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UK Vaping Duty Explained – Everything You Need to Know

UK Vaping Duty - What You Need To Know | Puffin Clouds UK

From 1 October 2026, the UK Government will introduce Vaping Products Duty, a new excise duty that will apply to vaping liquids sold in the UK.

We’ve already received a number of questions from customers asking what this means, whether prices will increase and if there’s anything they need to do before the changes take effect.

This guide explains everything you need to know.

What is Vaping Products Duty?

Vaping Products Duty is a new UK excise duty that applies to all vaping liquids, whether they contain nicotine or not.

The duty covers products including:

  • 10ml nicotine e-liquids
  • Nicotine-free e-liquids
  • Shortfills
  • Nicotine shots
  • Prefilled pods and cartridges

Unlike VAT, which has applied to vaping products for many years, this is an additional Government tax on vaping liquids.

How much is the new duty?

The Government has confirmed a single flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid.

As VAT is also charged on the final selling price, if the full duty is passed on to consumers the increase could be approximately:

ProductGovernment DutyApprox. Increase Including VAT
2ml Pod£0.44£0.53
10ml Bottle£2.20£2.64
50ml Shortfill£11.00£13.20

These figures are provided as a guide. The final retail price increase will vary depending on how manufacturers and retailers choose to absorb or pass on the additional costs.

When does it start?

The new legislation comes into effect on 1 October 2026.

From this date:

  • Vaping Products Duty becomes payable.
  • New vaping products released for sale in the UK must carry an official Vaping Duty Stamp.
  • VAT will continue to apply as normal.

What are Vaping Duty Stamps?

HMRC is introducing Vaping Duty Stamps to help identify legitimate products that have had the appropriate duty accounted for.

These secure stamps will be attached to the retail packaging of vaping products released for sale in the UK from 1 October 2026.

Will vaping products become more expensive?

Almost certainly.

The introduction of Vaping Products Duty increases costs throughout the supply chain, affecting manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers alike.

While every business will make its own pricing decisions, customers should expect to see price increases across much of the UK vaping industry.

Will every vaping brand be affected?

Yes.

The legislation applies across the vaping industry, regardless of the manufacturer or retailer.

Whether you vape Purity, Halo, Elfliq or another brand, the new duty will apply.

What happens to products already on the shelves?

This is one of the questions we’re asked most frequently.

The good news is that products already manufactured or imported before the new rules take effect can continue to be sold during the transition period.

However, from 1 April 2027, all vaping products sold outside duty suspension must carry an official Vaping Duty Stamp. After this date, unstamped products can no longer be legally sold through normal retail channels.

Should I stock up before October?

Many customers are considering buying extra e-liquid before the new duty comes into force.

While some customers may wish to purchase their favourite products before October, there’s no need to panic buy.

At Puffin Clouds we’ll continue working closely with our suppliers to maintain stock and offer one of the UK’s largest online selections of Purity products throughout the transition.

What does this mean for Puffin Clouds?

Like every UK retailer, we’ll need to adapt to the new legislation.

Our commitment, however, remains exactly the same:

✔ One of the UK’s largest online ranges of Purity products

✔ Official UK stock

✔ Fast dispatch

✔ Friendly, knowledgeable customer service

We’ll continue working hard to keep our prices as competitive as possible while maintaining the high level of service our customers have come to expect.

Key Dates

DateWhat Happens
1 October 2026Vaping Products Duty comes into force. Duty becomes payable and all new products released for sale must carry a Vaping Duty Stamp.
1 April 2027Transition period ends. All vaping products sold outside duty suspension must carry a Vaping Duty Stamp.

You may also be interested in our latest article explaining the recent Puffin Clouds pricing and delivery changes, including our first Purity price review since 2016.

Thank You

The vaping industry continues to evolve, and Vaping Products Duty represents one of the biggest changes we’ve seen in recent years.

We’ll continue to monitor developments and keep our customers informed whenever important updates become available.

If you have any questions about Vaping Products Duty or how it may affect your favourite products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for your continued support.

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Keeping Puffin Clouds Competitive for the Future

The UK's Largest Purity Range 10ml | Puffin Clouds UK

At Puffin Clouds, we’ve always believed in offering great value, genuine products and excellent customer service.

Since 2016, we’ve worked hard to keep our prices unchanged despite significant increases in supplier costs, Royal Mail charges, packaging and other operating expenses. For almost a decade we’ve absorbed these increases wherever possible, but unfortunately this is no longer sustainable.

To ensure we can continue offering the UK’s largest range of Purity e-liquids, we’ve made the difficult decision to update our pricing and delivery charges.

What’s Changing?

Purity 10ml E-Liquids

QuantityNew Price
1–5 Bottles£4.99 each
6–11 Bottles£4.79 each
12–23 Bottles£4.59 each
24+ Bottles£4.39 each

Purity Shake ‘n’ Vape (50ml)

  • £15.99 each
  • 3 for £42

Purity PURE, Atomic & Royal Seven

  • £9.99 each
  • 3 for £24

Delivery Changes

To help cover the significant increases in Royal Mail and fulfilment costs, we’ll also be making the following changes:

ServiceNew Price
Royal Mail Tracked 48£4.50
Royal Mail Tracked 24£5.50
FREE Tracked 48 DeliveryOrders over £50

Loyalty Discount

As promised, our PuffinSave 10% Loyalty Discount will continue to be honoured until 31 August 2026.

We know many of our customers have been with us for years, and we wanted to ensure everyone still receives the full benefit of the loyalty scheme.

Our Commitment

While prices are changing, what won’t change is our commitment to providing:

✔ The UK’s largest range of Purity products

✔ Official UK stock

✔ Fast, reliable dispatch

✔ Friendly, knowledgeable customer service

We’d like to thank every customer who has supported Puffin Clouds over the last decade. Your continued loyalty has helped us become one of the UK’s leading specialists in Purity products, and we’re committed to continuing to offer the widest range and the service you’ve come to expect for many years to come.

Thank you for your continued support.

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Guide To Vaping

Guide to Vaping - Puffin Clouds UK

The first thing we would like to state here is this: if you do not smoke, and are not looking for an alternative to smoking, this is not for you. We do not condone vaping as a hobby.

You’re ready to quit smoking and start vaping. So, what now?

So, maybe you have already tried out a cig-a-like type device, like a Blu or another disposable brand from your local supermarket. If you liked this alternative, or even if you haven’t tried a cig-like-device out yet, we’re ready to get you started and answer the most frequently asked questions that we hear.

How is vaping different to smoking?

The use of electronic cigarettes (known as vaping) is an alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. Instead of being lit, an electronic cigarette vaporises a solution of water, nicotine & flavouring. There’s no smoke, no combustion – just vapour!

Characteristics of an electronic cigarette are:

  • 95% Safer than smoking (NHS England)
  • No tar or poisonous chemicals
  • No second hand smoke
  • No yellow teeth, fingers, or walls
  • No lingering odours
  • No carbon monoxide

Vaping has been around for a few years, but to a new vaper, it’s a mystery. Smokers try e-cigarettes when they want to stop smoking and when they wonder what all the fuss is about. Usually, someone wanting to quit will get the disposable type of e-cigarette to find out what it’s like. If the quitting smoker likes this new alternative, usually they move up to the non-disposable kits. It’s not really fair to call this alternative a cigarette, because they have almost nothing to do with commercially produced cigarettes. These e-cigarettes do provide nicotine, that substance that calms the smoker’s jangled nerves. Everything else about e-cigs is totally unique.

Step 1: Buy the Equipment

First, the new vaper will need the proper vaping equipment. They will need to become accustomed to not holding the device between two fingers like a cigarette. The e-cig is longer and heavier than a cigarette. Disposable e-cigs are fine for trying out this new alternative, but for the long-term the new vaper will need quality equipment they can put together in pretty much this order:

Mod: This houses the battery.
Tank: Holds the e-liquid.
Coil: This heats the juice to produce the vapour that is inhaled.
Drip-tip: This is where the vaper inhales.
Battery charger: Often via USB.

Step 2: Make Choices

Just like pack of cigarettes, the nicotine strength comes in variations. A nicotine strength of 0mg means no nicotine at all. A nicotine strength of 6mg would equal an ultra-light cigarette. A nicotine strength of 12mg would be like a pack of Marlboro Mediums. A nicotine strength of 18mg would be regular cigarette. The flavours range from woodsy to floral, fruity to veggie, coffee to tea and everything in between. The new vaper has quite a few decisions to make before they make their purchase.

Prices are important, but remember the pieces should last the smoker about one year. That’s cheap when smokers compare the cost of vaping to one year’s worth of cigarettes. It’s also cheap, because the health benefits of vaping over cigarette smoking are enormous.

Step 3: Maintenance

Everything needs cleaning every now and then and E-cigs are no different. Unscrew each piece, and have on hand paper towels, Q-tips and tweezers.

Drip-tip: roll a paper towel into a string. Push the towel up into the tip to remove any liquid that may have gotten in there.

Tank: if the tank is overfilled, it will leak. Blowing into the unscrewed end, hold a paper towel over the other end to catch the excess. Wipe threads and continue to the next piece.

Coils: there might be build-up on the threads between the battery and atomizer. Wipe the threads with a paper towel. Use the Q-tip to clean the inside of the coil. If one wants to deep clean the coil, hold it in the tweezers and run hot water through it. Allow it to dry overnight before vaping. Replace when the flavour of vape becomes burnt.

Now, let’s learn some technical terminology:

  1. “Mod” is the housing that contains the battery. This is what powers the heating of the coil that produces the vapour.
  2. “Coil” is the main part of your device that produces vapour. In tanks and beginner kits, one will use a pre-built coil, also referred to as an atomiser head.
  3. “Tank” is where the e-liquid is stored. It attaches to the battery.
  4. “Drip tip” is where you inhale from. It attaches to the top of the tank.
  5. E-Liquid is the flavoured liquid that will be heated to produce the vapour you inhale. There are thousands of flavors to choose from.
  6. “Battery Charger” – a way of recharging the battery in the mod. Some devices use batteries that can be removed from the device and charged using an external battery charger. Almost all devices can be charged by merely using a USB cable much like charging your phone.

What device should I start out with?

We sell many different devices. We have two very simple categories: one for beginners and one for more advanced users. All of these devices are basically the same concept: a battery, or mod that one inserts a battery into, a tank, and replaceable coils for the tank. The top device for starters is always changing, since new products are always coming out. We always recommend sticking to the top brands in the industry. Aspire, Eleaf, Innokin, Kangertech, Smok  and Wismec are all very good brands. Wondering what our staff favourite is at the time of your order? E-mail us and we can tell you! You will want to start out with some sort of mod and a tank, though. Buying a tank means you can purchase pre-built coils, or atomiser heads, like we talked about earlier. This is the easiest and most convenient way to vape!

Ok, I have my new device. How do I start vaping?

Your tank will have two separate parts: Your base, which holds the coil, and the glass portion, which will hold the e-liquid. The first, and truly most important step to a good vaping experience, is to prime your coil. Unscrew the coil from the base of the tank. Put 2 small drops of liquid down the centre of your coil, allowing the liquid to soak into the cotton. There will be some small holes exposing cotton on the outside of the coil- dab a tiny bit of liquid there also. Re-screw your coil back into the base of the tank and reassemble. Now, fill up your tank. Try your hardest not to get liquid into the centre of the tank, or “chimney”, as this is where your vapour will come from, and where e-liquid will get into your mouth if you fill it by accident. Now, put your device to one side for 10 minutes. This will allow the coil time to fully prime with e-liquid. You only need to do this when installing a new coil or using your device for the first time.  If your device allows the Wattage to be changed, set it to your desired level before vaping. Don’t know how high you can go? Look on the coil; the coil will show you what wattage range to use on your device.

You will know your coil needs to be changed when you start tasting an unfamiliar burnt taste. Then, just repeat these steps, and you’ll be ready to vape again!

How much e-liquid am I going to need or will I use?

This is impossible for us to estimate. It all depends on how frequently you vape. Always keep some e -liquid on hand, and, after a while, you’ll get an idea for how much liquid you use daily.

How do I properly care for my batteries if I am using a device with replaceable batteries (not internal)?

Battery safety is one of the most, if not the most, important issues when you are vaping. Not properly caring for your batteries can be detrimental and can cause serious injury. Do not, under any circumstance, toss your batteries around. Do not leave them in your pockets, purse, car, or rolling around in your backpack. We sell battery cases which will safely protect your batteries. Do not, under any circumstances, use batteries that have a rip or small tare in the wrap, especially if the battery is actually showing under the wrap! This can cause auto-firing in your device, which, left unnoticed and not resolved quickly, can cause very serious injury. Clean your batteries of any e-liquid before charging them. Always take very good care of your batteries! Not sure if what you’re using is safe? E-mail us. We will tell you! We cannot stress how important battery safety is.

E-Liquid. PG/VG ratios/ different flavourings / nicotine equivalencies

Now that the basics are out of the way, let’s address some common concerns, questions, or misconceptions. First off, vaping was not created for you to “blow clouds”. Vaping is a healthy alternative to smoking, and that is it. Yes, there is a very large group of people that vape with the intent to custom build their mods and RDA to be able to blow very large clouds of vapour, but this is not the goal. Additionally, a lot of safety concerns come with this phenomenon of “cloud chasing”. We have seen many instances where someone builds an RDA for an individual very dangerously, while using a no good battery, and the device can explode. There are so many dangers associated with building these different coils, and we do not condone or urge anyone to get involved in this.

A fun and huge positive of switching from smoking to vaping is your new community of friends. Whether it’s on FaceBook, Instagram, Reddit, or any other social media platform, you can find all kinds of people that can help you on your new journey to a healthier lifestyle.

If you’ve smoked traditional cigarettes for years, the term “e-cig” is an intriguing prospect. When you’re looking for a change, especially for an enhanced taste, e-cigarettes are a perfect product to keep your nicotine needs fulfilled. However, the e-cig industry has an entire vocabulary exclusive to its use. New vapers don’t need to worry about these terms because they are relatively simple to understand when you grasp the cigarette’s mechanical construction.

E-Liquid or E-Juice

Unlike traditional cigarettes with their dry material cores, e-cigs use a liquid, or e-juice. This liquid houses the nicotine, flavouring and vaporising components to create the vaping effect. It does not produce smoke when heated, but actually vaporises the liquid into a steam that is often visible. This vaping allows you to feel like you’re smoking, satisfying that physical and mental craving for a cloudy exhalation.

Propylene Glycol (PG)

This e-liquid component is the main flavour carrier. As you heat the e-liquid, you want to taste the particular flavour you chose, from tropical fruits to menthol. Propylene Glycol (PG) holds flavours well, giving you a rich taste with each vape. However, an e-liquid solution with 100 percent PG will not give you a proper vape cloud. It must be mixed with Vegetable Glycerin (VG) for the best effect.

Vegetable Glycerin (VG)

This e-liquid component offers the visible vapour which is composed of mainly water. The inhaling process gives the e-cig user the nicotine rush while exhaling the flavouring and water molecules. VG must generally be mixed with PG because flavouring isn’t held well with VG molecules. However, VG does offer the benefit of a softer throat hit. Very high PG concentrations can make users cough, creating an uncomfortable experience.

Atomiser / Coil

Although it sounds exotic, an atomiser is really just the e-cig’s heating element. The e-juice must be heated to a particular temperature to protect the physical e-cigarette along with the user’s mouth. It heats the liquid enough to vaporise it into a breathable mass. If it’s too cool, the juice cannot change physical states. Hot vapour is a potential hazard, making it crucial to have a quality e-cig.

FAQs:

How long will my battery last?

This will always vary based on the user. We like to equate battery life to the fuel in your car; how much you are using will vary based on how much you are driving. Additionally, voltage and wattage play a huge role in this. If you are using a mod with high wattage, the battery is pushing more power, meaning you’ll have to change it sooner. You’ll get a hang for how often you need to change/charge your battery after getting more familiar with your device.

Why did the light on my device change colour?

The light is changing to let you know you need to recharge your mod, or swap out your batteries. Always try to keep an extra battery on hand, or a car charger, if possible.

My tank is gurgling. Is that bad?

This is totally normal! Gurgling can come from flooding the coil, or from oxygen. If it’s oxygen, the sound will go away quickly. If i’s gurgling that’s troubling you, take the coil out of your tank and clean out from under it. Dry burn the coil a bit (fire the device with just the coil screwed in, no tank, for a second or so) to dry that extra liquid out.

Why isn’t my battery working?

Try clicking the power button 5 times, rapidly. The device should come on. Still not working? Plug the device in, let it charge, and try again.

How long will my coil last?

Let’s refer back to the battery usage question. This will always change depending on the user, as well as the wattage and what types of e-liquid you’re using. Typically, coils last anywhere from two weeks to two months.

My throat hurts when I vape.

Vaping is different from smoking cigarettes. If this happens, try using a) a different brand of e-liquid or b) a lower nicotine mg. Not all nicotines are created equally, and that is often the culprit for that annoying scratchy throat.

How long will my e-liquid last?

Another reference back to the coil and battery life here. This all depends on how much you are vaping. Again, you’ll get a hang for how much liquid to keep on hand after you get into it!

Are e-cigarettes cheaper than smoking?

In the long run, yes. A starter kit can cost from around £30 to £60, and the upkeep past that is coils (if using pre-built coils) and e-liquid. It works out much cheaper than the pack a day a lot of smokers are buying.

How similar is vaping to smoking?

Very similar! The vapour feels and looks like smoke, and satisfies those nicotine cravings. The beautiful thing about vaping is we can decide how much nicotine we are using, allowing us to slowly kick that nicotine craving all together!

Can I use my e-cigarette anywhere?

Every country has different laws. Depending on where you are, do some due diligent research to be sure you are in the right areas. Also, please be polite and respectful! Never try to vape in people’s faces, around small children, or entrances to businesses. We don’t want vaping to get a bad reputation.

I vape more than I smoked. Is that OK?

Anything is better than smoking. If you feel like you are vaping too much, perhaps you are needing more nicotine, and reduced that mg strength too quickly. Try to bump up your nicotine strength and see if that helps you not vape as much.

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Puffin Clouds Update On The US “Vaping” Deaths

We realise many of you will have seen the disturbing news stories coming from the USA, where there have been 380 cases of respiratory disease reported among ‘otherwise healthy young people’, which US officials claim are caused by vaping.

As a responsible and honest vaping business who takes the health and safety of our loyal customer base into constant consideration, we feel it is only right that we should inform you of the facts as we currently know them.

Firstly, we can be very clear that there have been no reported illnesses linked to vaping in the UK.

Secondly, in the US and much of the international media, there is no reasonable distinction between vaping products designed as a harm reducing alternative to smoking and vaping illicit drugs.

The experts are telling us that all of the available evidence so far suggests that the unfortunate victims of this outbreak have been using black market THC (marijuana) vape products or other homebrew e-liquids. Some of these bootleg products contain synthetic cannabinoids like spice and are not products bought from or produced by reputable manufacturers, but in fact from street dealers.

“Unlike the US, all e-cigarette products in the UK are tightly regulated for quality and safety by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and they operate the yellow card scheme, encouraging vapers to report any bad experiences”.

Martin Dockrell, head of Tobacco Control at Public Health England

From what we know, the most likely cause of the illness is Vitamin E Acetate.

Vitamin E acetate is a common food additive which is used in topical skin treatments and is not known to cause any harm when ingested. However it does have oil like properties, which means that when vaped it is likely to cause the kinds of respiratory symptoms that have been reported – shortness of breath, chest pains and coughing. The Washington Post have reported that the FDA have stated that ‘nothing unusual’ has been found in the nicotine containing e-liquids that have been submitted to officials. However this is not being reported by the media, and it seems the key information wasn’t relayed to the president before he made his somewhat awkward announcement this week.

In the UK we have very robust regulations surrounding the production and distribution of vaping products. These regulations came into effect on May 20th 2017 and are known throughout the EU as the Tobacco Products Directive or TPD. Once transposed and established within UK law, we named it the TRPR or Tobacco and Related Product Regulations.

We have a strict list of banned ingredients which includes anything with carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic properties, formaldehyde, Diacetyl and many more. There is an obligation to conduct emissions tests and create full toxicological dossiers on all nicotine containing e-liquids. This information must be submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency before the product can be placed on the market. This ensures that our consumers can have complete faith in the products that they are purchasing.

“In Britain, you can check on the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) website whether the product you’re using has been notified and can be legally sold.”

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)

Fortunately, here in the UK our Public Health Experts have been quick to respond to these stories and allay any fears that vapers in the UK may have.

“These cases are worrying and need investigating but advice from all official bodies in the UK is that it is always preferable to vape than to smoke. These reports should not change that advice”

Paul Aveyard, a professor of behavioural medicine at the University of Oxford

“There is no situation where it would be better for your health to continue smoking rather than completely switch to vaping”

John Newton, Director of Health Improvement for Public Health England

At Puffin Clouds, we make the safety of our customers the top priority. All E-Liquids we sell at Puffin Clouds are EU TPD compliant. This includes US made brands like Purity. Purity even go one stage further and have all their e-liquids independently tested to ensure no trace of harmful ingredients such as Diacetyl and Acetyl Propionyl. These lab reports are available on the Halo/Purity website or directly from us.

It wouldn’t be right to publish this article without highlighting some of the dangers of vaping as we see them. Short Fill E-Liquids (no nicotine) are not regulated by the UK/EU Tobacco Products Directive and this is something that we believe needs addressing. We may not sell the vast range of short fill e-liquids that other retailers sell, but all ours have TPD compliant 10ml equivalents, ensuring the ingredients of every short fill e-liquid we sell have been properly tested.

We always say to our customers that vaping is 95% safer than smoking (NHS England) but there is a 5% danger that we probably won’t know about for 20 years. Not vaping at all is the safest solution without question, however, vaping is a lot safer than smoking.

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What are NIC SALT E-Liquids?

Ohm Brew Nic Salt E-Liquids | Puffin Clouds UK

Nicotine salts are a form of nicotine that more closely resembles the way nicotine occurs naturally in the tobacco leaf. The salts are formed in the presence of acids, as opposed to the nicotine that is traditionally used in e-liquid which is alkaline based.

What Are the Benefits of Nic Salts?

It has been found that Nic Salts are more effective at delivering nicotine to the bloodstream, therefore users feel the nicotine ‘rush’ faster than with traditional e-liquids. Because of this, the user will find they only need a few puffs to feel satisfied. Due to its more acidic nature, e-liquids made with Nic Salts can be vaped at high strengths without feeling harsh on the throat. For example, the smoothness of a standard 3mg liquid can be achieved with a 18mg liquid made with Nic Salts.

What Devices Should Nic Salts Be Used In?

Nic Salt based e-liquids, such as the Ohm Brew Nic Salt 50/50 Range, are produced with new vapers in mind. Nic Salts e-liquids have traditionally been used in pod systems, like the N-One Disposable Pods, especially in the higher nicotine strengths. However, any mouth to lung tank with a high resistance coil should be ideal for these juices. For example, the Innokin Endura T18 II or Purity Triton II. Lower strength Nic salt e-liquids like 3mg can be used in a sub-ohm device, or even on a RDA. These liquids would be ideal in the Eleaf iStick Trim Kit or Smok X-Priv Baby.

Who Is The Target Market for Nic Salt E-Liquids

Nic Salts are predominantly aimed at new vapers. In the higher strengths it will work well for heavy smokers who are looking to give up. It will provide them with the quick nicotine fix that they are looking for, but without the harsh throat hit that is usually associated with 12/18mg e-liquids. New customers who are lighter smokers can also enjoy the range in a lower strength.

Nic Salts will also benefit new vapers in the sense that it will feel more familiar to them, because rather than having to vape quite a lot in order to satisfy their craving, a few pulls should do the job.

Key Points to Remember:

  • Nic salts absorb into the bloodstream faster, and so the effects are felt quicker, normally within 6/7 seconds.
  • High strength Nic Salts do not give the same harsh throat hit as traditional e-liquids.
  • New vapers will find that Nic Salts feel a lot more similar to smoking than traditional e-liquids.
  • Nic Salt E-Liquids are ideal for new vapers who are looking to give up smoking.

Bear in Mind:

It is important to remember that a high strength Nic salt should not be vaped in the same way as a traditional e-liquid. If vaped continuously or in a sub-Ohm tank, it could give the user an unpleasant rush, and could leave them feeling quite unwell if too much nicotine is in the system.

In summary:

  • More effective at delivering nicotine to the bloodstream.
  • Users feel the nicotine ‘rush’ faster than with traditional e-liquids.
  • Can be vaped at high strengths without feeling harsh on the throat.
  • Use in any mouth-to-lung device with a high resistance coil. e.g. Innokin Endura T20S or Aspire Cobble Kit.
  • Lower strength NIC Salts can be used in Sub-ohm devices. e.g. SMOK Nord Pod Kit or Wismec Sinuous V80 Kit
  • Aimed at new vapers. Works well for heavy smokers looking to give up.
  • Lighter smokers can enjoy the lower strengths.
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New study comes the closest yet to proving that e-cigarettes aren’t as dangerous as smoking

e-cigarettes aren’t as dangerous as smoking

New study comes the closest yet to proving that e-cigarettes aren’t as dangerous as smoking

e-cigarettes aren’t as dangerous as smoking: It’s just over a decade since e-cigarettes first hit the shelves. And since then there’s been an explosion in their popularity, with almost 3 million adults using them in Great Britain today.

But this rapid popularity, and the potential these devices hold to help people stop smoking, has left some challenges. The biggest being that research looking at their safety has struggled to keep up.

Many studies have shown that e-cigarettes appear to be far safer than smoking. But there’s still a big misconception that e-cigarettes are as harmful as smoking, and that could be stopping smokers who might benefit from switching to them.

Now a new study from a team of our scientists at UCL helps put to rest these fears. And depending on how you define ‘long-term’, the findings are the most convincing evidence to date that e-cigarettes are far safer than smoking.

E-cigarettes should be far safer than smoking

Tobacco is the world’s leading cause of preventable death, accounting for around 6 million deaths each year. That’s thanks to the cocktail of over 5,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, of which at least 70 may cause cancer.

E-cigarettes, on the other hand, do not contain tobacco. Instead, they carry a nicotine-containing liquid which is heated into a vapour and breathed in. The nicotine satisfies the cravings associated with a smoking addiction, but doesn’t cause cancer.

The fact that e-cigarettes don’t produce tobacco smoke and the countless chemicals found within it has always suggested that these devices should be safer than smoking. But when they first came to the market, there wasn’t enough research to be sure of this. This is why scientists around the world have sought to understand what’s in e-cigarettes and what the impact of these products might be.

Early studies looking into this showed that e-cigarette liquids, and the vapour they produce, don’t contain the same level of most toxic chemicals as tobacco cigarettes. In fact, these levels have been found to be so low that Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians estimate that e-cigarettes are ‘around 95% safer than smoking’.
But, until now, nobody had looked at what everyday users are actually exposed to in the real-world.

So the study out today, led by Dr Lion Shahab, is the first to look at the effects of e-cigarettes in what they define as ‘long-term users’.

Just how safe are they?

The study included a group of e-cigarette users, who had been using them for an average of around 17 months, and measured the levels of nicotine and 26 potentially harmful chemicals in their body, by looking at samples of their urine and saliva.

The team compared the results to cigarette smokers, and people who both smoked and used e-cigarettes. They also looked at people who used nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which is commonly used to help people stop smoking or as a long-term alternative.

“We looked at NRT users because we know these products are safe to use,” says Shahab. “We thought they would be a good comparison,” he adds, because long-term users get their nicotine hit from a smoke-free source, much like e-cigarette users.

Interestingly, the nicotine levels found in the samples from e-cigarette users were very similar to those who used NRT and to smokers. This suggests that people are able to satisfy their nicotine cravings through using either of these products.

The full benefit of using e-cigarettes is from completely stopping smoking
– Dr Lion Shahab, UCL

“Part of the reason why people use e-cigarettes is to stop smoking, and we have shown that they provide effective delivery of nicotine,” says Shahab.

But the key finding came when the team looked in the samples at the levels of potentially toxic chemicals. They found that there was a remarkable difference in the levels of these substances between the different groups. In fact one chemical, called NNAL (known to cause lung cancer), was 97% lower in e-cigarette users compared to smokers.

Not only did e-cigarette users have lower levels of these substances compared to smokers, but they were also found to have very similar levels to people using NRT – something that Shahab is quick to point out is known to be relatively safe.
“We have 3 decades of research into the safety of NRT, and we’ve not picked up any significant long-term health issues,” he says.

So if e-cigarettes have the same effect on the body as an established stop smoking treatment, then surely we can assume that these products are relatively ‘safe’ too? While nothing can ever be considered completely safe, we can compare it to the other things we experience in our day to day lives.

We still need to be cautious about e-cigarettes

Unfortunately, we’re not 100% convinced yet. There are a number of points left to uncover that this study hasn’t yet answered.

The first is that people who used e-cigarettes while still smoking didn’t reduce the levels of toxic chemicals they were exposed to. And a large number of e-cigarette users do still smoke.

“The full benefit of using e-cigarettes is from completely stopping smoking,” says Shahab. “Any health benefits come from dramatic reductions in these chemicals, and we’re not seeing this in people that use both e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes.”

And although this study found significantly lower levels of these substances in vapers than smokers, the chemicals are still there.

The study didn’t compare the levels of chemicals in people who don’t smoke or use  e-cigarettes with those who do, so it’s not known what the differences are likely to be. If these chemicals are found to be at higher levels in people who use the devices  there’s still a chance that some harm is being done.

According to Shahab the next step is to look for signs of damage in these different groups of people, instead of looking at levels of chemicals that cause harm. But it can take decades to see these differences.

We also know that different users use different devices and liquids. So it could be that some are safer or more harmful than others. And people also use the devices in different ways. So further work needs to be done to understand these differences, so that each vaper is using their device as safely as possible.

We intend on playing a key part in finding these answers. And that’s why we set up the UK E-Cigarette Research Forum, made up of the country’s top tobacco and e-cigarette researchers, to do exactly that.

What does this mean right now?

This study confirms that e-cigarettes are far safer than smoking. If you’re a smoker, the best thing you can do for your health is to stop. And the most effective way to do so is through free Stop Smoking Services.

And as we’ve written about previously, a number of successful quitters have managed to ditch the cigs through using both an e-cigarette and specialist support.

But this doesn’t mean that e-cigarettes are entirely without harm. If you’re a non-smoker, it’s not advisable to start vaping. We can’t yet be certain of all the long-term effects across all devices and liquids, so it’s best not to pick up the habit.

So although it’s unlikely e-cigarettes will be shown to be completely harmless (nothing ever is), today’s results are a landmark moment in showing just how much safer they are than smoking.

Cancer Research UK

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UK Vaping Laws 2017 (TPD) – What does it mean for our customers?

UK Vaping Laws 2017 (TPD) - What does it mean for our customers?

UK Vaping Laws 2017 (TPD) – On the 20th May 2017 the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) will come into force. As this was enacted into UK law early last year, the Brexit vote to leave the EU will not effect this current legislation. Only a repeal of the law in UK parliament could change the new regulations.

UK Vaping Laws 2017 (TPD) – What does it mean for our customers?

Maximum refill containers can not exceed 10ml

From May we can only supply E-Liquid in 10ml bottles. As a business we only ever sold 30ml bottles so for us the change is significant and it has a major impact on our customers. Most buy 30ml bottles in quatities of six or more. It means our average customer now has to deal with three times the amount of bottles and packaging. The knock on price increase for Purity and eVo is £1.98 per 30ml of e-liquid. We’re introducing bulk discount vouchers on 10ml bottles to try and ensure our customers pay no more that they did before TPD. However, those customers just buying a few odd bottles will lose out. That said, introducing 10ml bottles will allow individuals to try a new e-liquid without paying for a full 30ml bottle.

The major reason for limiting e-liquid bottle size to 10ml in Europe is to reduce the risks associated with a poisonous substance. A 30ml bottle of e-liquid with 12mg strength could potentially kill a child. TPD will also mean all 10ml bottles have child proof lids – something that we welcome. That said, Purity and eVo have always had child proof lids on their 30ml bottles.

Maximum tank capacity of 2ml

All refillable tanks with a tank capacity exceeding 2ml will have to be withdrawn from sale on the 19th May 2017. This will be a major annoyance to our customers who generally use tanks with an e-liquid capacity of between 3ml and 4ml. The impact will be that customers have to refill twice as many times throughout the day. Combine that with the reduced e-liquid bottle size and you’ve got a law that in our opinion increases the risks to children – the exact opposite of what it’s designed to do. Parents will need to police three times as many bottles and the need to refill more frequently will increase the risk of bottles being left in child accessible places, ie. coat pockets, car glove boxes, handbags etc.

Maximum nicotine strength of 20mg

This won’t really impact on our customers as we’ve never offered e-liquids in strengths greater than 18mg.

Product Certification, Packaging Requirements, Customer Notifications and Data Reporting

We welcome most of this change for the industry as a whole but our customers will see no real difference. We’ve only ever sold the highest quality e-liquids and manufacturers such as Purity and eVo have always used the highest quality ingredients, had third part product testing, use child & tamper proof bottles and batch / date coding.

UK Vaping Laws 2017 (TPD) – Vaping in 2017

So 2017 will be the year of change for electronic cigarettes in the UK. The industry needed regulating but as with so many EU laws, you have to question the wisdom of parts of the new regulations. You will see slight price increases and a reduction in choice but things will settle down.

At Puffin Clouds we have been preparing for compliance for the last 8 months and are well positioned to adapt to the changes. We now offer all our e-liquids in 10ml variants. We will be introducing new TPD compliant tanks over the next two months and we will continue selling our 30ml e-liquids, whilst stocks last, until the 19th of May 2017.

For further details see the Gov.UK website E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products Puffin Clouds UK
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Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how Puffin Clouds Limited (puffinclouds.co.uk) uses and protects any information that you give when you use this website. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement. Puffin Clouds Limited may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

We never pass your details on to any third party for any reason unless required to do so by law, or it’s in connection with an order (supplier warranty etc) and in which case, we have your express permission to do so.

What we collect

We will collect and store any personal data that you may volunteer whist using our services, e.g. placing an order, joining our e-mail newsletter or entering a prize draw or competition.
The type of information that we will collect will include – Your title and name, known address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail address, order details. Details may be forwarded securely to other parties in order to fulfil this order only. These will include delivery and payment partners.
We will collect and store information about you to allow us to firstly, process and fulfil any order requirements and secondly to provide you with information to keep you up to date on products, services or promotions we run from time to time.
Individuals registering their details or subscribing to the newsletter online may do so on the understanding that they are aware of the intended purpose for the collection of data. An opt-out option is available by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the newsletter we may send you.
In addition to the Information that you supply to us, information and data may be automatically collected through the use of cookies (see below for full details).
All information is collected lawfully and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

What we do with the information we gather?

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping.
  • We may use the information to improve our products and services.
  • We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us. You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

  • whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
  • if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at help@puffinclouds.co.uk

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to Puffin Clouds at InForm House, 118 Main Street, Buckshaw Village, Lancashire PR7 7BZ United Kingdom.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics to help analyse how users use the site. The tool uses “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including IP address) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors’ use of our web site and to compile statistical reports on website activity for Puffin Clouds UK.

We will never (and will not allow any third party to) use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of visitors to our site. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Neither we nor Google will link, or seek to link, an IP address with the identity of a computer user. We will not associate any data gathered from this site with any Personally Identifiable Information from any source, unless you explicitly submit that information via a fill-in form on our website.

Credit Card Information

We do not store credit card details nor do we share customer details with any 3rd parties.