Question about quality and quality control of e-juice vendors.

[varitablevoltage]

I assume not all good vendors mix in a lab or otherwise in a strict controlled environment with protocols and subject to inspection. Do we just accept/hope it's all put together with a degree of accuracy and safety? Not such a big deal I suppose with 0 nic juices (though you hope for things like hygiene and for ingredients to be as advertised) but with nicotine you want to know its done correctly. Should all creators of e-juice be required to pass a health and safety inspection? Can we just assume we are not being poisoned or otherwise vaping something questionable?

I have no prejudices based on the size of a vendor's operation but I do wonder sometimes how the juice was made and if what's in it is accurate.

Paranoid or rational?

 

[Dr. Phill]

I think the ECF community does a pretty good job of pointing out those who are messing up or questionable. But, I also think your thoughts on it are not paranoid either. We are trusting a pretty big portion of our lives to these people since we are all still addicted to nicotine and have come to vaping to quit the real thing. I also question at times if the 11 mg nic juice will really be a 36 which will make me sick, but usually I only have that worry when ordering China juice. Thats the great thing about this forum, people here protect each other and will make darned sure the vendors know we are indeed watching.

 

[ajventi]

I think for the most part these are small businesses we're dealing with and although growing a somewhat competitive marketplace. I'd say if you have questions give them a call, or send an email and talk to them. If you're not comfortable with them don't buy from them.

 

[Racehorse]

II also question at times if the 11 mg nic juice will really be a 36 which will make me sick, but usually I only have that worry when ordering China juice.

After i saw photogs of Dekang labs in China, I was more worried about juice vendors here, to be honest. They were pretty impressive.

 

[varitablevoltage]

So I know some people diss China juice. I assume this is for the additives?

Is it the lack of FDA and Health Canada willingness to regulate that there isn't a certification a vendor can proudly claim to have? On the flip side I wonder if proper regulation would squeeze out the little mom and pop (pun) e-liquid shops who do have high standards already but perhaps cannot afford the top notch lab that regulation may demand.

 

[gthompson]

Not to make light of your questions or your concerns, but I see so many similar such posts on this forum, and I have to wonder. How many of us who smoked for 20/30/40/50 years ever questioned the quality control exercised by Big Tobacco over the 4000 chemicals and carcinogens in cigarettes? We just trusted them while they slowly killed us, right?

 

[varitablevoltage]

Not to make light of your questions or your concerns, but I see so many similar such posts on this forum, and I have to wonder. How many of us who smoked for 20/30/40/50 years ever questioned the quality control exercised by Big Tobacco over the 4000 chemicals and carcinogens in cigarettes? We just trusted them while they slowly killed us, right?

Good point, I give you that. Of course that shouldn't be a reasoning for not applying standards or quality control in e-juice. Myself I only started really thinking about it when I herd someone diss a vendor saying that they "mix in a basement" and then realized well even the most well regarded vendors don't really have any kind of certification. So small operation or large there is no real way of knowing for certain what the standards and protocols are beyond what is claimed by the vendor and what customers say. Again not to be paranoid but I think it would be foolish just to just assume everything is just fine.

 

[DFDF]

I have received juice from a popular vendor ( on this forum ) that had a large chunk of plastic in one bottle and some fuzz or something in another. I still order from them, I'm not smoking the stuff.

 

[gthompson]

Good point, I give you that. Of course that shouldn't be a reasoning for not applying standards or quality control in e-juice. Myself I only started really thinking about it when I herd someone diss a vendor saying that they "mix in a basement" and then realized well even the most well regarded vendors don't really have any kind of certification. So small operation or large there is no real way of knowing for certain what the standards and protocols are beyond what is claimed by the vendor and what customers say. Again not to be paranoid but I think it would be foolish just to just assume everything is just fine.

I'm not disagreeing with you at all, I just find it amusing how few of us had the same concerns when we were smoking.

 

[Robino1]

Good point, I give you that. Of course that shouldn't be a reasoning for not applying standards or quality control in e-juice. Myself I only started really thinking about it when I herd someone diss a vendor saying that they "mix in a basement" and then realized well even the most well regarded vendors don't really have any kind of certification. So small operation or large there is no real way of knowing for certain what the standards and protocols are beyond what is claimed by the vendor and what customers say. Again not to be paranoid but I think it would be foolish just to just assume everything is just fine.

Some vendors are trying to set up a self regulation organization. This is the link to their website. AEMSA | American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association

 

[tapout1003]

In some vendors I'll say there is no quality control at all. I've ordered from a good number of vendors. Some I won't order from again for various reasons. I've ordered the same juice from the same vendor 2 weeks apart. I received 2 completely different products. They don't even come close. I'll spend more money to buy commercial juice than to save money to buy juice from a guy mixing in his kitchen sink and using a label maker from walmart.

 

[Racehorse]

Again, if somebody can find the photos of the Dekang labs in China that were posted on this forum, I just forgot where they were. Very impressive, though. Many many years in the biz, too.

 

[Racehorse]

I'm not disagreeing with you at all, I just find it amusing how few of us had the same concerns when we were smoking.

I see your point, but also see that *we* are all at the point where we turned a new leaf. Once people decide to get healthier, they start to think more comprehensively about health issues and want to fine-tune.

You will see this in any person who has changed their life for the better, by making major lifestyle changes for their health, whether they be smokers, or just people battling obesity, diabetes, arthritis, etc. It's an awareness light that 'turns on'.

We are not smokers anymore, so a lot of things are going to change for us, including the way we think about what goes in our bodies.

So, no, I don't compare 'when we smoked' to 'now that we aren't smoking'. Those 2 people are very different, G.

 

[Mr.Mann]

Part of the reason that some of us have these concerns is in no small part due to how blind we used to be! I used to eat whatever was in front of me and did not care a single thing about its contents, but now since I changed my eating habits, I do care.

 

[Fiamma]

When I started vaping I stuck with one juice vendor. He came recommended by someone I trusted, I called him to talk with him about how and where he mixes juice, was satisfied and started buying. I still buy a couple of flavors from him because I love the juice and he's a very competent guy. I tended to try different things but have a finicky palate and settles on two gotta haves from him.

Then this year I started to DIY. I know what's in my juice and how clean it is, and I can find new stuff very inexpensively this way. YMMV.

 

[jeannest]

In some vendors I'll say there is no quality control at all. I've ordered from a good number of vendors. Some I won't order from again for various reasons. I've ordered the same juice from the same vendor 2 weeks apart. I received 2 completely different products. They don't even come close. I'll spend more money to buy commercial juice than to save money to buy juice from a guy mixing in his kitchen sink and using a label maker from walmart.

I've had the same issues with some vendors. Got a sample or small bottle, loved the juice. Ordered 2 big bottles and it was completely different (not good). It makes you wonder. I just wish there was some consistency.

 

[bigdaddybrink1]

After i saw photogs of Dekang labs in China, I was more worried about juice vendors here, to be honest. They were pretty impressive.

do you have the pix? or a link for the pix??!?!?!

 

[Randy C]

Part of the reason that some of us have these concerns is in no small part due to how blind we used to be! I used to eat whatever was in front of me and did not care a single thing about its contents, but now since I changed my eating habits, I do care.

I care too! I was previously blinded by my addiction to my cigarette adiction