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A Tale of Two Cigarettes An industry leader shares what’s to come for vaping By KHADIJA AZHAR
T
wo years after the Oxford English Dictionary inducted ‘vaping’ into the English lexicon, photos of Leonardo DiCaprio puffing on an electronic cigarette began circulating the Internet and triggered an intense debate about whether the non-combustible devices should be accepted. Detractors argued the media was peddling manufactured narratives about their benefits and glossing over potential harm, while supporters touted their alleged success in helping nicotine addicts overcome dependence. Despite this divisive public sentiment, it would be unfair to dismiss the innovation behind the e-cigarette, especially when the product pioneers intended it to aid smoking cessation. Growing literature, such as a January 2019 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, corroborates this claim, showing that e-cigarette users are twice as likely to give up smoking compared to those who use nicotine patches and gums. Cue the backstory
C
ue Vapor Systems CEO Alexander Basile began researching the prospects of breaking into the non-combustible cigarette market after personally using them to quit smoking. Through testing various devices, he found that although traditional e-cigarettes (which look like regular cigarettes) were easy to use, they lacked power. Modified vaping devices were more effective, but required cumbersome assembly. He felt the need for a device that could bridge the two and provide a simple yet satisfying experience for smokers. Motivated by this idea, Basile turned to his long-time adventure racing partner, Ruben Perez, for help. Perez, who is now Cue’s President, remembers how Basile strode into his office armed with nothing but a “box of junk” and the vision to turn those disparate pieces of hardware into a product with lasting global impact. After years of development, self-funding, and help from local design companies, they were able to produce their first prototype–the Digirette–in 2013. Cue has come a long way since then. Not only does the company boast an unprecedented range of thirteen flavors with three possible nicotine strengths (including a zero-nicotine option), it also provides technologically superior devices while maintaining ease-of-use. Cue’s E-Vapor Kits are equipped with sub-ohm tanks, which are as straightforward to use as traditional e-cigarettes, but with more powerful and consistent vapor. Most devices on the market use complex open-tank systems, which comprise numerous, and
“Vaping devices aren’t inherently tobacco products; the sizeable market for e-cigarettes is what drives manufacturers to focus primarily on nicotine delivery.” 32
JUMPSTART MAGAZINE
April 2019
