddenly talk to brand new people whenever they come back online. You don't get paid to. If it's not giving you more money, it just doesn't matter.
You wanna know something, though? It does matter. It is important. It's probably the most important thing you could spend your time worrying about when you're in Basic- Void, any damn division in the workforce. You know why? Well, I sure as shit know why.
It's because at any moment, on any day, at any time...
... it could be you going dark. It could be you vanishing and getting replaced.
Typical day, really. Nothing really different about it. Ruck up, get your suit on, patrol. Easy as shit job if you ask me. Just pretend like you're doing something in front of the cameras- press some buttons, fondle the Moa dispensers, anything really, then call it a day and head back to bunk. Doro, though... Doro was always prepared. Lost in thought near constantly, jumped at the most minor of things like shadows or Moas. Something was always on that guy's mind, and none of us ever knew what or why. Whenever you heard that Nulli' drone go up, you knew Doro got spooked by something again, and you could point and laugh as you pleased.
You laugh, you take the piss, you move on and go back to patrol. Simple as. Just another day working for Glorious Profit. My buddy that day was Korn (don't worry, we made fun of him for that name all the time. Parents must've hated the poor guy or some shit, I don't really know), quiet guy, egghead. He mainly worked on Ospreys and our other tech- weapons, shield gennies, you name it. He kept us fighting-fit despite there never being anything to fight. I was staring at him doing his thing on a dispenser and, as usual, we looked at each other and chuckled. "You know what time it is." I said, nudging his shoulder with the butt of my gun.
"Bully-Doro-instead-of-Korn time?" he asked.
"You know it, Korno."
"Dude, fuck off."
"I will when you get a girl with a name like that."
He hops up, punches me in the arm. We're jovial. We're young. Above all, we've never been more alive. The dopamine rushes into our little credit-driven pea-brains at the sheer thought of shooting the shit with the boys at our superior's expense. We start down the hall. I'm still laughing, Korn isn't...
... and we hear probably the loudest "HOLY SHIT!" I've ever heard in my entire life.
Of course we start friggen running. Pass through the door, and... fucking hell, man, fucking hell... Doro's there. Doro got to leave alive. The poor motherfucker with him didn't. He's bisected on the ground- vertical, right down the middle, steam spewing everywhere from the rapid depressurization with the precision of a damn surgeon I tell you. I can see what he had for breakfast that fucking morning clear as day, and I almost throw up in my helmet. Korn... Korn does. Struggles to get the helmet off, poor bastard.
Doro looks at us. He holds his Lanka up.
"Get in the bubble and look alive, boys. The devil's sent his best."
"They're here."
Nothing he had ever said before had scared us, but that... that did. I remember the chill in my bones as he said that, the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. I've never moved so fucking fast in my life, let me tell you. Into the bubble, out of the outside. I gripped that fucking Dera like my life depended on it... because the first time in my life with the division, it did. I knew it did.
"Watch vents, it escaped through there."
Look at the ground- lo-and-behold, he's right. One of the vents is open. The cover is shot to shit, in pieces on the ground. It's hard to convince myself that those broken shards of metal alloy used to be a cover at one point. Doro looks back at us. "Whatever the FUCK you boys do-"
"DO NOT"
"SHOOT"
"THE BALLS!"
What did that mean- what the fuck does that mean, Doro? I panic. I freak the fuck out actually. Have you ever had one of those really strong panic attacks where you just lock up? That was me. Me and that damn hole in the ceiling, yawning into the depths of the base like an actual abyss. What was in there? What bisected that poor bastard bleeding onto the ground? What did it want with us- no, me, what did it want with me?
"SHOW YOURSELF, YOU NEON BITCH!" Doro screams. He shoots a few rounds into the hole.
"ME AND YOU HAVE A FUCKING SCORE TO SETTLE! SHOW YOURSELF, YOU COWARD, *SHOW YOURSELF!"**
"... They're scared of the nulli field." he explained to us. He's done this song and dance before, and I had never seen him so pissed. "They hate it. It shuts them down, makes them rethink everything. They're mindless, like zombies. They don't like changing strategy, they like doing what normally works for them."
"Th-Then what the hell do you expect us to do, sir?!"
His gaze meets mine. I can feel his determined and wrath-filled eyes upon me past the helmet. Again, he holds his Lanka up, and he starts walking.
"You make the rat bastard think."
Doro starts walking off. We stumble to keep up. Where are we going? No fucking idea. I just know I'm not leaving that bubble no matter what- even if the world ends. Make them think, make them think, what the hell does that mean? How do I make something that just cut a poor fucker in half think? How does it think about anything? It's inhuman, it's not of this world- not of this reality.
"... mama, I'm so sorry..." Korn says.
"Keep your fuckin' mouth shut!" Doro barks.
Snow crunches beneath our boots. The nulli drone up above hums quietly. It's... it's like following a trail. You could see exactly where the fucking thing went just by following the bodies and the destroyed proxies. Heads ruptured in their helmets. Cut in half. Helmets destroyed, pinned to the wall by little knives right through the fucking skull. Korn tries not to vomit again, and he succeeds this one time.
We walk longer, heading back inside. And then, in the midst of the viscera and electronic components... Korn hears it first. Then, I'm next. It was...
... a melody.
Upbeat. Jazzy even. Happy techno instruments compose a short loop of a song I've never heard... but Korn has. I can tell... because he starts saying the words.
"All the old paintings on the tombs," "They do the same dance, don't'cha know?" "If they move too quick, oooh-way-oh," "They're fallin' down, like a domino..."
"... K-Korn? What the fuck, bro?"
"... I wanted to be an archeologist." he explained, "This... this song... i-it's one of the greatest finds of the millennium, let alone century. I-It... it's living proof that... that those who came before us are... c-capable of musical thought, like... like we are..."
"It's it's warcry." Doro added. "It's close. Guns ready, boys."
I swallowed. It was such a jolly tune, it was hard to associate it with impending death.
"All the bazaar men by the Nile," "They got their money on the bet." "Gold crocodiles, oooh-way-oh," "They snap their teeth on your cigarette..."
It was getting louder. Closer. My hands were shaking uncontrollably. Were those embers I was seeing, or was it just me freaking out?
"Foreign types with the hookah pipes say-" "Waaay-ooooh-waaaay-oooh-waaay-oh-way-oooohh..."
"Walk Like an Egyptian..."
Another door slides open before us. The blood here is recent now, and all around us are these weird... fucking... rectangle prism things. It's unnatural, like we stepped into a simulation or something. It's everywhere on the floor, pulsing and moving past all of the corpses and deceased proxies.
"Walk Like and Egyptian..."
... it happens so fucking fast, I barely even register it.
Something hits the field. In a heartbeat- a literal heartbeat- an orange blur fucking SNATCHES Korn, rips him out of the bubble, and flings him down on the floor. He's screaming. He's screaming his lungs and throat out, and we start shooting at the fucking thing, but it's. Not. Dropping.
As it tears Korn asunder with a knife embedded into its wrist, it clicks with me that it's humanoid.
"DON'T LET IT FUCKING TAKE MEE-Auugh, gaaugh..."
"MAKE IT THINK, AVAN! MAKE IT THINK!"
It- no... she takes a bow off of her back and begins to shoot for the drone. If that thing dies, we do too. Make it think, how do I make it think? Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK. I-...
... I know what to do, and I don't like it.
"HEY, STUPID NEON LADY, EYES ON ME!" It was a stupid plan, but if I stood there doing nothing but shooting, both of us would've died instead of one. I... left the bubble. I mashed the trigger on my Dera, waiting for when it told me I couldn't do that anymore. It was a panic move, but it just might work.
"NOT LIKE THAT, YOU STUPID BASTARD!"
... am I ashamed that those were his last words? Very. Very ashamed. A swift arrow to the drone is all it took to pop the bubble and leave Doro vulnerable. He was more of a nuisance than I was- more of... he had more aggro I guess. With the field down, all it took was a kunai to his jugular to down my superior for good. Then, it was my turn. A quick kunai to the knee, and before I knew it, I was dangling in her grasp...
... before I heard it.
"You've broken their ranks and they are on the run. Another successful mission. Find extraction."
Smooth as butter. Feminine. Motherly almost. It came from her helmet- some kind of commander of this absolute psychopath. It disgusted me, but before I could be shocked and appalled, she dropped me on the ground. I can still feel it- the numbness in my nerves, the chill in my bones, the sweat stinging my eyes. She lorded over me, and...
... she saluted me with two fingers... turned the music back on, crouched and stood back up bunch of times, and vanished before my very eyes.
So that's it. You wanted it, you got it. That's exactly what I saw during the E Gate raid. I imagine that's also what Doro saw at his first station. I hope this helped. I hope this gets you motherfuckers to understand that, with out current equipment and training and personnel amount... we don't stand a goddamn chance against that fucking thing.
And here you sit before me, arms crossed, swagger unmatched, and not only do you say that this happens in droves every day of the week... but that there's more? More Warframes? With crazy batshit powers, that all want to kill us?
... if you wanted to promote me to Nullifier, you can fucking forget it, you know that? I'm a crewman, and Warframes are terrifying, you psychopath.
I'm not going down like Doro did. I'm walking.
( Inspired by u/WildPossible5952's post. Just a little fun. )

We are conducting a study on neural activity following substance use.
To participate, you must be right-handed, have used cigarettes and/or used e-cigarettes (e.g., a Juul or other nicotine vape) on a nondaily basis in the past month, and have no metal in your body. Evening/weekend scheduling and assistance with transportation are available.
If eligible based on a 20-minute pre-screening and 1 hour interview, participation will include two 5–6-hour visits to the lab, and 2 follow-up phone interviews. You may earn up to $400 for full completion of all study components.
Each visit will involve: • Tests and questionnaires to measure thinking abilities and decision making • An MRI at the OHSU Advanced Imaging Research Center • Before each MRI scan, you will consume a legal, non-prescription substance at a dosage proven safe for human consumption. For example, the substance may be a stimulant (like caffeine), a depressant (like alcohol), an analgesic (or painkiller, like aspirin), or placebo.
To see if you may qualify, please visit https://redcap.link/BRAINY
If you have any questions or concerns you can contact our laboratory at 503-494-4269 or [BRAINY@ohsu.edu](mailto:BRAINY@ohsu.edu). Please leave a message with the best phone number to reach you as well as your availability.
Principal Investigator: Angelica Morales, PhD
IRB#18483

Smoking Elimination Bill

A
BILL
TO
Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.
(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target, (b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan, (c) the best available data regarding smoking within the United Kingdom, and (d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week
(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco, (b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus, (c) heated tobacco products, or (d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or
(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.
(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency, (b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted, (c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. (d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products (b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy, (b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy, (c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age, (b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age, (c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods, (d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises, (e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products (b) replace Section 1 subsection c with: “c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or- (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or (b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or (c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2024.
This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame u/SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir u/weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government
Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.
This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.
Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.
Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.
To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.
The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.
This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.
Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.
The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into forhttps://www.reddit.com/MHOC/comments/1bskb2u/b1665_smoking_elimination_bill_2nd_reading/ce no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).
This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.
The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.
The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.
And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.
Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.
This division ends at 10PM BST on Tuesday 16 April 2024.

Smoking Elimination Bill

A
BILL
TO
Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.
(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target, (b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan, (c) the best available data regarding smoking within the United Kingdom, and (d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week
(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco, (b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus, (c) heated tobacco products, or (d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or
(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.
(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency, (b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted, (c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. (d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products (b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy, (b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy, (c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age, (b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age, (c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods, (d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises, (e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products (b) replace Section 1 subsection c with: “c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or- (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or (b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or (c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2024.
This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame u/SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir u/weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government
Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.
This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.
Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.
Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.
To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.
The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.
This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.
Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.
The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into forhttps://www.reddit.com/MHOC/comments/1bskb2u/b1665_smoking_elimination_bill_2nd_reading/ce no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).
This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.
The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.
The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.
And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.
Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.
​
This Reading will end on the 11th at 10PM.

Smoking Elimination Bill

A
BILL
TO
Create a statutory duty to eliminate most smoking by 2030, implement licensing for the sale of tobacco and nicotine-containing products, regulate e-cigarettes and for connected purposes
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

Chapter I: Smoke Free by 2030

Section 1: Smoke Free Target

(1) It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that by 2030, less than 5% of the United Kingdom population are regular smokers. This shall be referred to as the “Smoke Free Target”.
(2) The Secretary of State must publish an annual smoking elimination plan, which must include:

(a) an action plan demonstrating the actions to be taken by the Secretary of State to achieve the Smoke Free Target,
(b) measurable objectives to be achieved by the time of the publication of the next annual smoking elimination plan,
(c) the best available data regarding smoking within the United Kingdom, and
(d) a summary of failures to achieve targets set out in all previous smoking elimination plans until such time as they have been achieved, alongside remedial measures to ensure ascertainment of the relevant target.

Section 2: Definitions

(1) For the purposes of this act, a regular smoker is a person who usually consumes at least one tobacco product per week
(2) For the purposes of this act, a tobacco product is a product primarily intended for the consumption of nicotine, including but not limited to:

(a) smoked tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and hookah tobacco,
(b) smokeless tobacco products such as dipping tobacco, chewing tobacco or snus,
(c) heated tobacco products, or
(d) any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

(3) For the purposes of this act, a nicotine-containing product is any product given under subsection (3), or an electronic cigarette, or any other product as designated by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Chapter II: Introduction of Licensing of Sale

Section 3: Licensing Requirement for sale

(1) A person commits an offence if they—

(a) sell nicotine-containing products by retail without a licence, or
(b) sell nicotine-containing products by retail from premises other than premises in respect of which they have been granted a licence, unless that licence is granted for online sales.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person is considered to have sold a nicotine-containing product by retail if they provide the item for free.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Section 4: Regulations Regarding Licensing

(1) A body known as the Tobacco Licensing Agency is to be formed.
(2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision about the granting of licences for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products, and such regulations as the Secretary of State deems reasonably necessary for the orderly function of the Tobacco Licensing Agency.
(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must provide that—

(a) the licensing authority for the sale by retail of nicotine-containing products is the Tobacco Licensing Agency,
(b) the licensing authority may place conditions on persons to whom licences have been granted,
(c) no licence may be issued to or held by a person who has been convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
(d) licences will be issued on an individual basis for a specific address, or online point of sale, and subject to compliance inspection by the licensing authority.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) must further ensure that the licensing authority may to such an extent compliant with other legislation regulate product standards with respect to products under their remit, including but not limited to:

(a) Restrictions of the marketing and advertising of tobacco products
(b) Requirements regarding health warning and information displays with respect to the sale of tobacco products

Section 5: Age Verification Conditions

(1) Regulations under section 4 must—

(a) require holders of a licence to operate an age verification policy,
(b) enable the licensing authority to issue fines in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy,
(c) create criminal offences in respect of a failure to operate an age verification policy.

(2) The Secretary of State may publish guidance on matters relating to age verification policies, including guidance about—

(a) steps that should be taken to establish a customer's age,
(b) documents that may be shown to the person selling a tobacco product or related goods as evidence of a customer's age,
(c) training that should be undertaken by the person selling the tobacco product or related goods,
(d) the form and content of notices that should be displayed in the premises,
(e) the form and content of records that should be maintained in relation to an age verification policy.

(3) A person who carries on a business involving the retail sale of tobacco products must have regard to guidance published under subsection (2) when operating an age verification policy.

Chapter III: Regulations Regarding E-Cigarettes

Section 6: Extension of Plain Packaging to all “nicotine-containing products”

(1) Within the Plain Packaging Act 2016, the following amendments are to be made:-

(a) replace all instances of tobacco products with nicotine-containing products
(b) replace Section 1 subsection c with:

“c) Nicotine-containing products shall have the same meaning as that given in the Smoking Elimination Act 2023”.

Section 10: Ban of disposable e-cigarettes

(1) A person commits an offence if they sell disposable e-cigarettes (where intended for use as a nicotine-containing product) by retail.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine, or-
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

(3) For the purposes of this section, an e-cigarette shall be considered disposable if it is intended only for a single use, and lacks capacity either to be refilled or recharged by the user.
(4) This Subsection shall come into force upon either the 1st of January 2025, or on a date appointed by regulation by the Secretary of State not later than the 1st of January 2027.

Chapter IV: Implementation

Section 11: Commencement, Extent and Short Title

(1) This Act shall come into force one year after receiving Royal Assent.
(2) This Act shall extend to England only unless—

(a) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, in which case it shall also apply to Scotland, or
(b) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Senedd Cymru, in which case it shall also apply to Wales, or
(c) a Legislative Consent Motion is passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, in which case it shall also apply to Northern Ireland.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Smoking Elimination Act 2024.
This bill was written by the Right Honourable Dame SpectacularSalad KG KP GCB OM GCMG GBE CT PC MP MLA FRS and the Right Honourable Sir weebru_m CT KT PC MP on behalf of His Majesty’s Government
Chapter 2 was largely sourced from the real life Sale of Tobacco (Licensing) Bill.
This Legislation amends the Plain Packaging Act 2016.
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
The house recently read the Advertisement of Vape Products (Regulation) Bill, one I was happy to welcome to this house and support at division. I believe that we in this house must do more to regulate vaping, and also to do what we can to eliminate smoking more generally.
Recalling also the Plain Packaging Bill read earlier this year (and subsequently withdrawn), I was spurred into action to propose the following legislation. I have sought to propose a package of world-leading, comprehensive measures.
Firstly, this bill will create a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to reduce the number of regular smokers to 5% of the population by 2030. In 2021 it was 13.3%, and below this threshold the UK will be considered “smoke free”. This 5% target is inspired by New Zealand’s health measures, but I must make clear that this bill does not go as far as a total ban for certain ages as seen in Aotearoa.
To support this goal, the bill will introduce two new licences. These are a licence on the sale of nicotine products (meaning tobacco products, and vapes), and a licence on the purchase of tobacco products specifically, but not vapes.
The nicotine-containing products licence will come into effect a year after passage of the bill, and this will require any business selling either tobacco or vapes to be licensed. This will also ban online sales of these products, making them only available in brick and mortar stores.
This effort is aimed at cracking down on the sale of tobacco and particularly vapes to young people, as the 25 years of age check will apply as a part of the terms of the licence itself. The NHS estimates that 9% of secondary school pupils either regularly or occasionally vape. This is 9% too many.
Eliminating online sale of tobacco or vaping products will close the online sales loophole, and by controlling which businesses are able to sell these products, we can implement better checks and controls to ensure that young people are unable to access them.
The second measure is the Tobacco Purchase Licence, which will come into force no earlier than the beginning of 2027. This is a licence to be required for an individual to buy tobacco containing products (but explicitly not vapes).
This will be a free, renewable, annual licence. Everyone who is 18 or older will be able to get one, but they will need an application signed by their GP, with the licences themselves issued by NHS bodies, who may issue guidance to the GP on how to support the individual in question.
The aim here is twofold, firstly to ensure that all active smokers have some interaction with the NHS relating to smoking, giving us a greater ability to support cessation. Individuals will retain the right to choose to smoke tobacco, but they will be unable to renew their licence to purchase without a GP’s awareness.
The second aim is simply to make smoking tobacco more hassle than vaping. We do not know how harmful vaping is, but the NHS’ own guidance is that vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes, exposing users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. By creating a licence required to buy tobacco but not vaping, it is hoped that individuals will be nudged away from cigarettes and towards vaping as a substitute. Due to the nature of the licence, this will be a passive incentive built into the nicotine-products market.
And that brings me neatly onto the fourth key strand of this legislation, that is the extension of plain packaging and out-of-view laws to vapes, and banning disposable vapes. The first component is intended to crack down on bright packaging intended especially to appeal to young people. The second component is intended to tackle both the ease of access to addictive nicotine products, and also to reduce the environmental impact of vaping.
Overall, this represents a comprehensive package of measures that will fit well with the Government’s existing proposals. I hope they will see fit to provide cross-bench support for these measures, aimed at the substantive elimination of smoking in the UK.
This reading ends at 10PM BST on Wednesday 3 April 2024.

Fibrinogen, Heart Health, and Genetics:

• Fibrinogen is a glycoprotein that helps platelets come together and form blood clots. Genetics accounts for about 50% of the variability in fibrinogen levels (the rest is diet, lifestyle, overall health).[ref]
• The liver mainly produces fibrinogen, but the epithelial cells lining the lungs and intestines can also produce fibrinogen. Tumor cells also have been shown to produce fibrinogen.[ref]
• The levels of fibrinogen often rise during systemic inflammation.

Forming a clot from fibrinogen:

For a clot to form, an enzyme called thrombin is needed to convert fibrinogen into fibrin, forming the fibrous part of a blood clot.
The fibrin strand crosslinks with each other using factor XIIIa, forming a clumped network of fibrin.
A blood clot doesn’t just form and sit there forever (obviously). Instead, it is a dynamic event with the clot-forming and breaking down all the time. Plasmin, an enzyme that breaks down clots, and fibrin activate the formation of plasmin. When plasmin breaks down some of the fibrin, the d-dimer is released. (D-dimer levels are often tested in hospitals to see if there has been a clot.)

Inflammation and Fibrinogen

• In addition to its role in clotting, fibrinogen is activated by acute inflammation (whether from a wound or other sources).[ref]
• Fibrinogen production in the liver immediately increases in acute inflammatory situations.
• Additionally, fibrinogen causes macrophages to produce inflammatory cytokines.[ref]

Thus, fibrinogen is created in response to inflammation and can also cause an increase in inflammation under certain conditions.

Fibrinogen in Heart Disease

One of the key players in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is plasma fibrinogen. It is a main component of clots in the arteries.
In general, fibrinogen levels are higher in people with cardiovascular disease, and the higher the fibrinogen level, the greater the mortality risk.[ref]
Cardiovascular disease ‘endpoints’ in research are defined as stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and peripheral artery disease. Some cardiovascular disease researchers believe that fibrinogen levels reflect the increased inflammation that accompanies heart disease. Thus, the increased inflammation causes high fibrinogen, which adds to atherosclerosis (plaque in the arteries).[ref]
Genetic variants that increase fibrinogen increase the risk of heart disease. But lifestyle factors play a significant role here — smoking, diet, lack of exercise all increase inflammation and thus raise fibrinogen levels. For example, cigarette smoking increases fibrinogen by over 10%.[ref]
The use of Mendelian randomization studies tries to determine whether something causes a disease (e.g., does higher fibrinogen cause cardiovascular disease vs. does CVD cause higher fibrinogen). A Mendelian randomization study on fibrinogen-related genes found that fibrinogen does have a small causal role in CVD.[ref] Again – this points to genetics + lifestyle factors.
​
Click here to read my full article:

Vaping has grown in popularity among people of all ages in recent years, with many citing it as a "safer" alternative to traditional smoking. However, as the vaping practice spreads through communities, questions about its possible health consequences, notably its impact on fertility, have arisen. In this post, we will examine the scientific evidence to discover the truth about how vaping affects fertility.
Understanding the components of vaping
Before getting into the implications for fertility, it's important to understand the basic components of vaping. E-cigarettes, the most common type of vaping equipment, often contain a solution of nicotine, flavorings, and other substances. When heated, this solution produces an aerosol that users breathe into their lungs.
Nicotine's role in fertility
Nicotine, a highly addictive chemical found in traditional cigarettes and many vaping devices, has been linked to a decrease in fertility. Research has shown that nicotine can disrupt hormonal levels, decrease sperm quality and motility in males, and impair ovarian function in females. Moreover, nicotine exposure during pregnancy has been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight and preterm birth.
Impact of Chemical Exposure
In addition to nicotine, the different compounds in vaping aerosols can be harmful to fertility. Studies have found hazardous substances in e-cigarette aerosols, including formaldehyde, acrolein, and heavy metals, including lead and cadmium. These drugs have been linked to oxidative stress, DNA damage, and reproductive toxicity, all of which can reduce fertility in men and women.
Effects on the reproductive organs
Emerging data reveals that vaping may have a direct effect on the reproductive organs, aggravating fertility concerns. Animal studies have shown that exposure to vaping aerosols can cause inflammation and oxidative damage in the testes and ovaries, ultimately impairing reproductive function. Furthermore, vaping-induced alterations in blood flow and vascular health may compromise reproductive development and function.
The Need for Further Research
While preliminary studies shed light on the potential impacts of vaping on fertility, additional research is required to completely grasp the long-term implications. Given the significant rise in vaping use, particularly among young individuals of reproductive age, research into its effects on fertility has become increasingly critical. Longitudinal research on vaping users' fertility outcomes, as well as mechanistic studies that elucidate the underlying biological processes, are critical for influencing public health policy and supporting informed decision-making.

Bioactive β-Carbolines in Food: A Review. Piechowska P, Zawirska-Wojtasiak R, Mildner-Szkudlarz S. Nutrients. 2019 Apr 11;11(4):814. doi: 10.3390/nu11040814
Our findings strongly suggest that some foods, especially coffee, can act as a rich source of β-carbolines,
β-carbolines have been detected in tobacco leaves, cigarettes, and cigarette smoke [9,11].
Note that ‘harmalas’ are classified as β-carbolines (beta-carbolines). It should also be noted that ‘harmalas’ aren’t just simple MAOIs: they also have a quasi-psychedelic effect.[1] Also, two additional pieces of information not mentioned in the article that are relevant are (1) DMT metabolizes into two β-carbolines,[2][3] and (2) cacao contains four β-carbolines in tiny quantities.[4] These findings demonstrate that ayahuasca’s chemicals aren’t as exotic as people think.
More fascinating facts:
Certain trees of the Virola species contain 2-methyl-6-methoxy-tetrahydro-β-carboline.[5] Also fascinating is that these trees are the only known source of substantial amounts of 5-MeO-DMT in the plant kingdom.[6]
In addition to the familiar ‘harmalas’, Peganum harmala (Syrian rue) contains over 150 alkaloids in trace amounts.[7] Two of these are harmalidine[8] and harmalicidine.[9] There are also many β-carbolines in marine organisms.[10] There are also two forms of DMT in sea sponges (5-bromo-DMT (Smenospongia aurea) and 5,6-dibromo-DMT (Smenospongia echina)).[11]
It was a very nice empathogenic effect with great pleasure from auditory stimulation. I had found myself holding and hugging my friends without realizing it. It was similar to my experience with MDMA. (5-Br-DMT, Slim_Zany, bluelight.org)
​
And last, but certainly not least, five β-carbolines are generated in the body (endogenous):

• harman[12] & norharman
  
• 6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline (pinoline)
  
• Tetrahydro-β-carboline[13]
  
• 6-hydroxy-tetrahydro-β-carboline[13]
  

edit
6-MeO-harmalan a.k.a. 10-MeO-harmalan may be endogenous as well.[14]
​
I’ve been keeping track of all of this information in this post: rare harmalas
​
For the record, the predominant β-carbolines in B. caapi are harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine[15] and these are their alternate names:

• harmine: 7-methoxy-1-methyl-9H-β-carboline
• harmaline: 7-methoxy-1-methyl-4,9-dihydro-3H-β-carboline
• tetrahydroharmine: 7-Methoxy-1-methyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-β-carboline

Thanks to ebi.ac.uk and isomerdesign.com
​
[1] https://www.reddit.com/harmalas/s/QnhTB68dUL
[2] Specifically, tetrahydro-β-carboline and 2-methyl-tetrahydro-β-carboline.
Barker SA, Monti JA, Christian ST (1980) Metabolism of the hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine in rat brain homogenates. Biochem Pharmacol 29(7):1049–1057
[3] Sitaram BR, McLeod WR (1990) Observations on the metabolism of the psychotomimetic indolealkylamines: implications for future clinical studies. Biol Psychiatry 28(10):841–848
[4] Tetrahydro-β-carbolines (THβCs), potential neuroactive alkaloids, were found in chocolate and cocoa. 6-Hydroxy-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline (6OHMTHβC), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (THCA), 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCA) in both diastereoisomers (1S,3S and 1R,3S), and 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline (MTHβC), (Abstract)
Despite their supposed relative low concentration (i.e. an average of 30 g/person/ day consumption of dark chocolate would account for an ingestion of up to 0.21 mg/person/day of total THβCs), the presence of THβCs exhibiting potential bioactive or neuroactive properties could play a role in craving, and this hypothesis deserves further attention. (Discussion)
Tetrahydro-β-carbolines, Potential Neuroactive Alkaloids, in Chocolate and Cocoa. Herraiz, Tomas. 2000. Potential Neuroactive Alkaloids, in Chocolate and Cocoa", Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry., 48 (10), pages 4900–4904.
More info about cacao: https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showthreaded.php/Numbe20839702/page/0/vc/1
[5] We found 2-methyl-6-methoxy-tetrahydro-β-carboline (2Me-6MeO-THBC), a compound reported from Virola sp. (Agurell et al., 1968b) to be in the same general range of potency as harman and harmol. Thus 2-Me-6-MeO-THBC exhibited the greatest inhibitory activity of any of the 6-methoxylated β-carbolines tested, and was approximately an order of magnitude more active than THH. The greater activity of this compound with respect to THH and the other 6-methoxylated analogues may be due primarily to the methylation of the piperidine nitrogen. This compound was not investigated by either McIsaac and Estevez (1966) or Buckholtz and Boggan (1977); the former authors, however, reported that acetylation of the piperidine nitrogen resulted in a compound lacking inhibitory activity.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in South American hallucinogenic plants: Tryptamine and β-carboline constituents of Ayahuasca. McKenna DJ, Towers GHN, Abbott F. Apr 1984. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol 10, 2, 195-223. DOI: 10.1016/0378-8741(84)90003-5 (β-Carbolines as inhibitors of MAO: structure/activity relationships of selected derivatives p. 217)
[6] Ott J. Pharmepéna-Psychonautics: Human intranasal, sublingual and oral pharmacology of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2001 Oct-Dec;33(4):403-7. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2001.10399925.
[7] Alkaloids from the entheogenic plant Peganum harmala. Anstis DG, Liyu J, Davison EK, Sperry J. Feb 20, 2023. Australian Journal of Chemistry 76(5) 264-278. DOI: 10.1071/CH23038
[8] A gold(i)-catalysed approach towards harmalidine an elusive alkaloid from Peganum harmala. Miaskiewicz S, Weibel JM, Pale P, Blanc A. RSC Adv. 2022 Sep 21;12(41):26966-26974. doi: 10.1039/d2ra05685b.
[9] Cytotoxicity of alkaloids isolated from Peganum harmala seeds. Lamchouri F, Zemzami M, Jossang A, Abdellatif A, Israili ZH, Lyoussi B. Pak J Pharm Sci. 2013 Jul;26(4):699-706. https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci_2013_26_4_699_706.pdf
[10] https://www.reddit.com/harmalas/s/4fXUMQ9vUl
[11] https://www.vice.com/en/article/znqdve/sea-dmt-000481-v20n3
[12] Harman in human platelets. Bidder TG, Shoemaker DW, Boettger HG, Evans M, Cummins JT. Life Sci. 1979 Jul 9;25(2):157-64. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(79)90387-4.
[13] Tetrahydronorharmane (THN) and 6-hydroxy-norharmane: physiological components in platelets and urine of man. Honecker, H. & H. Coper: Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Arch. Pharmacol. 1978, 302, R63.
Note that these two names are synonyms for the above-mentioned chemicals. The first one is also a DMT metabolite.
[14] From what is available in the scientific literature, 10-MH seems to be an anti-metabolite of both melatonin and serotonin and is present endogenously in the body. In other words, out bodies synthesized it from melatonin probably as part of a negative feedback mechanism to put the brakes on excessive serotonin/melatonin production/effects.
https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/10-methoxy-harmalan-liquid-product-for-r-d.43474/
One more substance, 6- methoxyharmalan, has been shown to derive, at least in vitro, from melatonin (9), which in turn results from the methylation of acetylserotonin. The enzyme which makes this methylation possible, hydroxyindole-0-methyltransferase (HIOMT), has only been found in the pineal body. (See Fig. 1.)
Naranjo C. Ayahuasca, caapi, yage. Psychotropic properties of the harmala alkaloids. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1967 Dec;4(3):16-7. PMID: 5615550. https://www.claudionaranjo.net/pdf_files/psychedelics/psychotropic_properties_of_the_harmala_alkaloids_english.pdf
[15] B. caapi contains the β-carboline derivatives harmine, tetrahydroharmine (THH), and harmaline as the major alkaloids (Callaway et al., 1996). (6. Chemistry of ayahuasca and its source plants)
Callaway, J. C., Raymon, L.P., Hearn, W. L., McKenna, D. J., Grob, C. S., Brito, G. S., & Mash, D. C. (1996). Quantitation of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmala alkaloids in human plasma after oral dosing with Ayahuasca. J Anal Toxicol 20, 492–497.
McKenna DJ. Clinical investigations of the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca: rationale and regulatory challenges. Pharmacol Ther. 2004 May;102(2):111-29. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2004.03.002.

TikTok Shop Prohibited Products Policy 02/05/2024
Prohibited products refer to products banned from sale on TikTok Shop due to local, state, and federal regulations or considered a risk to TikTok Shop's customers and users.

• Any products whose sale or shipment violate applicable laws or regulations in any country that are being advertised for sale. ​
• Stolen goods that are not the property of the seller, or that were obtained through illegal means.​
• Gray market and counterfeit products, as well as any products which violate the intellectual property or proprietary right of a third party.​
• Any products that may not be lawfully imported into the country where the buyer is located, including products sourced from or manufactured in territories subject to economic or trade sanctions. ​
• Any products that were recalled by manufacturers or governmental, national, or international agencies.​

LIST OF PROHIBITED PRODUCTS! ⬇️

Important Note for Affiliates: stay away from promoting these products!
ADULT PRODUCTS

• Any products designed for explicit sexual activity, such as bondage gear, fetish wear, erotic clothing, and sexually suggestive items. ​
• Any products containing sexually explicit content like adult games, films, anime, comics, and more.​

ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, & E-CIGARETTES
Alcohol, tobacco, and E-cigarettes include, but are not limited to, products containing or derived from alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, vaping substances, smokeless or combustible tobacco items, synthetic nicotine products, smoking equipment and accessories, E-cigarettes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.​
ANIMAL, ANIMAL-RELATED PRODUCTS, PROTECTED WILDLIFE & PLANTS

• All living creatures. ​
• Items containing authentic animal fur from endangered species, rare skins sourced from endangered species, and any items derived from animals shielded by federal, state, or municipal statutes. Instances might include body parts, antlers, ivory, bone, teeth, and related articles.​
• Aquatic resources under prohibition for exploitation.​
• Aquatic merchandise containing toxic or dangerous components surpassing legally sanctioned thresholds.​
• Items containing plant or wildlife species protected by regional laws and regulations.​
• Aquatic products containing natural toxins posing threats to human life.​
• Varieties of plants barred by law for production and trade.​
• Plant varieties that jeopardize production, human well-being, the environment, and the ecological system.​
• Tools and kits for ear cropping, tail docking, declawing or any other removal or modification of a companion animal’s appendage.​
• Animal grooming supplies such as grooming scissors, deodorizers, and colognes.​
• Veterinary medicines, vaccines, drugs or any supplements intended for animals.​
• Medicated animal and pet feed that requires a prescription by a licensed veterinarian.​
• Cross-border sellers are prohibited from selling pet food, including pet treats, on TikTok Shop. ​

BABY & MATERNITY PRODUCTS

• Breast pumps and related specialized maternity and nursing equipment.​
• Maternity vitamins and supplements.​
• Baby vitamins and supplements.​
• All beaded teethers, including beaded amber teething jewelry, as well as those made from materials like amber, wood, silicone, or other elements strung on flexible materials.​

BEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

• Beauty and personal care products that claim to have medical applications but are not verified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or are not labeled correctly as both a cosmetic and a drug.​
• Cosmetics that are not packaged, labeled, or intended for retail sale in the U.S. (for example, cosmetic testers, imported cosmetics that do not comply with U.S. laws and regulations).​
• Cosmetics, beauty, and personal care products that are intended for use by medical professionals or under medical supervision.​
• Cosmetics that are named in the FDA recall or safety alert.​
• Cosmetics containing FDA-prohibited or restricted ingredients.​
• Products with the aim of whitening, lightening, or bleaching the skin are strictly prohibited. However, products designed to enhance the complexion's brightness or even out skin tone are permissible.​

BODY & MENTAL WELLNESS PRODUCTS
TikTok Shop strictly prohibits the sale of certain body and mental wellness products and supplements in order to foster a responsible and safe environment for our users. This policy is associated with products frequently linked to the pursuit of idealized body shapes, patterns of disordered eating, and any potential negative influence on mental health.

• Weight gain or muscle gain products that are typically used for pursuing specific body aesthetics, such as larger muscles, larger buttocks, and more. This includes, but is not limited to, steroids, testosterone boosters, muscle-building supplements, and protein powders that are advertised in conjunction with achieving a particular body image.​
• Products and supplements that claim to aid in weight management, fat reduction, or similar goals are strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, diet pills, appetite suppressants, products that aim to boost metabolism, fat burners and creams, detox teas, and any item making explicit weight loss claims.​
• Products or content that explicitly or implicitly depict, glorify, or promote suicide, self-harm, or disordered eating behaviors.​
• Products that directly or indirectly mention forms of non-suicidal self-injury or suicide:​
• We do not allow the sale of products that mention specific forms of non-suicidal self-injury or suicide, such as cutting, burning, overdosing, or hanging oneself. This includes, but is not limited to, pens that replicate the sensation of cutting or books that discuss suicide methods.​
• Products that glorify, promote, trivialize, or stigmatize mental health disorders.​
• We do not allow the sale of products that imply that mental health disorders are aspirational, cool, or desirable. This includes, but is not limited to, replicas of suicide notes or Halloween costumes of mental asylum patients.​

DISCRIMINATORY & OFFENSIVE PRODUCTS

• Products or content that promote, contain, or encourage illegal activities, hateful behavior, hate speech, promotion of hateful ideologies, or incite, provoke, or promote violence or hatred against an individual or a group of people.​
• Products promoting discrimination based on protected attributes (caste, ethnicity, national origin, race, religion, tribe, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, serious disease).​
• Products that promote or glorify violent and hateful organizations or individuals, including violent extremists, violent political organizations, violent criminal organizations, hateful organizations, and individual perpetrators of mass violence.​
• Products that directly exploit or profit from human tragedies and natural disasters, including those featuring explicit or insensitive depictions of such events, or those that may trivialize or make light of the suffering of affected individuals or communities.​

DRUGS & DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

• Drugs, chemicals, and raw materials.​
• Hallucinogenic plants and fungus ​
• Narcotics, steroids, and other drugs prohibited by law or regulation.​
• Any chemicals, ingredients, or raw materials used to manufacture drugs or addictive substances. This includes but is not limited to marijuana, opium, and poppy seeds. ​
• Drug paraphernalia, such as products primarily intended for making, preparing, or consuming "controlled substances." This includes but is not limited to bongs, glass pipes, or vaporizers designed for smoking or drug use.​
• Pill presses, die molds, and products related to the production of pills. ​
• Products that claim to provide a “legal high," including marijuana and medicinal marijuana. ​
• Products listed on the DOD Prohibited Dietary Supplement Ingredients list.​

FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, & WEAPONS

• Guns, pistols, rifles, automatic weapons, military ordnance, sport, and hunting guns.​
• Simulation guns, airsoft guns, BB guns, potato launchers, replica guns, all gun keychains, and model guns.​
• All associated parts, kits, ammunition, components, and accessories for building or constructing firearms. This includes inside accessories, including but not limited to bullets, magazines, barrels, weapon conversion kits, and firing pins. Please note cleaning kits are allowed.​
• Certain knives, including automatic knives (switchblades), butterfly knives (balisongs), machetes, concealed swords, hunting knives, gravity knives, knives designed to look harmless (lipstick case knives and writing pen knives), knuckle knives, push daggers, spring-loaded knives, stiletto knives, and throwing stars (batman symbols, metal throwing stars, etc.)​
• Military weaponry, explosives, and grenades.​
• Stun guns and tasers.​
• Batons and telescopic truncheons.​
• Tear gas, pepper spray, and mace.​
• Brass knuckles, knuckledusters, dan claws, foot claws, and nunchucks.​
• Self-defense keychains and items encompassing, but not limited to, cat ear keychains, kubotans, Tactical Pens, Monkey Fists, discreet knives such as keys, and more.​

GAMBLING & GAMIFICATION

• Lottery tickets, instant win tickets, and scratch card tickets or labels of any sort.​
• Social casinos ​
• Slot machines and electronic gaming machines that are used for gambling.​
• Products involved in simulating gambling activities, such as poker cards, poker tables, and gaming chips.​
• Online gambling of any kind.​
• Bingo, raffles, sweepstakes.​
• Sports forecasting, betting, odds-making, bookmaking.​
• Casino-style games, such as roulette, slot machine, wager, lotteries, and poker. ​
• Claw machines and claw machine entries.​
• Lucky Games and Drawings such as Oyster Opening, Lucky Scoop, Lucky Bag, Lucky Draw, Lucky Spin, Lucky Card, Wheel Spin, Giveaway Entry.​

HAZARDOUS & DANGEROUS ITEMS

• Any product that is named by the FDA recall or safety alert.​
• Any product containing FDA-prohibited or restricted ingredients.​
• Any lighters and torches with fuel. This includes, but is not limited to, butane lighters, Zippo lighters, propane lighters, torch lighters, and plasma lighters.​
• Strike anywhere matches.​
• Radioactive materials and their processing equipment.​
• Explosive materials and processing equipment, such as gases, fireworks, or fuses​
• Toxic substances and hazardous chemicals.​
• Chemical substances banned by law or needing approval.​
• Industrial-use chemicals that are not for general consumers.​
• Any products subject to hazardous material shipping regulations. This includes, but is not limited to, aerosol paints, and more.​
• Products that contain large quantities of magnetic balls or cubes, including nanodots, buckyballs, magnet balls, and similar products.​
• Pesticides and insecticides.​
• Etching creams. ​
• High power laser pointers.​

HUMAN BODY PARTS, REMAINS, & MORTUARY PRODUCTS
Human body parts and remains include, but are not limited to, body parts including genuine bones or skeletons, waste, remains, organs, or reproductive materials like sperm, egg cells, fertilized eggs, and embryos. However, wigs made from human hair, 360 lace wigs, or human hair silk are allowed to be sold on TikTok Shop. Mortuary products include, but are not limited to:​

• Caskets​
• Cremation urns​
• Burial vaults​
• Mortuary preparation, embalming, and cremation supplies​

LOCK PICKING & THEFT DEVICES

• Devices to bypass automobile locks or jiggling tools​
• Secret handcuff keys​
• Digital decoders​
• Cards and guns for picking locks​
• Sets of tools for lock picking​
• Slim-jims​
• Tools for applying tension​
• Practice locks​
• Keys used for trial purposes​
• Tools for opening tubular locks​
• Instruments for duplicating keys​
• Theft aids, including devices to detach sensormatic tags​
• Devices for skimming cards​
• Hacking devices​
• Devices for capturing codes​
• Master keys or skeleton keys​

MEDICINES, MEDICAL DEVICES, & MEDICINAL SUPPLEMENTS

• Products requiring a prescription written by a healthcare provider. ​
• Unlicensed medicines, herbal or homeopathic products, and those making health claims​
• Medicinal supplements, including steroids, chitosan, sexual enhancement or performance supplements, comfrey, etc.​
• Beauty and Personal Care products that are made from or contain Cannabidiol, or CBD. Non-exhaustive list includes serums, creams, masks, body and face oils, lotions, shampoos, and other topical products. ​
• Ophthalmic drugs, including but not limited to eyedrops or other remedies for eye conditions. ​
• Otic drugs, including but not limited to ear drops or other remedies for ear conditions. ​
• Feminine care products ​
• OTC medication​
• Certain classes and types of medical devices​

MONETARY PRODUCTS & FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Currency and replicas​
• Coins or paper money with legal tender status​
• Replica or counterfeit coins, stamps, or paper money​
• Money orders, gold certificates, or silver certificates​
• Counterfeit production​
• Equipment or material for producing counterfeit coins, stamps, paper money, or virtual currency​
• Cash equivalents​
• Cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies​
• Money orders, travelers' cheques, stored value instruments​
• Gifts and coupons​
• Gift cards, coupons, certificates, electronic redemption codes​
• Financial instruments​
• Stocks and securities​
• Gold, silver, precious metal bullion​
• Other financial services​
• Funds provision, insurance, loans, money transfers, financial management services​
• Services potentially facilitating money laundering​

OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT OR MILITARY ITEMS & OTHER RESTRICTED EQUIPMENT

• Government, police, or military equipment like uniforms and identification documents​
• Items intended for impersonating government, police, or military personnel​
• Government-issued certificates and documents​
• Official emergency lighting systems and sirens​
• Devices like mobile phone repeaters and signal boosters​
• Tools for odometer modification​
• Products meant to evade or impair traffic safety laws​
• Unauthorized products to access cable or satellite services​
• Credit card readers and terminals​

SAFETY-RELATED PRODUCTS

• All types of helmets intended for recreational uses such as cycling, equestrian riding, mountaineering, snow sports, and more​
• Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors​
• Type I, II, and III personal floatation devices (PFDs)​
• Halocarbon clean-agent fire, water fire, wet chemical fire, dry chemical fire, carbon dioxide fire, and water-based agent fire extinguishers​

SECOND-HAND PRODUCTS
Second-hand, used, and open-box products are prohibited on TikTok Shop unless approved to sell in the preowned luxury handbag and collectibles categories.
SECURITY & PRIVACY PRODUCTS​

• Access to materials containing personal information like phone numbers, email addresses, identity cards, passports, or social security cards.​
• Software or products designed to collect or steal personal, institutional, private, or confidential data.​
• Concealed photographic and recording devices​
• Any other products that may violate or facilitate the violation of an individual's privacy.​

SERVICES & VIRTUAL PRODUCTS

• Custom document creation (e.g., counterfeit certificates, identification documents).​
• Intermediaries for customs declarations.​
• Exam-related solutions and ghost-writing services.​
• Real estate transactions or services.​
• Multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes.​
• Offering or facilitating sex acts.​
• Engagement in surrogacy arrangements.​
• Sale of memberships or subscriptions granting access to content, products, services, or benefits.​
• Software and standalone digital products. ​
• However, physical products such as DVDs with digital content are permitted.​

SEXUAL WELLNESS PRODUCTS
Sexual wellness products are prohibited on TikTok Shop. ​
UNAUTHENTICATED NATIVE AMERICAN-RELATED PRODUCTS
Federal law states it is illegal to sell products labeled as “Native American-made” when the producer is not a member of a U.S. Native American Tribe or a certified Native American artisan with a Tribe. The term "Native American product" means any art or craft product made by a Native American. Items that are not made or sold by a member of a state or federally-recognized tribe or someone certified as a Native American artisan by a recognized tribe are prohibited from sale on TikTok Shop.​
UNQUALIFIED JEWELRY PRODUCTS
​Unqualified jewelry products are prohibited from sale on TikTok Shop. Unqualified jewelry products include, but are not limited to, gold or silver products lacking compliance stamps, items not following Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, jewelry containing conflict materials, and diamonds not adhering to Kimberley Process Certification Scheme standards.​
VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS

• Perishable food items​
• Food items that must be stored at a specific temperature ​
• Prepackaged food for children under three years old​
• Baby formula (including powder and liquid)​
• Food additives​
• Food items that are not packaged, labeled, or intended for retail sale in the U.S. (for example, repurposed retail candies that do not comply with U.S. laws and regulations)​
• All homemade food products​

VEHICLES & AUTOMOTIVE PARTS
Motor vehicles, mechanical parts and elements, including motorcycle helmets, and fuel are prohibited from sale on TikTok Shop. ​
YOUTH SAFETY & HUMAN EXPLOITATION RELATED PRODUCTS
​TikTok Shop strictly prohibits the sale of products that contribute to youth exploitation and abuse. This includes but is not limited to content involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, nudity, sextortion, solicitation, pedophilia, and physical or psychological abuse of children. These restrictions apply to all listings, whether they involve real, fictional, digitally created, or artistic content.​​
HUMAN DIGNITY & EXPLOITATION
TikTok Shop strictly prohibits the sale of products associated with human trafficking and smuggling. ​Human Dignity and Exploitation products include, but are not limited to products profiting from exploiting others through fraud, force, or coercion. Human smuggling involves profiting from aiding individuals in illegal entry to another country

📝 Overall Insights Summary: The VacLife Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor is a versatile and convenient solution for maintaining proper tire pressure on the go. Here's a comprehensive overview of its key features:

• Portable and Compact Design: The VacLife Tire Inflator features a compact and lightweight design, making it easy to store in the trunk of your car or carry with you on road trips. Its portable nature ensures that you can inflate tires anytime, anywhere, without relying on gas stations or external power sources.
• Fast and Efficient Inflation: Equipped with a powerful motor and high-quality components, the VacLife Tire Inflator delivers fast and efficient inflation for car, bike, motorcycle, and sports equipment tires. With a maximum pressure capacity of up to 150 PSI, it can quickly inflate tires to the desired pressure level, saving you time and effort.
• Digital Display and Auto Shut-Off: The built-in digital display allows users to easily monitor tire pressure and set the desired inflation level. The auto shut-off feature automatically stops inflation when the preset pressure is reached, preventing over-inflation and ensuring safety and accuracy.

👎 Top Considerations: Before purchasing the VacLife Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor, it's essential to consider a few factors:

• Noise Level: Some users may find the noise level of the VacLife Tire Inflator to be louder than expected during operation. While this is common for most air compressors, individuals sensitive to noise may prefer using ear protection or inflating tires during quieter times.
• Power Source: The VacLife Tire Inflator is powered by the car's cigarette lighter socket or a 12V power outlet. Users should ensure their vehicle's power source is compatible with the inflator and consider purchasing a portable power bank for use in emergencies or situations where the vehicle is not accessible.
• Durability and Longevity: While the VacLife Tire Inflator is designed for durability and reliability, some users may experience issues with longevity or component wear over time, particularly with frequent use or under harsh environmental conditions. Proper maintenance and care, such as regular cleaning and storage in a dry, dust-free environment, can help extend the lifespan of the device.

👍 Top Positive Aspects: On the positive side, the VacLife Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor offers several benefits:

• Convenience and Versatility: With its portable design and versatile functionality, the VacLife Tire Inflator provides convenience and peace of mind for drivers and outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're on a road trip, camping adventure, or simply need to inflate a flat tire at home, this portable air compressor offers reliable performance whenever you need it.
• User-Friendly Operation: The VacLife Tire Inflator is easy to use, even for individuals with limited technical knowledge or experience. Its intuitive controls, digital display, and automatic shut-off feature simplify the inflation process, allowing users to inflate tires quickly and accurately with minimal effort.
• Emergency Preparedness: Having a portable air compressor like the VacLife Tire Inflator on hand can be invaluable in emergency situations, such as roadside tire punctures or low tire pressure during off-road adventures. Its compact size and fast inflation capabilities make it a practical tool for addressing unexpected tire-related issues and ensuring safe travels.

❓FAQs: Here are some frequently asked questions about the VacLife Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor:

1. Can the VacLife Tire Inflator be used to inflate other inflatables besides tires? Yes, the VacLife Tire Inflator comes with additional nozzle attachments that allow it to inflate various inflatables, including sports balls, inflatable toys, air mattresses, and pool floats. Its versatile functionality makes it a handy tool for outdoor activities and household tasks beyond tire inflation.
2. How long does it take to inflate a tire using the VacLife Tire Inflator? The inflation time for tires varies depending on factors such as tire size, desired pressure level, and current tire condition. On average, the VacLife Tire Inflator can inflate a standard car tire from flat to full in approximately 5 to 10 minutes, providing fast and efficient inflation when needed.
3. Is the VacLife Tire Inflator suitable for use in cold weather conditions? Yes, the VacLife Tire Inflator is designed to operate effectively in a wide range of temperatures, including cold weather conditions. However, users should take precautions to ensure the device and tires are not exposed to extreme cold for extended periods, as this may affect performance and battery life.

✅ What's Important to Know Before Buying: Before purchasing the VacLife Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor, consider the following factors:

1. Compatibility with Vehicle and Tires: Ensure the VacLife Tire Inflator is compatible with your vehicle's power source (cigarette lighter socket or 12V outlet) and tire valve types (e.g., Schrader, Presta) before purchasing. Check the device specifications and consult with the manufacturer or retailer if you're unsure about compatibility.
2. Portability and Storage: Evaluate the portability and storage options of the VacLife Tire Inflator, considering factors such as size, weight, and carrying case availability. Choose a model that fits your space constraints and travel needs, whether you plan to keep it in your vehicle, garage

Article Link: https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/OCUGEN-INC-19157135/news/Healthcare-Innovations-and-Collaborations-Fuel-Industry-Expansion-Stocks-Under-1-Look-Now-OCGN-VT-45995857/
Within the vibrant domain of healthcare stocks, innovation and collaborative efforts are shaping the industry's panorama. Here, we present a glimpse of noteworthy advancements. The healthcare sector has attracted substantial interest from investors, prompting a concise examination of five healthcare stocks currently priced at less than $1 per share.
Ocugen Inc. (NASDAQ: OCGN), a biotechnology firm, focuses on the commercialization, discovery, and development of novel gene and cell therapies, as well as vaccines. On February 14, Ocugen Inc. announced its plans to host an in-person clinical showcase on February 17, 2024. The event is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern Standard Time at the NASDAQ Market Site in Times Square, New York City. According to the company's press release, the clinical showcase will offer insights into the upcoming Phase 3 trial of Ocugen's OCU 400 product. Key presenters at the event will include Dr. Shankar Musunuri, the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, along with Mike Shine, the Senior Vice President of Commercial.
Catheter Precision Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN: VTAK) is an innovative technology company dedicated to advancing electrophysiological procedures for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Recently, Catheter Precision Inc. participated in the AF Symposium conference held from February 1 to February 3 at the Omni Seaport Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. On January 25, 2024, the company announced the appointment of a new distributor for its VIVO 3D mapping system in the Turkish market, as well as a new distributor for its LockeT product in Brazil. Furthermore, on January 22, 2024, Catheter Precision revealed a distribution agreement for its LockeT product in Brazil through a partnership with Supri Artigos Medico Artigos Hospitalares Ltda. This collaboration marks Catheter Precision's inaugural distributorship in South America for LockeT, representing a significant milestone in the product's expansion. Additional expansion announcements are expected throughout 2024.
Redwood Scientific Technologies Inc. (OTC: RSCI), headquartered in New York, stands as a leading figure in the pharmaceutical realm. On February 6, an agreement between Redwood Scientific Technologies Inc. and Jeeva Clinical Trials was unveiled. This partnership focuses on initiating a clinical effectiveness study for the company's TBX-free oral strips, designed to aid in quitting e-cigarette use and smoking. Additionally, it was revealed that Redwood Scientific Technologies enlisted the expertise of George Mason University to conduct the efficacy study pertaining to the product. The company remains dedicated to crafting safe and efficient solutions aimed at assisting countless individuals, both young and adult, in overcoming smoking addiction and reclaiming their lives.
Veru Inc. (NASDAQ: VERU) is a biotechnology company in its late stages, dedicated to the advancement of innovative medications for oncology, viral-induced ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), and high-quality weight loss solutions. On February 8, Veru Inc. unveiled its financial highlights for the fiscal year 2024. The company highlighted obtaining investigational new drug clearance from the FDA for the development of its weight loss product, enobosarm, in conjunction with GLP-1. Scheduled for April 2024, the company will commence its obesity study. Veru also disclosed the successful completion of a public offering, resulting in net proceeds totaling $35.2 million. This boosted the company's total cash reserves to $40.6 million as of December 31, 2023, a significant increase from the $9.6 million balance recorded as of September 30, 2023.
Agenus Inc. (NASDAQ: AGEN) gained attention on February 15, following news of its significant contract award. The contract, valued at up to $31 million, was granted by the MCDC (Medical CBRN Defense Consortium) to Gingko Bioworks Inc. and SaponiQx Inc. (a subsidiary of Agenus Inc., NASDAQ: AGEN). Over the course of five years, the two companies will collaborate on the development and discovery of advanced vaccine adjuvants. The collaboration will utilize a combination of high-throughput empirical methods and machine learning, along with artificial intelligence approaches, to create innovative and more effective saponin-based adjuvants. Adjuvants are vaccine components that enhance the breadth and duration of the immune response elicited by vaccination.

In multiple comcentration survivor and psychologist's, Victor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning, the author writes that nihilism is the sickness of the age.
He had been accused of being religious but I see no real sign of this. He himself replied to these criticisms that he believes all mankind has a sort of secular religiosity which I believe he just meant as a meaning beyond ourselves.
I, myself, am always amazed at the determination and hope many authors emerged with at the end of WWII and why and how that is.
What do you think? I can't inclide the entire post script but it is worth reading.
He writes this in the PostScript of the 1984 edition:
(The full PDF text of the entire book is included in this post.)
LET US FIRST ASK OURSELVES WHAT SHOULD BE understood by "a tragic optimism." In brief it means that one is, and remains, optimistic in spite of the "tragic triad," as it is called in logotherapy, a triad which consists of those aspects of human existence which may be circumscribed by: (1) pain; (2) guilt; and (3) death. This chapter, in fact, raises the question, How is it possible to say yes to life in spite of all that? How, to pose the question differently, can life retain its potential meaning in spite of its tragic aspects? After all, "saying yes to life in spite of everything," to use the phrase in which the title of a German book of mine is couched, presupposes that life is potentially meaningful under any conditions, even those which are most miserable. And this in turn presupposes the human capacity to creatively turn life's negative aspects into something positive or constructive. In other words, what matters is to make the best of any given situation. "The best," however, is that which in Latin is called optimum—hence the reason I speak of a tragic optimism, that is, an optimism in the face of tragedy and in view of the human potential which at its best always allows for: (1) turning suffering into a human achievement and accomplishment; (2) deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself for the better; and (3) deriving from life's transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action.
It must be kept in mind, however, that optimism is not anything to be commanded or ordered. One cannot even force oneself to be optimistic indiscriminately, against all odds, against all hope. And what is true for hope is also true for the other two components of the triad inasmuch as faith and love cannot be commanded or ordered either. To the European, it is a characteristic of the American culture that, again and again, one is commanded and ordered to "be happy." But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue. One must have a reason to "be happy." Once the reason is found, however, one becomes happy automatically. As we see, a human being is not one in pursuit of happiness but rather in search of a reason to become happy, last but not least, through actualizing the potential meaning inherent and dormant in a given situation.
This need for a reason is similar in another specifically human phenomenon—laughter. If you want anyone to laugh you have to provide him with a reason, e.g., you have to tell him a joke. In no way is it possible to evoke real laughter by urging him, or having him urge himself, to laugh. Doing so would be the same as urging people posed in front of a camera to say "cheese," only to find that in the finished photographs their faces are frozen in artificial smiles.
In logotherapy, such a behaviour pattern is called "hyper-intention." It plays an important role in the causation of sexual neurosis, be it frigidity or impotence. The more a patient, instead of forgetting himself through giving himself, directly strives for orgasm, i.e., sexual pleasure, the more this pursuit of sexual pleasure becomes self-defeating. Indeed, what is called "the pleasure principle" is, rather, a fun-spoiler.
Once an individual's search for a meaning is successful, it not only renders him happy but also gives him the capability to cope with suffering. And what happens if one's groping for a meaning has been in vain? This may well result in a fatal condition. Let us recall, for instance, what sometimes happened in extreme situations such as prisoner-of-war camps or concentration camps. In the first, as I was told by American soldiers, a behaviour pattern crystallized to which they referred as "give- up-itis." In the concentration camps, this behaviour was paralleled by those who one morning, at five, refused to get up and go to work and instead stayed in the hut, on the straw wet with urine and faeces. Nothing—neither warnings nor threats—could induce them to change their minds. And then something typical occurred: they took out a cigarette from deep down in a pocket where they had hidden it and started smoking. At that moment we knew that for the next forty-eight hours or so we would watch them dying. Meaning orientation had subsided, and consequently the seeking of immediate pleasure had taken over ....

A WARM TOUCH IN A COLD CELL Page 2

to the participants. Examination of the participants’ views about conjugal visits has revealed that some of the findings correlate with similar findings on conjugal visits at men’s prisons, whereas others are contradictory or new.
Attitudes Toward Conjugal Visitation Programs
Whereas most of the research on conjugal visits cites positive attitudes toward such visits, this study finds both negative and positive attitudes. Although all the participants welcome the visits and look forward to them, their satisfaction is not complete. On one hand, they support conjugal visits, noting that these visits bring not just romance and sexual gratification but also a temporary privacy and a sense of freedom. On the other hand, during the visits, they all share a certain unease caused by the contrived conditions. In this aspect, the participants’ private experiences of intimacy seem to become a “public” event, available for comment by their peers.
N., D., and S. say
I am detached from prison and feel free again. However, I do not feel 100% free because I’m afraid that they [Israel Prison Service] installed cameras or tape recorders in the room. In my private house I would walk around naked, but here it is impossible for me. Although I understand there are no cameras in the room, I still behave cautiously. I am very cautious when having sex ( . . . ) and the thought of making too much noise and being heard by other couples in adjacent rooms makes me feel shy and embarrassed ( . . . ), feelings I’ve had a long time ago on the street [as a prostitute]. All in all, I’m very happy to go to the conjugal visits, because it makes me happy to meet my spouse privately and to talk to him. Yet, I hate all the talks and gossip around these meetings and the things that many female inmates say to me before and after the meetings ( . . . ), such as “Wow woman, you are going to have fun ( . . . ), you are going to hit the sack” and afterward “you’re leaking his love juice on the floor,” and so forth.
I forget everything when the door closes and I meet my husband. I would feel much more free and comfortable if it were my private home. I always feel slightly tensed during the meetings, because I’m afraid that someone will mistakenly open the door or a guard will open it for some contrived reason. During the first two conjugal visits, I felt quite embarrassed knowing that other couples are having sex in the next rooms, and once I even met, by mistake, a neighbor of my family in the corridor leading to the rooms. There is a lot of noise and sexual sounds from other rooms and I feel very embarrassed.
I often feel uncomfortable because I know that there are other couples having sex in the next rooms. I feel unpleasant from the moment I leave my cell and begin the walk toward the [conjugal] room, because everybody knows where I’m going and begin laughing and whispering. Although I’m a married woman and it’s not supposed to embarrass me, I always feel embarrassed. The girls wish me luck and tell me to have fun, and it makes me feel self-conscious. Although I’m used to prison and prison life, I still haven’t gotten used to these visits. And this problem is even greater when it comes to my husband. He feels very humiliated every time he comes to prison and it affects our behavior. If we were at home the sex would be infinitely different. We were very uninhibited, with toys and bondage ( . . . ). Although I feel relatively free in the [conjugal] room, the voices from the other rooms make me feel bad and my sexual behavior is constrained. Although the overall atmosphere is relatively romantic and I feel good holding my husband close and hugging him while we sleep, I never feel really free. It is disconcerting to have guards constantly on watch to stop any kind of sex until we have a private visit, then they know what we’re doing and it is allowed. Then immediately after a visit they watch us to prevent any illicit pleasure all over again.
Two participants confess to feeling ambivalence toward conjugal visits for other reasons. On one hand, they want to make love to their spouses, but on the other hand, they also feel a sense of obligation to have sexual relationships during the visits; they fear that by refusing, they might alienate their partners. They show strength, however, in dealing with their ambivalent feelings, as stressed in the testimonies of A and S:
I look forward to these meetings. I want to meet my husband and make love to him and satisfy him sexually. Since we meet once a month, I want to make him feel good, and will never refuse his sexual desires ( . . . ) I want to give him everything he wants. I’m afraid that if I refuse, he will leave me and be with other girls. But, you know, men are not to be trusted. So if he cheats on me, I’ll automatically leave him. I’m sure it will be difficult for me, but I don’t want to experience the problems I’ve had with my former husband. I’m now a stronger woman, and that’s why I have no problem telling my husband that I’m too tired and don’t want to have sex with him. Once [during the conjugal visit] I told him that I was exhausted and didn’t want to have sex. He was so angry that he didn’t talk to me for 5 hr, but he then relaxed and everything went back to normal. It is quite funny but prison makes you stronger ( . . . ) Because you have to obey the rules, even the stupid ones, you develop strength. Women here are stronger than women on the outside, so we can refuse our husbands even at the cost of separation.
I do only what I fancy. Once, I was mad at my husband that told him [on the phone] that I won’t be coming to the next visit ( . . . ) and we missed it. He was furious but I told him that he made me angry and that I didn’t want to meet him. My husband wants love and care and emotional support, and I promised to give it to him, but only if I feel good and relaxed. He always feels very depressed once the meetings are over, so I always call to encourage him later. Principally, I trust him and know that he will not cheat on me, but I’m never 100% positive. It’s quiet scary to realize that while you are stuck in prison, he is free and can date any girl he wants ( . . . ) Men can never be fully trusted. So it makes me want to satisfy all his desires when we meet. But, as I said before, only if I feel good and relaxed.
The Dynamics of Conjugal Visits
As mentioned, apart from the study that focused on sexual abuse of women visiting their incarcerated partners (Toepell & Greaves, 2001), the dynamics of conjugal visits among male and female inmates has been overlooked. The participants of this study offer insight into the routines and practices of these visits.
N. describes the dynamics of the conjugal meeting in harmonic terms, incorporating a clear timetable:
We sit together, drink coffee, play some cards, talk for about 3 hr, and the sex comes after. During the meeting, everything has its time. We never sleep during the meeting, making the most of every second. The physical part of the meeting is smaller [shorter] than the talks but there is always sex. We try to talk a lot but we always have sex ( . . . ) once or twice or even more often although not intercourse. My husband is very gentle with me, and always asks me if I have a good time, did I finish ( I was multi-orgasmic at home in privacy.
A. describes the conjugal meetings as an ordinary meeting between lovers, but with added value:
We meet, talk, have a coffee, smoke a cigarette, eat, have sex and go to sleep, because tomorrow we have to go to work. There is always a lot of enthusiasm as if we meet for the first time. We have great sexual relations ( . . . ). In general, the meeting is divided into three equal parts: chats, sex and sleep. My husband prefers not to sleep but to talk and have sex but [after a few hours] I feel quiet tired.
D. and H. reflect on the sexual component of the meetings. Both are in agreement that the significance of these meetings does not lie in the sex alone, a view shared by all the participants.
We have sex for about 4 hr ( . . . ) no more. My husband is relatively young and wants to have more sex but I’m quite exhausted. I hug him while he does what he needs to do. Since I have no visits [lifetime prisoners convicted of life-taking are not eligible to accept visitors] the most important thing for me is to sit with my husband and talk one-on-one.
I’m satisfied just by sitting next to my husband ( . . . ) seeing him and talking to him. Eventually, we have sexual relations, but I wouldn’t really care if we didn’t. The fact that I can be with him alone and talk about whatever we want is enough. But, out of the talking comes the sex. Yet ( . . . ) even if there were no sex, and there is no way that we wouldn’t have sex, I would still be happy.
The meetings’ importance is that the participants can communicate with their partners and renew their intimacy. The dialogues, and their content, are key in reestablishing not just intimacy but also commitment, as the conversation often focuses on their mutual future, even for women who are sentenced to life imprisonment.
D., N., and A., respectively, express this point of view:
The most important part of the meeting is the conversations with my husband, because we can talk about whatever we fancy, and no one can understand [these issues] better than we can. We sit and talk for 2 to 3 hr about all the things that happened to us during the last month. I love these talks and prefer them to talks with the prison’s social worker. Most of the dialogue focuses on our shared future (if only imagined ) on living together in a village far away from here.
The dialogues are very important to me. We usually talk about the things that happened to us during the last month, and about our joint future, and often have arguments. We talk a lot [about the future], and often argue about it, shouting at each other, but in the end we make peace. These talks about our future help me a lot because they prepare me to share my future with him and I get to know him better. We solve our problems step by step with dignity and patience. We usually talk about the future—our future. I tell him all the things that I cannot tell him on the phone, about the sexual things I do alone now and we will do together after my release from prison.
These findings may suggest that the main part of conjugal visits is dedicated to conversations about present and future life. In essence, conjugal visits are a private platform on which the couples renew their vows. The physical relationship may be seen as an expression to their newly found faith in each other.
Completion of Meeting
Most participants view the end of the conjugal visit with ambivalence: On one hand, they say that the separation from their spouses is heartbreaking and depressing. On the other hand, the visits energize the inmates, make them feel more sexual and their return to prison life is relatively smooth and peaceful.
N. portrays this ambivalence:
I feel very sad and frustrated every time I have to pack my stuff and return to my room [cell], ( . . . ) but there is nothing I can do ( . . . ) I’m in prison and cannot do whatever I fancy. Nonetheless, when I return to prison and everyday life, I usually feel fresh and relaxed as if I have come back from a beautiful holiday. The meetings energize me. All in all, I feel much more stressed before the meetings than I do after them.
A relatively similar perspective is expressed by D.:
I always cry [at the end of the meeting] and feel as if they [the correctional officers] are tearing away an important part of my body. I never shower on the first day [after the meeting] so that the smell of my husband will remain with me. Nonetheless, when I return to prison, the inmates tell me that I glow and it makes me feel delighted and good.
A. agrees,
Although the meeting ends too quickly, I return to prison full of energy ( . . . ), feeling fresh and renewed. Prison is a very hard place, so these meetings offer me an opportunity to loosen up and return with lots of new and good energies.
Most of the participants in conjugal visitation programs stress the difficulty they have at the conclusion of the visits. The separation from their loved one is discouraging, and the extreme transition from the privacy and romance of the meeting back to prison life is hard to endure. Nonetheless, the conjugal visit, as a short romantic holiday, fills the inmates with vitality and energy and they return to prison relaxed and renewed.
A. comments,
We have practically no privacy so giving ourselves what we need without getting caught is difficult. (Masturbation, like physical contact with others, is prohibited). Lack of any mental sexual stimulation so makes fulfillment hard. The recent memories of having sex with my husband helps me [climax through masturbation].
The Objectives of Conjugal Visitation Programs
Scholars propose that the main objectives of conjugal visitation programs for male and female inmates are to minimize prison homosexuality (Hecht, 1996; Wyatt, 2005), decrease tension and aggression among inmates (Knowles, 1999), provide opportunities to preserve marital stability and family ties (Hensley et al., 2000; Hensley et al., 2000a; Hensley et al., 2002; Kent, 1975), and to prepare the inmates to a normal lifestyle in the free society (Carlson & Cervera, 1991; Robertson, 1999).
In this context, N. comments,
I think that the main objective of conjugal visitation programs is to understand each other. During the time of incarceration you forget your husband, and apart from daily phone calls, you feel as if you don’t know him. You can drift apart and not realize it. Sexual intercourse occurs during these meetings but it’s less important. The most important thing for me is to get to know my husband better and him, me. Nevertheless, since I have no kids, I try to get pregnant during these meetings. The lack of kids is a very sensitive issue for me. We really want children and have tried to start a family eight times. So I can honestly say that the meetings are very important to me primarily to get to know my husband better and better but also to become pregnant.
D. expresses a similar viewpoint:
The main objective of the meeting is to know your husband better and get close to him ( . . . ), to have fun with your spouse ( . . . ), to be with him and to receive support from him. These meetings enable me to survive prison, [because] my husband supports me and listens to me. I can cry and get all the support I need from him, and it gives me strength until the next meeting. In addition, these meetings are a good opportunity. I have three kids from my former husband, but my current husband has no kids, and he is dying to have some.
Finally, A. expresses the following point of view:
Conjugal meetings are essential for relieving pressure ( . . . ), for mental health and for sex. They are the most wonderful thing an inmate could have in prison. I cannot describe how good these meetings are for women in prison. It is the most magnificent thing we have here because we aren’t supposed to masturbate or touch anyone. ( . . . ); it is like going on holiday. We talk about endless things that we cannot talk about on our short phone calls, and it helps me mentally. The extreme pressure in prison—the everyday life, the being deprived of sex, the girls—it’s crazy. Once a month I meet my husband, talk to him, and receive his support ( . . . ), not to mention the sexual issue. I believe that our relationship could not have continued if it were not for these meetings. The mental part is much more significant than the physical one. The main objective is to strengthen our relationships and our love, and only after this comes the sex. One more objective is to have kids. My husband and I want to have a child together but until now I have failed to become pregnant.
In support of the literature about the objectives of conjugal visitation programs (Hensley et al., 2002; Robertson, 1999; Wyatt, 2005), the participants of this study believe that conjugal visits achieve various direct and indirect objectives. They reveal that conjugal visits give them the opportunity to have meaningful face-to-face conversations with their partners and to strengthen the bonds of their relationships, maintain family connections, enjoy sexual relationships and romance, and receive much-needed emotional support. In addition, the participants, including some who are life sentenced, see the visits as an opportunity to get pregnant.
Criticism
Previous research indicates that inmates and prison staff alike would like conjugal visits to be offered to as many inmates as possible and to include common-law partners and significant others (Hensley et al., 2002; Turner, 2000; Wyatt, 2005). In support of this view, participants N., D., and S., respectively, protest that the IPS criteria for participating in conjugal visits is too strict and that the program should be offered to more inmates.
Most women naturally want to participate in conjugal visitation programs. I think that they [IPS] should allow most women, married and non-married, to participate in such visits.
I think we should have more than one meeting a month. I think that two meetings would be sufficient. There are so many things that I would like to tell my spouse during the meetings but I’m short of time. My husband and I wish to have children and sometimes the timing of the visits isn’t good (no ovulation), so we must have two meetings a month.
I think all inmates who have boyfriends and husbands should receive as many [conjugal] visits as possible ( . . . ), at least twice monthly. Today, only one monthly meeting is authorized and it is definitely not enough ( . . . ), especially for prisoners who wish to get pregnant.
Only two participants, N. and A., maintain that conjugal visits should be restricted to married inmates.
These meetings are very important to the girls [inmates], whether for romantic reasons ( . . . ) psychological reasons ( . . . ) or pregnancy. If they (i.e., the IPS) let every woman who says she has a boyfriend to participate in such meetings it will be disgusting ( . . . ) nothing but a big whorehouse. Conjugal visits should be restricted solely to married inmates or to those that have a long-lasting relationship with their boyfriends ( . . . ), not to inmates who swap spouses frequently. Prisoners lack sexual relationships, and it makes them nervous and jealous of their peers who participate in such meetings.
Their concern is that a lesser criterion will lead to promiscuity or enable inmates to abuse the program, turning these meaningful, valuable visits into nothing more than avenues for gratifying sexual lust. They fear that a program they hold so dear would be tarnished, and their wish to restrict the program to a precious, “respectable” few, however, may only serve to emphasize the importance they attribute to the program. Interestingly, no link was found between the participants’ characteristics, such as age, marital status, and religion, and their opinion about a lesser or harsher criteria for conjugal visits. In addition, all the participants stress the need to raise the frequency of conjugal visits, and nearly all of them think the program should be broadened to include partners, regardless of the duration and depth of the relationship.
Most inmates mention improvements they would like to see made to the facilities and their maintenance:
The fact that the conjugal visitation rooms are located next to the prison walls ( . . . ) and the idea that many inmates can see you walking from prison to the [conjugal] rooms is quite disturbing. I think the IPS should think about it, and relocate the [conjugal visitation] area.
The rooms are equipped with almost all the things that I need, [but] the problem is that I’m not allowed to bring food and stuff, and that the rooms are not clean. If they allowed us to bring food to the rooms and paid more attention to esthetics, it would be perfect. My husband is being stripped-searched before the meeting and it irritates me ( . . . ) so I always arrive at the meetings very angry. In the past, we would bring music and food but now they forbid it. The room is usually dirty, so my husband and I have to spend the first hour cleaning.
I think they should clean the rooms much better. I often find myself wasting 1 or 2 hr of the meeting on cleaning. It would be nice to have music in the rooms ( . . . ) it would improve the atmosphere.
The [conjugal] room itself is very small and contains one double bed, a table, an air-conditioner, a TV set and a telephone. We need to bring everything, such as linen, beverages and food, but not cooked food and no more than three bottles of beverage. I often find the room dirty with blood stains on the mattress and no light bulb in the shower.
Discussion
The literature recognizes that conjugal visits, as a significant source of support, may reduce sexual and nonsexual violence in prison (Goetting, 1982; Hecht, 1996; Hopper, 1989; Knowles, 1999; Turner, 2000). Furthermore, various correctional systems have long stressed that such visits also help inmates with their sexual and nonsexual psychological difficulties in prison, and may ease their transition into society on release (Carlson & Cervera, 1991; Hensley et al., 2000; Hensley et al., 2000a; Hensley et al., 2002; Robertson, 1999; Wyatt, 2005). Moreover, conjugal visitation programs provide the inmates with a sense of intimacy, warmth, and heterosexual sexual gratification, which may compensate for the losses of such needs and feelings in their past and present (Wyatt, 2005). Nevertheless, most studies have examined male inmates at U.S.
​