New York bodegas have long made a lot of money selling cigarettes. When products like Nicortte (which they were un able to stock since they were blocked by the big drug stores, stupid really) they lost market share, then they lost again with the NYC smoking tax and the bar and restaurant ban.
Not everything that bodegas sell is on the up-and-up, most sell "onsies" single cigarets for $1 or $0.50 each bought by people who either don't want a whole pack, or who simply don't have that much cash on hand. They also sell "mini cigars" which are pretty much "legal onsies" (who has ever heard of a menthol filtered cigar?... anyway)
Today I went in to three bodegas in my south bronx neighborhood and I was stunned to see an e-cigarette kit. Curious I asked how much it cost? "$10... but for you my dear $8." I inspected it while the cashier continued lerring (he always does that to every woman he meets, it hilarious... dude must be LONELY big time...)
The kit was a brand that I'd never heard of. For $8 I expected just a disposable, but this "kit" had a battery (808 clone maybe?) a USB charger with no chord, four cartridges and what I guess was an atomizer... only the cartridges would be inserted in to the bottom of the atomizer (on the same side as the threading to hold it together) -- How could that work?
The package was, not as flimsy as I expected. I wondered about the quality. I almost bought it to find out-- but it was "menthol" *shudder* I don't even think I could go there to do some investigative reporting. It was also 18mg, which is way too much nic for me (I roll 0-6 max!)
Each bodega that had a similar product (I saw three today) had only *one* on display. That means one of two things: They are just testing it out to see if it will move OR they are not authorized to sell it, or worried about legality.
$8 is about the cost of a pack of smokes these days-- could such a kit give as much smoking pleasure as a pack of cigs? I wondered if there was information inside about ordering more cartridges or getting other parts.
If it's a rip off it will turn people off to vaping.
But, if it's decent, like the $11 disposable that I bought when I first started They will probably end up here. (I have no idea how I was happy with so little vapor and flavor...but still it was nice, it showed me the idea was viable)
I get the feeling we are on the tip of what will shortly be a surge in the population of vapers.
Just a hunch!
Not everything that bodegas sell is on the up-and-up, most sell "onsies" single cigarets for $1 or $0.50 each bought by people who either don't want a whole pack, or who simply don't have that much cash on hand. They also sell "mini cigars" which are pretty much "legal onsies" (who has ever heard of a menthol filtered cigar?... anyway)
Today I went in to three bodegas in my south bronx neighborhood and I was stunned to see an e-cigarette kit. Curious I asked how much it cost? "$10... but for you my dear $8." I inspected it while the cashier continued lerring (he always does that to every woman he meets, it hilarious... dude must be LONELY big time...)
The kit was a brand that I'd never heard of. For $8 I expected just a disposable, but this "kit" had a battery (808 clone maybe?) a USB charger with no chord, four cartridges and what I guess was an atomizer... only the cartridges would be inserted in to the bottom of the atomizer (on the same side as the threading to hold it together) -- How could that work?
The package was, not as flimsy as I expected. I wondered about the quality. I almost bought it to find out-- but it was "menthol" *shudder* I don't even think I could go there to do some investigative reporting. It was also 18mg, which is way too much nic for me (I roll 0-6 max!)
Each bodega that had a similar product (I saw three today) had only *one* on display. That means one of two things: They are just testing it out to see if it will move OR they are not authorized to sell it, or worried about legality.
$8 is about the cost of a pack of smokes these days-- could such a kit give as much smoking pleasure as a pack of cigs? I wondered if there was information inside about ordering more cartridges or getting other parts.
If it's a rip off it will turn people off to vaping.
But, if it's decent, like the $11 disposable that I bought when I first started They will probably end up here. (I have no idea how I was happy with so little vapor and flavor...but still it was nice, it showed me the idea was viable)
I get the feeling we are on the tip of what will shortly be a surge in the population of vapers.
Just a hunch!
