TLDR: You can try rebuilding for $20 USD by buying an Oumier Bombus/Wasp or Stagevape Armor RTA ($15ish – or a wasp nano RTA is like $11), some demon killer or slacker cotton laces ($2.60) and ~3mm diameter pre-made SS316L coils ($1.50 for 10 - or get a spool of SS316L 28g wire, or 2x30g wrapped in 40g fused clapton for like $3 and wrap it around any ~3mm rod): use a chopstick, computer screwdriver or BBQ skewer to keep the coil in shape as you place it and clip the excess (make sure the coil doesnt touch anything except the legs in the posts). I am assuming you have tweezers, scissors and nail clippers or wire snippers somewhere in your house. You only need to cover the juice slots, so trim the cotton, but lean towards too much cotton initially and turn on SS temperature control on your device to prevent any burned hits if you overwicked (better than underwicking with leaking). Enjoy cheap flavourful rebuildable goodness. This is not a complete guide to building, just an overview. Watch videos like this https://youtu.be/hRBII_BaEGI?t=334.
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I reckon all regulated mod vapers of legal age and able to follow a video guide (e.g. https://youtu.be/hRBII_BaEGI?t=334) should try rebuilding; its easy, no more unsafe (for REGULATED mod users), cheaper and produces great results easily these days - in fact if you rebuild, you know more about whats in your vape! Back in the day I was upset to learn a lot of the disposable systems were using silica and even polyester wicks! So these are just some things I wish I knew when I started out rebuilding, and picked up along the way since I started re-using blucig cartridges 10 years ago or whatever it was. Maybe not everyone will agree with the points, but I thought it worth breaking down some old obstacles to rebuilding for anyone that is just starting out because of new regulations, or have been curious but just too unsure of where to start to try:

• The flavour is usually as good or better than disposable systems
• You dont need any special tools
• You dont need to be good at making coils
• You dont need cotton laces, but they help a lot
• Dont bother with dual coils to start with, just get a single coil system going firsts (and you will be surprised what you get)
• You dont need to get wicking right if you use stainless steel coils: temperature control is your friend especially if youre starting out

All you need a is a rebuildable tank or RDA (easy to find one for $15, even $5 some places), or even an RBA section for your disposable system, some bits and pieces you probably already have around the house, some wire or a pre-made coil, and some uncontaminated cotton. And a regulated mod of course (please dont just "have a go" of rebuilding for a mechanical mod...there is waaaay too much to go too badly wrong there).
YOU DONT NEED ANY SPECIAL TOOLS EVEN IF YOU BUILD YOUR OWN COILS!

• Sure its nice to have a 50 dollar coil master kit, but you probably have everything you need right now, except coils (or stainless steel, kanthal or nichrome wire) which will cost you about $3 to acquire in either case.
• You do need at least a rod to hold a coil's shape while you place it (or to wrap your coil if you are making your own coil). Fortunately most small screwdriver sets you probably already have will have a computer screwdriver about the right diameter for your a coil (or a diameter that you can wrap around to make a coil to fit in your rebuildable). If you have a ruler or tape measure, you just need a round rod between 3mm and 4mm fat.
• You can use nail clippers to trim all but exotic wire. So you are probably one bought ingredient away from rebuilding right now (wire)
• If you get into rebuilding it is nice to have a kit, particularly the metric coiling rods (not a stepped one though, they are hard to build spaced coils on), wire trimmers and detail tweezers – in fact pretty much everything else in a kit is very optional – you don’t need an ohm meter if you have a regulated mod and build a coil as described below. The ohm meter is not bad to build on though, and its a good idea to check resistance when youre starting out, before firing your coil. Everyone already has scissors for cutting cotton I imagine, and most rebuildables come with a screwdriver so you don’t need that bit either. So it might be cheaper to buy the tweezers, cutters and rods separately. Ceramic tweezers and metal brushes are only needed if you are doing "contact coils" (and you don’t need that yet, see below).

YOU DONT NEED TO MAKE COILS BUT SPACED COILS ARE CRAZY EASY TO MAKE!

• Buying decent coils is fast, easy and cheap now. Dont worry about which kind of wire you get, these are all fine tuning things. Get a 3mm stainless steel coil (round wire, clapton, alien, donesnt matter) if you arent sure, they fit in almost anything. You can buy coils that are 20 bucks a pair, instead of a pair of bucks for 20, but I am yet to encounter any that were really worth that kind of price difference especially when youre starting out. Its a refinement you can worry about later for that extra 10% of final flavour chasing.
• If you buy your coils, you can still put them on a rod and space the wraps out, for a spaced coil described below. This will save you problems with hot spots. You may also have to adjust how the "legs" or ends of the coil poke out (same side, on an angle, opposite sides) in order to match your rebuildable deck posts (where you screw the coil in - same side or opposing sides), and you want the coil on a rod when you do that so you dont deform it.
• I spent many years trying to master the perfect contact coil (where the wire is touching itself on each loop), and struggling with hot spots, and even heating - buying ceramic tweezers and metal brushes to get my coils glowing right...and then I saw someone make a "Spaced" coil
• A spaced coil is like a spring, where there is a bit of gap between each loop of the wire. This guarantees even heating, reduces spitting and is actually MUCH easier to achieve than a contact coil! You can be as messy as you like wrapping your wire around the rod, dont even care about the spacing. Start out with say 4 or 5 wraps, dont even bother making them close. At the end, use your fingernails to pull the first and last wrap apart from each other and it will naturally stretch out to a pretty even spacing. Then push the ends together to compress the spring. You can do this repeatedly until everything events out all by itself! You should end up with a bit of space between each wrap, and there is no such thing as too much space though it may limit the wraps you can fit in your deck (and more wraps means more clouds). The important thing is the wire isnt touching itself anywhere otherwise you will get uneven temperatures. Video example here (not my video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDW9E7v-OBk
• Its not a bad idea to clean your coil/wire with alcohol (or after you have installed it, heat it a little before you put cotton in) to remove any machine residues.

YOU DONT NEED COTTON LACES BUT THEY HELP A LOT!

• You can technically wick with even cotton cloth, people still wick with rayon, even stainless steel mesh! I know people that wick with your grandma's cotton balls she uses to take off her makeup (note these are likely to have been bleached so I dont recommend it). Some people swear by the rayon makeup fluff rope stuff.
• Buying pre-fluffed, pre-cut, cotton laces is the easiest way (usually about 3 bucks for 20 to 40 laces, enough to do 40 to 60 builds) solves a lot of wicking problems for tanks in particular and its worth the cents of cost particularly if you are just starting out. Most will fit a 3mm internal diameter (ID) coil no problem, but different laces are meant for different IDs so match up your selections. You want the cotton to be tight inside the coil, but not so tight that pulling it through deforms the coil. Remember, when you juice it, the cotton will expand a bit anyway. If you have too much cotton, cut some away until you can pull it through.
• Cutting and fluffing your own cotton from pads is not easy, and will often cause wicking problems. If you are using a tank, making sure the cotton is sucking up enough juice, but not "choking" the wicking slots so the air pressure inside the tank cant equalise (which will cause a dry hit - you dont want that) is super important. So guessing the right width of cotton to cut, then taking off the top and botttom "skin" of the pad, then flufing it out with tools...its a hassle. You do want clean, pure, untreated cotton, ideally organic japanese non bleached stuff if cutting your own wicks, but dont stress over which cotton to start with. Just make sure its quality, not contaminated wtih dust or any chemicals.

DONT BOTHER WITH DUAL COILS TO START WITH.
Im suggesting you try single coils to start with because

• getting a pair of coils in is usually much more fiddly, especially in a tank (RDAs are easier)
• its much harder to get two coils glowing or heating exactly the same, at least until you know what you are doing
• I don’t care what anyone tells you, bottom airflow single coil RTAs are flavour bangers these days, you don’t need dual coils to get excellent flavour – if you don’t believe me try a gear RTA, centaur RTA, Revolver RTA or Armor RTA or apparently a Destiny and come back to me.
• There just half as much stuff to get right and half the materials involved

TEMPERATURE CONTROL IS YOUR FRIEND

• RDAs are really hard to get wrong. The main reason people give up on rebuilding tanks is that its hard to get exactly right the first time. Usually the coil isn’t the problem it’s the wicking - especially if you made a spaced coil and didnt deform it when screwing it in...its really hard for the coil to be the problem.
• If you don’t put enough wick in, then when using an RTA/tank you will get leaking, and when using an RDA or RTA if there is a bit of wire that isn’t quite touching the cotton all the way along you can get hotspots and burned taste. If you put too much wick in an RDA it doesn’t matter as long as you dont deform your coil. But in an RTA too much cotton in the slots will give you you “vapelock” where the bubbles cant move through the wick to equalise the pressure in the tank, and the coil dries out and you get a burned hit.
• Temperature control solves pretty much all these problems, you can lean towards overwicking and rely on temperature control to stop you getting burned hits
• Most people can “Get it right” on an easy tank within 3 or so builds, which has usually only cost you some cotton (you don’t usually have to start again with the coil unless you really mangled it somehow, just re- wick it if youre having issues).
• Most modern mods, even the cheap ones, can do some kind of SS (Stainless Steel 316L) temperature control, though you are likely to have to rely on "Custom/TCR" mode using 0.00092 (or 92, depending on the mod):

1. Set your temperature to 210C/410F to start with – I am saying this because cotton will burn if totally dry around 220C
2. Start with around 40 watts of power for the builds described here, and work your way up in 5watt increments from there
3. Turn the power up if you aren’t getting enough (not more than 75W to start with), and then turn up the temperature if you still aren’t getting enough

YES WIRE SIZES ARE CONFUSING: BIGGER NUMBER = HIGHER RESISTANCE = THINNER WIRE AND FASTER HEAT UP

• Generally speaking you will want wire around 26g to 28g starting out as a good middle ground for stainless steel 316L round wire. Claptons usually involve a 26g to 30g core (fat, tough wire) with 36g to 40g (very thin and easily deformed) wrapped around that; not much harder to work with really.
• Wire is like a hose letting electricity flow through it: the thinner the wire, the harder it is for electricity to flow, which means higher resistance, lower current flow, and less mass to heat.
• If you have a regulated mod you can usually build coils in the range from 0.15 ohms up to 1.5 ohms. You can use steam engine to check what you plan to do (https://www.steam-engine.org/coil?mat=ss316l&r=0.4&awg=26&id=3) and for example a 3mm internal diameter (ID) coil with 5 wraps of 26g round SS316L wire gives you around 0.4 ohms which is in my opinion a sweet spot for most mods in temperature control mode.
• More wraps = higher resistance, more surface area to vape from, slower battery consumption but also slower heat time because there is more mass to heat. Dont worry about these nuances at the start, its hard to get it really wrong if you do around 4-6 wraps of 26g to 28g wire not less than 3mm ID to start (but you can go bigger if you want and it fits without short circuiting - most of my tanks love a 4mm coil of 4-6 wraps spaced)

Just have a go, but dont forget to juice your wick , and check your build for short circuit on the top dome when you close it up, before you fill, if youre using an RTA. You will know if you have a short circuit by re-measuring the coil resistance after you close the tank up, even before you put cotton in ideally (and before you refill - you dont want a tank full of juice if youve just shorted it and need to re-position the coil).
Feel free to ping me if you have questions about starting out or need help. Also let me know if I missed out any major issues.
Note: I personally dont advocate building on unregulated devices like mech mods since this can be dangerous if you dont know what you are doing…even if you do know what you are doing there are just more things that can go wrong. Always check resistances on an ohm meter and do the calculations for your particular battery before messing with unregulated devices, which I advise against.

blu put out an open system on their website along with liquids and flavors for it. I know there was a lot of debate if this was gonna happen or not. This should prove to everyone that bigger companies are not going to only sell cigalikes or push cigalikes only.
https://www.blucigs.com/flavors/blu-liquids
Full disclaimer I work for blu.

So as many of you know I work for blu. They are sending me over to China to do an interview with Hon Lik and I thought it would be better to crowd source the questions. Obviously not every question will be answered but if you have a question just go here and fill out the form https://www.blucigs.com/hon-lik-interview-2016/hon-lik-interview-2016.html
I know many of you will have some tough questions and obviously as this is being done for blu there will be some selection on what can be asked (we legally have to follow guidelines). However I'm going to be helping choose the questions so I want to make sure we have some good ones and it doesn't just swing "blucentric" if that makes sense. Any ways, if you have any questions just let me know.

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@mikey__edwards its our new tech & we addressed that issue with the new design. Shoot us a DM if you'd be interested in an upgrade!
@mikey__edwards its our new tech & we addressed that issue with the new design. Shoot us a DM if you'd be interested in an upgrade!
— blu ecigs® (@blucigs) November 10, 2015

Just wanted to let folks know here that blu recently pushed it's users to CASAA to fight the pending regs that look to decimate the industry. They sent out an email to all of their subscribers and posted about it on social media https://www.facebook.com/blucigs/posts/10153629407403592
I know blu gets a lot hate, sometimes fairly and sometimes unfairly but I've been working internally to really push for this type of action. Just to set the record straight many internally feel the same way and I think you'll start to see blu more involved in fights that align with this community.

So I've been vaping for a fairly long time, and have gone through several stages.
I started with the Blucigs and used those for a while before I got tired of how locked down they were. I used those from around 2011 to 2013.
Then I moved on to an evic and kanger protank 2 which I have used up till now, but I am currently kind of annoyed with the atomizetank setup. You're kind of at the mercy of whichever atomizer you put in there, and I'll get flooding, or dry hits or weird taste at random. I'll try and change stuff (I've heard flip the little rubber cap on the atomizer around, take out flavor wicks, add more flavor wicks etc) and it's kind of a crap shoot getting it to work how I want it.
Well recently my friend brought over his RDA and it was awesome, so I've decided to move in that direction.
I've already picked up a Sigelei 150w from a local b&m (I think it's that one. it's not the one with temperature control) and I just picked up (from e-ciggity) a freakshow for home use and a billow v2 that I hope will work with the evic so I can walk around with it and not have to carry juice. I've also picked up a coil jig, cotton, some kanthal, tweezers, and a wire cutter. oh yeah I also got 4 18650's (I believe AGT/AGW brand? It's yellow) and a nitecore i2.
I guess my main questions are, do those seem like good items, and what kind of general knowledge should I know? I know that most of this stuff is trial and error and preference, but what do you wish you had known when you started? It seems like there is tons of info and tips that are out there, but it is extremely hard to dig up and sift through all of it to the find good stuff. Any and all advice is welcome!
Thanks for reading!

Hey guys, I work for blu eCigs which is a sponsor. This year like last year they are doing beach access, which means you can actually hang out by the ocean and go swimming. It's an awesome space and this year they will be doing the blu beach party which is a blocked off time of two hours from 1pm - 3pm where only a limited number of people can get beach access. Normally this is first come first serve. This year blu is giving away RSVP's for this time slot. All you have to do is submit a photo of you in beachwear here https://www.facebook.com/blucigs/app_181034565422548 and you could get an RSVP.
blu is giving away 25 entries per day so you have a really good chance of you and a friend getting beach access. They'll have a ton of cool stuff in the activation as well. Anyways didn't want to be spammy but for those going I thought this would be a good opportunity if you want to get on the beach during the festival.

Hi Reddit! I want to start off and say how much I appreciate this subreddit, before coming here I was vaping those blucigs and smoking newports. I've been a longtime lurker and on occasion got the courage to post stuff and now I am proud to say I am in the process of launching a website to sell ecigs and hopefully open up a store in my hometown if everything’s successful. Obviously this scares the living shit out of me but who cares, I'm young. Anyways, I'm posting the link to my soon to be store below. I'm giving everyone $10 off their first order, no minimum or any bullshit EXCEPT this will only work on launch day. We’re trying very hard to distinguish ourselves from all the other ecig sellers by doing things a bit differently. Every product has a 30 day no bullshit return policy, meaning you can return anything for any reason. We process orders every single day of the week within 24 hours of receiving them, including Saturdays and Sundays. We have a couple more tricks up our sleeves but if you, as customers, have any other suggestions we’d love to hear them! So if you’re interested, just sign up for the email subscription. I promise we won’t bombard you with a shit ton of junk mail, just the important stuff. We won’t have a huge selection at launch but we’re going to expand as fast as possible. I can’t wait for launch day and I hope I’ll see all your little IP addresses visiting my site.
TLDR: Opening my own ecig store online and giving you all $10 off your orders when we launch the site.
Roosevelt Vape

I'm in King County(Seattle area) and I remember when I first got into e-cigs above a blucig level, I had to drive well over an hour south to get to a vape shop.
I remember we couldn't have one in King County at the time because of some dumbass laws that prevented vaping in the store. I just found a proper one between the value village I like to drop by and my gym.
I spent something like an hour in there just vaping everything they had, it really makes me feel like we've come a long way when It "hits close to home" I guess. I am dropping from 18mg/ml nic to lower, so ended up stocking up on 6 :)
P.S. not affiliated with the vape shop, just excited to have a really nice one nearby, and for the record they're in redmond downtown. Best of luck to 'em.

Similar posts:
http://www.reddit.com/electronic_cigarette/comments/1jozu9/non_smoker_looking_to_get_into_vaping/
http://www.reddit.com/electronic_cigarette/comments/1oi57d/thoughts_of_a_nonsmoker_who_started_vaping_a_few/
http://www.reddit.com/electronic_cigarette/comments/1xv6mj/is_it_dumb_for_a_nonsmoker_to_start_nicotine/
http://www.reddit.com/electronic_cigarette/comments/1x9nnf/vaping_as_a_nonsmoke
I'm going to preface this by saying I've never smoked a cigarette. I have had an occasional cigar, and I enjoy the mild buzz from the nicotine, but I don't like the smoke. But I do want that relaxing buzz.
I'm planning to buy a blu starter pack (you all hate me already, don't you?) to try it, because it's cheap, before buying anything expensive, and I had a question about it: in their FAQ they list how much nicotine is in each cartridge in mg, but is it safe to assume that that's mg/ml?
A more important question for other nonsmokers who have done this: how addictive have you found e-cigs?
Thanks!

Hey Reddit, I'm actor Stephen Dorff. Some of my films include The Motel Life, Somewhere and Blade. You've also probably seen me in TV commercials for blu eCigs.
I'm not here for long but blu will be doing a Q&A video using some of the more creative questions you have here to post to reddit in the future.
My Proof

Hello,
I would like to ask for some advice/help/recommendations if you have time and don't mind taking a few minutes to help me.
I've been an "analog" smoker for many many years and I am really wanting to switch to e-cigs for all the obvious reasons. So I am looking for some recommendations on a good setup that I can jump right into without a lot of effort. Let's say my budget is about $150 but I can spend more if it's worth it.
I have had some past experience with e-cigs ... I purchased a Blu e-cig last year for Christmas and did not have very much success with it. I feel like the problem wasn't so much the hardware, but the level of nicotine in the cartomizers, I feel like there wasn't enough nicotine in them and the level of exhaled vapor wasn't adequate. There were times where I "wasn't sure" I actually was vaping anything.
I have been pouring over the sidebar FAQ/wiki/guides for the last few days and needless to say ... I'm a bit overwhelmed.
What I would like to have is what you guys call a cig-a-like setup, about the same size/diameter as a normal analog cigarette. But I am leery to go invest into another starter kit without some input/opinions from those more experienced than myself. I have spent some time looking through the daily vape threads and I just can't see myself walking around puffing on what looks like a light saber (no offense to anyone who likes puffing on a light saber). So I am really wanting a reliable cig-a-like setup.
I did see one starter kit that was recommended in one of the sidebar threads, i'll be damned if I can find it now though, which I believe was the Smokeless Image Volt Pro Starter Kit. The look/size/shape is spot on, the price is certainly within my budget and they have cartomizers with the nicotine level/flavor I am looking for (Desert Joe/X-High 24mg).
However I really don't want to spend another $100 just to get burned by something I end up not liking/using.
tl;dr - what cig-a-like starter kit would you guys recommend?

My mom is currently trying to make the switch from traditional to electronic cigarettes. She currently has one that looks like this and thinks it's pretty decent so far.
However, her main issue with it is that it doesn't "feel" like a real cigarette in the sense that it feels like more of a "nicotine contraption" rather than a smoking alternative.
So I've been thinking of getting her something like the Blu e-cigs, which I really like the look of due to the fact that they look more like real cigarettes, and even have the pack to charge them in. The thing is, though, I've never smoked in my life, nor do I know a thing about e-cigs. One thing I do know, however, is that she's currently using 36mg/ml, and the Blu e-cigs don't go that high. She also says the 36 is a little weak for her, but I'm hesitant to let her go that high, but again, I don't really know a thing about nicotine, either.
So, what are some viable alteratives to the Blu e-cigs? Or, is there a way to get 36mg/ml liquid from another company to use for the Blu e-cig? Or is that dangerous?
Here is the starter pack I'm thinking to get her. And here's the flavor she would more than likely want, since she's really trying to make it as... "authentic" as possible.
Sorry if this post didn't make any sense at all, I'm just kind of overwhelmed by all the different aspects of e-cigs I'm finding online, so I figured I might as well ask some veterans. :)
Thanks!

So I bought it from a friend for 15 bucks, it's a Buck Naked Express. The starter kit runs about 30. But it has no charger so question 1: Where can I get a charger for cheap? also. when I inhale it burns like crazy, it almost feels like its burning my throat but there is no heat. it has a clearomizer with two wicks on each side to draw up the liquid. I don't know what liquid is in there but it tastes like I'm smoking a pancake :D. are there kinds of eliquids you don't inhale? Or is the thing messed up? I've never owned an ecig before, but ive taken a puff off my dad's BLU and one a friend had. My dad's felt like nothing and the other one, which was similar to mine burned a little, but not nearly as much.

Hi guys, I'm here again because I'm an idiot who wastes way too much money on e-cigs.
In my last post, I reviewed 4 different e-cig "cigalike" products. The commenters referred me to some other cigalike products. Since I'm stupid and tend to waste money, I tried them all and decided to report back here.
See part 1 here: - http://www.reddit.com/electronic_cigarette/comments/1q1pz5/reviews_of_cigarettesized_ecigs_from_a_newcomers/
NJOY Rechargable

• http://www.njoy.com/express-kits/rechargeable-express-kits.html

My NJOY rechargable starter kit finally arrived a week after ordering it. I have to admit, it's not bad! Unfortunately, the battery and cartomizer are considerably larger than the disposable NJOYs. However, the same taste and feel are present. Tastes and feels like a real cigarette. I feel like this is a very underrated cigalike rechargable e-cig. People will definitely dismiss it as it is one of the "popular e-cigs", as in, the e-cigs sold retail at your local convenience store, but really, give it a chance, it's fairly decent.
Final Thoughts: Not bad. If you like the taste of NJOYs, go on and buy a rechargable NJOY starter kit. Unfortunately, they don't sell nicotine-free cartomizers, but if that doesn't bother you, they're not bad at all. Did I mention they look almost exactly like real cigarettes?
Halo G6

• http://www.halocigs.com/g6-e-cigarette/g6-starter-kits.html

I'm guessing Halo uses the same wholesaler as Bloog. The portable case was exactly the same as the Bloog's case: a cool looking cigarette case. Don't get me wrong, I totally like the case, but it really turns me off when they have the same wholesaler and Halo ends up having less variety than Bloog and SI.
I was underwhelmed. Nothing particularly memorable. I was very disappointed they don't sell nicotine-free cartomizers. If you're interested in a cigalike, stick with the SI Volt (or even a Bloog is better than this), as it is more customizable. Halo G6 just doesn't seem up to par (I hate to say this because I know they're a business just trying to make it, but SI is better. It just is).
Final Thoughts: Cool name, but I'm not very impressed. Stick with SI Volt or Bloog.
Joyetech eRoll

• http://us.joyetech.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=148_128&product_id=88

I unknowingly saved the best for last.
Wow, where to begin. This is the first rechargable cigalike I've tried that uses an atomizer over a cartomizer. It wasn't intuitive how to assemble and use it. Once I figured out how to fill the mouthpiece with e-liquid and insert the atomizer, it was fucking fantastic. This is one that's truly unique. A sexy-as-hell portable charger case. Since it's an atomizer, there's no need to buy separately flavored cartomizers. Simply buy the e-liquid of your choice. It's strange though: although, Joyetech (US store) sends you e-liquid for the starter kit, the US joyetech online store does not sell e-liquid standalone.
Now to my favorite part: the size. Smaller than the Volt, Bloog, G6, and even the NJOY rechargable. It rivals the blucig in tiny-ness. I love it.
The downsides: yes, it's expensive ($80 for the starter kit), but you do see where that money went. The charger case is so sexy looking I can't put it into words, and filling the mouthpiece with e-liquid was easier than I expected. I actually really prefer this+an atomizer as opposed to a cartomizer. The other downside: you have to find a separate source for e-liquid. This is definitely a plus for some people: I imagine most people on this subreddit have their favorite e-liquid/juice vendor, whereas most people who are new to e-cigs do not. (I'm writing these reviews for people who were in my position).
Unfortunately, I was not able to verify that Joyetech e-liquid is diacetyl-free. The side of the box mentions a few ingredients, none of them diacetyl, but it does not explicitly state that it does not contain diacetyl which worries me (I'm paranoid about this stuff!). Anyway, it doesn't matter since you can always pick your e-liquid of choice.
To see more on the eRoll, watch this overly dramatic video:

• http://www.joyetech.com/support/down_video.php?no=20&k=7
  • Direct Link: http://www.joyetech.com/images/video/eRoll_promotion_final.flv

Final Thoughts: This might be my new favorite cigalike e-cig. I might switch to this over the SI Volt. The size and the case, the ability to refill it at any time make it so damn...the only word I can think of to use here is: sexy. Very good product. Overall great shipping experience. About $6-8 for shipping, it was shipped immediately and got here in 2 days time.
Conclusion after trying 7 different cigalike products:
If you're in the position I was (of being new to the e-cig world, and still wanting a cigarette-like e-cig), I highly recommend checking out the Joyetech eRoll or the SmokelessImage Volt. They're both awesome.
So, to newcomers like myself who want a cigarette-like vape: an SI Volt or a Joyetech eRoll is a good start. I'm enjoying them. Hopefully this helps anyone like me, who was confused as hell about what to get.

I'm a former smoker (quit 2 years ago). Everything is good, but I realize I wasn't only addicted to nicotine, I was addicted to the act of smoking. If only I could replicate that without all the negative health effects. I discovered e-cigs, and although I know you guys like the bigger ones, I was interested in the smaller ones that sold nicotine-free cartomizers/liquid. I've tried 4 different brands now. Hopefully this will help anyone new to the e-cig game looking for a cigarette-sized vape like I was.
SmokelessImage Volt

• http://smokelessimage.com/starter-kits/voltpro.html

I saw this brand recommended here and I was curious. I bought a starter kit and a few other things. After opening the package I received, I was impressed. Everything had a nice professional looking package. It was very easy to assemble my first battery+cartomizer. I puffed away and was pleasently surprised at how realistically the LED lit up: slowly got brighter and dimmed depending on how hard I was puffing, like a real cigarette.
Customer support is absolutely fantastic. Fast responses and they actually help you. SmokelessImage also has a bunch of videos on youtube explaining how to assemble/clean/maintain your e-cigs. Awesome, and very helpful for a newbie.
Another thing I like is the seemingly endless customizability of the Volt: almost any battery color, LED color, colored wrappers for cartomizers and batteries, etc.
Final Thoughts: The batteries/cartomizers are a little bit bigger than I'd want, but I can get used to it. Lots of vapor per puff. Good flavors. The only thing I would change is the portable charger: I wish it could carry an extra cartomizer and was maybe a little bit "sleeker" and maybe had a more durable-feeling (it feels slightly plastic-y).
BluCigs

• http://www.blucigs.com/blu-starter-pack

They're one of the top dogs in the game and not well-liked round these parts if I figure right, but I always say "don't knock it til you try it", so I had to try it. I bought a starter kit at walgreens. It comes with almost everything you would expect, except a single-battery USB charger. It doesn't matter though, the portable charger case seems good enough.
The sample pack they give you comes with a bunch of high nicotine cartomizers, so I bought some nicotine-free ones online. I really like the size of blucigs: about the size of a regular cigarette. You can actually hold it in your fingers like you would a cigarette. However, this does not come without drawbacks. Lower battery life, less vapor. The flavors I've tried tasted like garbage compared to SmokelessImage cartomizers.
One thing I really like about BluCig is the portable charger case. Compact, easily fits in any pocket, seemingly durable, one slot for recharging, one slot for a full cartomizer+battery put together, and 3 slots for extra cartomizers. Perfect. Exactly what I want.
Although I like their size, the batteries themselves seem poor quality. When puffing on a blucig, the LED lights up instantly and turns off instantly, as opposed to the Volt's smooth brightening-peaking-dimming look.
Final Thoughts: perfect size/weight for my tastes, unfortunately the flavors aren't up to par and there's just not enough vapor. Puffing on them just doesn't feel as good as the Volt. There is very little variety among their products sold online. Very little is customizable.
NJOY

• http://www.njoy.com/njoy-kings/njoy-king-3-pack.html
• http://www.njoy.com/express-kits/rechargeable-express-kits.html
• http://www.njoy.com/cartridge-refills/cartridge-refills.html

I bought a pack of disposable NJOY's at a convenience store. These are hands-down the most cigarette-like e-cigs I've seen. They look, feel, smell, taste, even feel like you're inhaling a real cigarette. I give them points for that. I tried ordering a rechargable NJOY battery and some cartomizers online to see how they hold up. It's important to note NJOY cartomizers' lowest nicotine content is 0.6%. They do not sell nicotine-free cartomizers unfortunately. This is a major deal-breaker for me, as I don't care for nicotine.
Final Thoughts: Like the size. Good realistic cigarette taste and feel (it felt like I was inhaling smoke!). Unfortunately, my order online was never successfully processed (wtf!), and the cartomizers do not come nicotine-free (dealbreaker). Furthermore, this is even less customizable than BluCig. NJOY seems to specialize in disposables and just sells the rechargable e-cigs as a side thing. All that being said, if you're okay with puffing a little bit of nicotine, and want the feel of a real cigarette, accept no substitute. One could easily mistake a disposable NJOY for a real cigarette.
Bloog

• http://www.bloog.com/basic-starter-kit-p/basic-sk.htm

I saw this was recommended on this subreddit along with Volt (SmokelessImage). The package arrived, I opened it and everything looked pretty sleek. When I opened the portable charger case, it broke (it seemed like the inside was stuck on the cover that was supposed to open. I had to pry it open and put the bottom back into place. It was sort of wobbly after that. I didn't like the fact that the portable charger didn't seem to have a place for a full cartomizer + battery together, but other than that it looked like a really sexy cigarette case. I definitely like the look.
The batteries and cartomizers themselves seemed a little bit bigger than the SI volt. I screwed in a cherry cartomizer to one of the auto batteries and puffed away. All of the sudden a horrible cherry-like taste was on my tongue - not in my mouth, on my fucking tongue. The cartomizer was leaking all over the place. I looked at the rest of the cartomizers. All 10 I had bought (2 packs) were leaking. Really disgusting. I had to wash my mouth out several times. Luckily that was 0mg nicotine so I didn't get sick.
Final Thoughts: Nice portable charging case, batteries and cartomizers a little too big for my tastes. I wish more care was put into making the cartomizers and not having them leak all over the place. I wasn't able to test the Bloog adequately, but seeing the lack of care they put into making their cartomizers turned me off.
Conclusion
Out of all 4, I liked the Volt and BluCig the best. I expected to like Bloog more than BluCig, but it really rubbed me the wrong way with those leaky cartomizers: although blucig did this with 1 out of 5 packs of cartomizers I bought, Bloog did it with 2 out of 2. I've bought a whole bunch of packs of cartomizers from SmokelessImage so far, and none of them were leaky! I couldn't even try the Bloog properly. In any case, it wouldn't even vape that much even if I ignored the liquid in my mouth.
I'd also like to mention that none of these 4 e-cig brand's e-liquid contains diacetyl. They're all diacetyl-free. It took me a while to do all of the research on that. Your lungs are safe (at least from diacetyl, who knows whether there's some other harmful chemical that hasn't been noticed in ecig liquid yet).
Final Decision
For now I'm going to stick with SmokelessImage's Volt. It feels the best, looks the best. The products seem very high quality. The people really care about their customers and answer questions at lightning speed. The only thing I would change in the portable charger case: I wish it were more like the blucig one. I also wish somehow the Volt could be made a teeny bit smaller, but I'm still comfortable with its size the way it is. Basically, BluCig and SmokelessImage need to have a love-child together, hopefully called the BluVolt.
This is also my advice to people who are in the position I was: go buy a Volt starter kit. It's a damn decent product, and you can learn and try other things from there.

Verified? (This bot cannot verify AMAs just yet)
Date: 2013-07-31
Link to submission (Has self-text)

Questions	Answers
How did it feel to make your fist dollar in business? Edit:took me ages to work that one out.	I'm not into fisting but each to their own.
Hey you never know, that could be the ticket to your next 100 million!	Good point! I like the cut of your jib!
If you need an advisor, I would be more than happy to help you with your fisting services, from a business standpoint of course.	LOL nothing like fisting to bring people together. Let me guess you'd be in all the way??
I am a hard working, motivated person who always gets elbow deep into his work.	LMAo I have a second knuckle rule!
Will you encourage business owners to put money into educating the public on ecigarettes and lobbying to prevent it from being over regulated? If so, what plans are there? If not, how can we prevent misinformation from making this product look worse than it is.	I know blu is putting a large amount of resources and money into education and in particular the education of public officials. These are the ones that scare me the most as they are making the quick snap judgments. The general public is being very thorough and getting the facts.
Many current vapers are dismayed by the "you can 'vape' anywhere" marketing claims/push by companies like Blu and Njoy. The [Blu disposable page says Beat the smoking ban: Smoke anywhere, even indoors.] (Link to www.blucigs.com [Courtney Love Njoy commercial (youtube)] (Link to www.youtube.com [Alternacig infomercial (youtube)] (Link to www.youtube.com. What are your feelings (personal and/or "blu's") about vaping in places where smoking is not currently allowed due to federal/state regulations? Is it truly acceptable to "vape anywhere"? electronic_cigarette	I think it's generally stupid to ban the use on ecigs where traditional cigarettes are banned. Its part of the product and industry where we see a little rebellion and I think that's a good thing!
What is the cancer risk with ecigs?	THis is largely unknown in cold hard facts but from what we do know the signs are extremely promising. Even if you look at the fact that ecigs are not combustion and are not burning an organic plant. That is where most the nasty stuff happens for tobacco cigarettes. More and more tests are being done and the more that are done the more positive it is.
Mr. Healy, thanks for doing this. 1) How involved do you remain with Blu since you sold to Lorillard? 2) Does Blu have any projects in the R&D pipeline that will hold up to the (currently) far superior products offered by other smaller vendors? (non-cigalike, specifically talking about the PCC) 3) What do you perceive as the future of the legal hurdles for PV's? 4) Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses or 1 horse sized duck?	1) I remain heavily involved but more in the background now days. blu is like my child and the staff are like my family so I hope I will always stay involved as long as they are doing the right things 2) Most definitely the strides we are making with new technologies is huge. We have a fantastic team in Silicone Valley CA that focuses on R&D 3) Overcoming the tag of 'cig' 4) Its not size of the horse in the fight but the size of the fight in the duck.
Do you still vape? Even tho Blu is your baby, do you use any other gear? If so, what is your favorite non-cigalike device?	I test other products but I only use blu. I just enjoy the product and I personally don't like the flavor or size of others out there. Personal choice... I even purchase blu like everyone else.
I'd like to know what your personal description of the Tobacco flavor is. I think it definitely has a coffee flavor.	Its made up of about 20 flavors so sometimes people are more susceptible to certain flavors within it like coffee or carmel
Thats bullshit lol. many of us mix juice ourselves, 20 flavors is making mud.	For you... Yes.
When you sold to Lorillard, supposedly one of their prerequisites for the sale was that you settle with Ruyan over a patent they had for an electronic cigarette. Ruyan's patent however only covered piezo-electric atomizers. All other e-cig manufacturers had switched to using heating coils in their atomizers which they believed were not covered by Ruyan's patent. Philip Morris had a prior patent for an e-cig from 1993. This more closely resembled the e-cigs other manufacturers were now making but it was out of date. In fact Ruyan had previously failed in a Chinese court to stop an e-cig manufacturer (Cixi Ecig) from continuing to sell e-cigs all apart from one model which had a piezo-electic atomizer. Were you and Lorillard aware of this case? Did you or they think Ruyan's patent actually had merit? was it more of a precaution? Are you following any current e-cig cases, I think Ruyan still might have ongoing one against a number of other e-cig businesses in the US. Did you offer any support to Njoy and Smoking Everywhere when they fought the FDA?	Lorillard did not require a settlement and no I did not contribute to NJOY and Smoking Everywhere.
Can you tell us why then? Really would appreciate an answer to that.	It was simple and easy mathematics, spend a fortune to prove a point or be done with it and get on with developing the product and brand
So you don't you think Ruyan's patent has merit, but just that it was less costly to pay them than to go to court?	Correct.
So what do you do now with all of that money? what other businesses are you trying to get into? how old are you?	I largely haven't changed my life, I'm a home body at heart, some would say recluse LOL. But I am a watch and car freak so there have been some cars and watches. I'm 38 years old. No new businesses yet, I still consult to blu and love working with the team there.
Do you drive a lamborghini or ferrari?	I've always been a ferrari and porsche guy. Lambo's aren't as fun to drive in my opinion. I also love classics, being from Australia, American muscle cars are pretty cool for me.
	I like the questions about cars and fun stuff!
Dude, tell me about your watches. I'm a theoretical watch freak, so to speak. Though funding is very limited, I like to learn as much about them as I can.	I have 36 watches. Only about 5 are expensive. I just like interesting cool watches and its not about how much they cost. I have ones I got as a kid even.
Do you have any classic muscle?	Not yet...
	Need more garage space.
Are you on Ferrari Chat? Rennlist? 6Speed? How about timepieces? Hublot? Patek? Panerai?	No I'm not a big chat or board guy. I like cars for myself I don't like showing them etc.
Does blu have any plans to expand past the cigalike type ecigs it currently markets into larger batteries with more power (for longer life between recharges and more vapor), and/or liquid dispensers (cartomizers, clearomizers) that have more capacity? Will standalone liquid available from blu?	I don't think so as I think liquid may be a point of contention when it comes to regulations blu is concentrating on better technologies and keep the size down. We'd rather give a better experience in the smaller size than get bigger and bigger.
do you think that is a good thing/necessary?	Unfortunately because of cowboys, yes.
What is the future of eCig regulation in the US? What role will big tobacco play?	Tough to say anytime you are dealing with a government body but I think they will be largely positive. I believe the FDA see's the huge potential in ecigs so they will make their regulations to ensure maximum responsibility for manufacturers.
	Sorry I missed this one. I think big tobacco will play a large role in the future because they are entering the market and when you look at we are stealing their customers LOL. It's smart business for them to get involved plus they have tremendous experience with regulations and the government.
Have you ever tried one of the larger PV's? And if not, what do you think about the emerging culture of people who vape?	I have and I think it's awesome, smoking is about freedom and choice and so you have to embrace that!
Awesome, thanks for the reply. People may knock you, but its undeniable you were instrumental in the popularization of ecigarettes and PVs in general.	Thanks mate, appreciate that. I think ecigs in general are great and I'm happy to see the industry expanding, not just blu.
How quickly do you think we will see mainstream use of e-cigs (blu or otherwise)? I live in DC and have seen an uptick, but still have 2-3 people ask me what I'm smoking every time I vape in public. "Is that a mini hookah?" (WTF is a mini hookah?)	Its moving very quickly especially when I look back to when I started it. The product is very polarizing so I expect it will continue to increase awareness dramatically over the next few years and regulations will only increase that.
From what I've read, regulations have only served to make them less accessible. You're much more informed than I, so have you seen differently?	I think regulations and anti smoking groups have only expanded the awareness of ecigs because of their attempts. The more they push back the more people want to know.
Is Stephen Dorff nice in person?	Dorffman (as I call him) is a great guy, he and I talk regularly and he's become a good mate. Very genuine and straight forward guy. We both have ADD so my wife thinks its funny when we are together. Like two kids hopped up on pixie sticks!
Have you ever used a mechanical mod or rebuildable atomizer? Any other non-cig a like e cigs? What are your general experiences with e cigs outside of your own product?	My general experience is positive. My big issues and concern within the industry were always related to marketing and selling the product responsibly. There was and still is a lot of subscription selling and bait and switch crap. Still some cowboys who aren't interested in their consumers, just $$$
Do you / did you smoke cigarettes yourself?	I used to smoke about a pack and half of cigs a day, now I only smoke one tobacco cig in the more with my tea (more if I have a drink). I picked blu because it was the opposite to red/burning ember on a cigarette.
A lot of study's have shown that most E-Cigs that claim they contain no nicotine, a specific value of nicotine like 20mg or whatever are wrong. For example, says tehre is no nicotine but found 2mg of it, or says 20mg but it's never 20. Sometimes more or sometimes less. Thoughts? How accurate is blu compared to others E-Cigs?	This is largely due to equipment error by using the same equipment on the zero nic carts or products as the nicotine products. The residue causes cross contamination. blu uses completely separate lines so zero nic products are not cross contaminated.
We'd rather give a better experience in the smaller size than get bigger and bigger. Can you actually do that though? There are limitations based on current battery technology without making it prohibitively expensive.	You wouldn't have thought watching video on a cell phone was possible just a decade ago.
What kind of work did you do prior to blu? Educational background? Do you see any potential uses for ecigs and marijuana now or in the near future? What inspired to create your product?	I was horrible at school, hated it and did what I needed to to get by. Never went to college. I was heavily involved with professional sports in Australia and the mobile phone industry prior to blu. I created blu as a smoker and being sick and tired of being told where and when I could smoke. I think the marijuana debate will continue and it may cross over to ecigs.
Could you take us through the development of the business? Where did you get the idea? How did you develop and receive funding for your untested product? etc.	I've always gone with my gut, I don't put of lot of faith in consumer research and I don't get involved with anything I don't understand and am not passionate about. I started blu because I am a smoker. I started blu with $50,000 on May first 2009.
Do you still smoke analogs?	Yep, only 2 a day now tho.
When you first started, some people said blu was owned by some people who owned or had leverage in porn sites and that is why blu was heavily advertised on porn sites, some of which were the most trafficked in the world. A lot of people first heard about e-cigs from a blu ad on porn sites. Did you own or have leverage at porn sites to be able to advertise there so much when starting off?	We advertised on porn sites in the beginning as it was cheap traffic and I had friends in the industry. These people know the internet and how to get traffic. When you are a start up on a shoe string you find ways to grow and be successful. That's what being an entrepreneur is about, finding a way to get shit done!
What kind of money did you spend to get the business up and running? What percentage of your gross goes to affiliate fees?	Affiliate fees were still very small I think about 15% back in the day.
Well friends is a rather sly way of putting it. The porn company AEBN was a partner in Blu. So much so that the owners son ran the shipping department and AEBN's marketing department developed the product packaging, logo, and advertising.	Actually it was the masons.
What are the chances of cancer with the blu eCig compared to a normal cigarette by a major tobacco brand like Camel or Morlboro and are they FDA approved? Edit:(I ask because i'm interested in switching to these, specifically blu as i've seen a lot about it.)	Legal minefield this one but in my personal opinion I think ecigs are much safer and more research will confirm that without a doubt.
What do you think your biggest competition besides regular cigarettes down the line will be? Is Blue pretty much controlling the market for the eCig. I am seeing other products out there. Thanks for doing this! :)	I think our biggest competitor or threat is misinformation and anti smoking groups who ideologically have an issue with smoking rather than looking at the fact that ecigs could answer all their dreams and eventually eliminate tobacco.
Njoy.	Who??
So would it be correct to assume you do not consider electronic cigarettes a tobacco product?	I don't, even though the nicotine is derived from tobacco.
Who do you feel is Blu's biggest competitor?	Regulations and tobacco cigarettes.
What are the health risks associated with your product?	Again this is something that we will see overtime but keep in mind the facts I mentioned in the other similar questions.
Ok thanks. Also what is your all time favorite car?	I'd have to go with a 69 Ferrari 250 or a 70's Chevelle.
Could you and would you pay off my mortgage?	I would have to say no... but thanks for writing in Mum.
Given the FDA's recent comments on menthol, do you think vapers have a stake in that discussion given any precedent set on the basis of a flavor could apply to the flavors we enjoy as well?	I think the menthol debate is a mute point as is the debate on ecig flavors. The problem is that people don't want to parent anymore so they push big business to do it. Who would have thought the 'time out chair' wouldn't work...
Why did you found a company focused on ecigs?	Because I am a smoker and I enjoy smoking. I saw ecigs as a way for smokers to come out of the corner and to get some of their freedom back. I also think that ecigs have a very huge possibility to save a lot of lives. More testing yes but I feel strongly about this potential.
How did you transition from the startup process to getting angel investors/funding? Who was instrumental in building the brand for your business?	The people and staff at blu were instrumental and still are today. No one does anything alone.
Do you think it's acceptable to smoke ecigs indoors? I see people do it all the time and it bugs me. Their reaction is always "What? It's not illegal or anything"	Why does it bug you if it doesn't affect you?
Because they always smoke their ecigs with the smuggest attitude.	So you just object to confidence?
I smoke ecigs too, but I still avoid smoking them in no-smoking places.	SOme people are excited by the fact they can smoke in places where cigs are banned. I hear you tho about not smoking in some places where smoking is banned. I do that sometimes.
Are online sales the biggest selling point or it in retailers? Initially when you started out, wow did you promote your product and build the brand?	Online was all we had in the start, no one was selling at retail, now with our retail growth it is the largest. We built a very large consumer base on line then converted them to retail which is why we have seen such huge growth at retail.
Don't worry about that man! Unless it's a huge celebrity, someone who's popular in the news right now or someone really loved by the reddit community, most AMAs almost goes unnoticed. Combine that to the fact that Serj Tankian is also doing an AMA at the moment, it's probably not helping. There's still plenty of good questions in here (more than 200 comments in the thread, that's good!) and I would like to say you are doing a great job at replying at questions. Now my own little question: Do you use an e-cig? Vaping is a huge hobby for a most of the people in the e-cig community, I wonder, what's your relation with vaping?	Yes I use blu. I test others but use blu day to day.
Cool! More questions :) What is your setup like? What's your favourite flavor? I'm really curious, do you use it just like anyone would or do you have a little something unsual on your blu kit (special battery, carts) since it's your baby? What is your favourite vaping setup other than a blu?	I use the same blu and products that everyone does. People always think I have some special setup of version of the product. Its the same as everyone else.
no close second to the blu in your heart (in terms of device)?	No but I'm a smoker and bias because I'm the founder of blu. How do I make it better if I don't use it day in and day out.
I'm all for smaller as well; most users start on disposables like your product (my mother did) but was turned off by the low power (resulting in short lifespan/low amounts of lung-filling vapor) that can be achieved by a battery as small as a "real" cigarette. Are you working on new battery technologies? electronic_cigarette	Definitely, smaller more powerful batteries are coming. Just like in most consumer products.
Now that you have an assload of money, what philanthropic aspirations do you have? Please say you have some.	I do but I don't tell people, I think that defeats the purpose. I like to help people and causes but I don't feel I have to tell people.
I don't think it defeats the purpose to bring awareness to a cause that you think is important.	I help bring awareness where I can but I don't tell what I give or do.
Why are e-cigarettes so popular?	I think because there are 45 million smokers in america and because smoking is such a hot topic.
How did it feel to sell your company for $135 million? What was the sensation when the negotiating was finished and you got paid but had to turn over control of your company?	I'm not sure I even can really answer that now, over a year later. For me I got to have a couple beers and think about it the night we announced it and then it was back to work the next day. Now that I've stepped down as the President I've had more time to reflect and what I've realized is that it was the process and the journey that was fun not necessarily the destination. This is the 3rd business I have built and sold and while its the closest one to my heart it still hasn't sunk in totally.
Any advice for someone who wants to start a start up? How do you get from a small, initial investment to selling a multi-million dollar company?	Follow your instincts and do something you are passionate about. It won't always work but remember failures are part of success and learning. It doesn't feel good at the time but failures are useful. Building a business is hard so the more you are passionate about what you are doing the more you apply yourself and get through the tough parts.
What is your background as far as education and business? I guess I'm mainly asking how did you start and implement something so cutting edge at the time with such an insane growth?	Just made it through high school. I got $50,000 together, some great stuff and just worked our asses off!
Just came across the idea and ran with it? Did you have to invest in the R&D or did you just handle that yourself? Either way, kudos on the success. Gives a cube monkey like me something to shoot at.	I had a great engineer who was able to convert my thoughts into reality. Was a huge help!
Can I get about tree fiddy?	How about too fiddy??
Did you used to smoke tobacco cigarettes? Do you smoke blu eCigs now?	Yes and yes.
What separates your product from NJOY or Fin e-cigarettes besides the business end ex. strictly speaking product only.? It seems to be exactly the same product and same components.	Inside there are subtle differences but the biggest right now is the appearance. In the next 12 months the differences will be much larger.
Have you thought of advertising the 0mg nicotine ones to non-smokers? I'm a non-smoker and have always been intrigued by all the neat flavors that are available to vapers.	We have sooo many smokers to advertise to, not concerned about non-smokers. Plus I think it would bring unnecessary heat on the industry.
How quickly do you think that will change, and to what degree?	I think right now ecigs have had a 1% impact on traditional cigs and I think that will grow and grow.
	I think in the next 12 months you will see dramatic growth and changes. The tough part is scale now. Its very time consuming to change things now with all the retailers and displays etc. There is a lot more planning in making wholesale changes than there use to be.
Jason, thanks much for doing this AMA, have a few questions here. What's your view on e-cigarette advertising? Should they continue to be allowed in the mediums that cigarettes are not like television, internet and IndyCar? Will Blu play a role acting foagainst any forthcoming moves by the FDA, whether it be regulating e-cigs as an MRTP, tobacco product or something different?	I think its definitely think ecigs should be allowed to advertise on adult mediums. blu will play a huge role in regulations I believe and we have had several meetings with the FDA.
How did you end up getting a buy out? Did Lorrilard approach you first or did you ask for the buyout?	They came to me out of the blue and six months later the deal was done.
What was your most successful marketing initiative when you were still in the early stages of growth?	I don't really know of a specific initiative it was more about the message and appealing to smokers. Being true to the product and the consumer rather than being true to the sale.
I really think you guys hawking over flavors and children appeal are just bitching to bitch. How about better parenting... I would have rather had the opportunity to use Blu than smoke for 10 years when I was younger. I really don't see people getting hooked on Blu or even using it unless it is to quit smoking. Why would someone build an addiction to nicotine from an expensive item like Blu?	Go get em!
Thanks Jason, I appreciate that. How do you feel about the crowdfunding options out there for seeking investment?	They are good, I look at them and if I'm interested I go directly to the creator.
One thing I noticed when I used to use Blu's is that they are extremely wasteful. Why has Blu not ever considered a "turn in your blu" to maybe get a dollar off the next one you buy? Surely there is some way for Blu to reuse the assembly, or at the least the battery.	I would say the cost of such a program at this point but I think it will happen eventually. Plus there are many programs out there people could use.
How long does it take from the concept of a new flavor to getting it out to the consumer? I'm looking for some fall flavors like apples and cinnamon or pumpkin roll.	It use to be pretty quick, now with blu's size and being publicly listed its a much longer process with more lawyers involved! I would say now it takes about 6 months.
What is the first thing you wanted to buy when you found out you were getting $135M?	For me it was a car.
I was under the impression that Johnson Creek makes the flavors for Blu. Is this not the case?	That is correct, love Johnson Creek!
What effect do you think regulation might have on the grassroots industry that has spawned around ecigs and all the mom & pop vapor shops that have opened recently? Do you think they will thrive or suffer?	Regulations aren't going to make things easier that's for sure. The testing and manufacturing requirements will be very expensive and time consuming.
How did you go about getting blu into various stores? What was the hardest part about getting into retail stores?	Was definitely tough but once one jumped in it happened very quickly.
	When we started retailers had no real idea what they were.
How much equity did you have when you sold your company? Also, are you still on the board?	I'm not on the board now that we have sold to Lorillard but I talk to them regularly. Great board and good people.
Do you encourage your employees to smoke blu cigs in the office?	I wouldn't say encourage but they are allowed to do it if they want to to. All the smokers do.
Llc or c-corporation? And why?	Blu is now Inc, because of the whole public thing.
Can you detail how you started the company in the beginning? Or at the very least how much did it cost to start it?	I started blu with $50,000.
I'm having trouble seeing the logistics of a smaller battery getting more life. I've watched the evolution of handheld game consoled and while they get smaller and more powerful, there hasn't been a noticeable reduction in battery size since 2003.	Actually the batteries have got much better, the gaming consoles have just needed more space so as the batteries got better they were able to reduce their size but still give reasonable battery life. Batteries are getting more efficient and smaller.
Are you really from ojai?	I'm from Brisbane Australia.
Are you in Ojai now?	No I'm in NC.
	Are you in Ojai now??
I may have misunderstood a response a few hours ago. It was worded a bit oddly. Will the life improvement include the Premium batteries as well?	All battery products.
off, thank you. I believe the product you have created is beneficial for the smoker market trying to quit. Second.. My main dream in life is to become an entrepreneur and inventor, I am young and have many great ideas, but I have no idea where to take them. How does one get started in creating a product? Thank you.	Sorry mate, I just saw your post. Firstly I would say follow your instincts. They aren't always right at first but you have them for a reason. Don't ever do anything for just the money and first and foremost be yourself, you are always happier when you do that.
I'm a kid out of college looking to start my own business and the biggest problem always seems to be getting that initial capital to get me going. It seems impossible to make money these days without already having money. Can you provide any suggestions to making it through that first hoop?	You have to ask people for money, they are out there you just have to be willing to hear the no's to find them. If you truly believe in what you are doing it will happen. Won't be easy and there is no magic bullet.

Last updated: 2013-08-04 19:43 UTC
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Ask me anything after this on twitter @jasonwhealy
My Proof: https://twitter.com/blucigs/status/361923345127710720

For a school project, I am writing a report about the dangers of electronic cigarettes as they compare to regular ones. Specifically I am focusing on Blu eCigs. I have been able to find most of the information, save for one of the issues I find most important, which is whether or not the eCigs contain tobacco.
On the ad I found in a magazine it says, "No tobacco smoke," and on the website it says "Does not burn tobacco." No where does it say it does not contain tobacco. This to me sounds like it contains tobacco, it is just not being burned. However, I clearly cannot jump to conclusions as I am not well versed on the subject.
I would really appreciate if somebody could help me find out whether or not Blu eCigs contain tobacco.
Note: The information I found was on their wiki page. I could not enter their actual website because I am under 18.

My boyfriend and I have decided to ditch the cigarettes and ween ourselves off with e-cigarettes or use them as an alternative. He got the Premium E-Cig Starter Kit - Black: http://www.blucigs.com/starter-kit-premium-black.html
While it looks nifty and cool I want to try something different. Mostly so we can do a comparison to see which one we like better. I'm a complete newb at this so I have no idea what I am doing. Just wanted to get that out there. Haha anyway I would like someone's opinion on places down south (I live in the 78745 area) that are recommended to go. Mostly for knowledgeable staff that won't mind my newb questions and that are decently priced (as in I'm hoping to spend about $100 or less on this entire thing) so any recommendations are much appreciated thank you very much! You're beautiful Austin I love you! :D
Edit: I should probably add that I hear awesome things about All About Vapor my only issue is that I live down south and they're in Round Rock so I'm trying to find a place closer to where I live.
Edit 1: So it seems like the general consensus is to go to All About Vapor because all other places suck. I liked their page on Facebook so hopefully I can get an ETA as to when their shop is opening off of Airport and 35. Seems like I'll need to find someone to carpool with up there. Thanks everyone!
Edit 2: So thanks to beershits (your name makes me giggle by the way) I will be going to Phoenix Vapor Shop either today or tomorrow. Thanks again everyone!