The lung disease and subsequent deaths associated with vaping have been making headlines across the nation. Many believe the lack of regulation among vaping products is a large part of the problem. Which leads to the question: can vaping regulations make a difference?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises anyone using vaping products, especially those containing THC, to stop immediately while the CDC investigates possible causes of this disease.
The manufacturing process and ancillary ingredients that go into each cartridge of oil can be vastly different, even when those oils appear to be marketed under the same name.
In September, the FDA ordered the leading nicotine-based vaping company, Juul, to release its ingredients to them, the company had not complied with previous requests.
Could vaping regulations help consumers feel safer about what they’re inhaling?
Mladen Barbaric, CEO of Airgaft believes they would. Airgraft is a technology company that believes it’s cracked the code on clean, safe vaping. According to Barbaric, Airgraft’s intent was to, “create a fully transparent platform that gives users complete information and control over what they consume, a secure platform that uses encrypted verification of pods to make counterfeits impossible and lastly create an advanced clean vaporization engine that creates no harmful burn or carbonization that produces smoke.”
Currently, Airgraft is only the business of selling cannabis-based devices and cartridges containing THC. Although the CDC has not completed their investigation, they noted they believe most of the cases of lung disease were caused by cartridges marketed as containing THC. Because cannabis is heavily regulated, Airgraft products can only be sold through licensed dispensaries.
Airgraft doesn’t produce the pods they sell. They rely on a select group of licensed and regulated producers, then go a step further with third-party verification on their website so consumers can see the origin of what they’re inhaling.
“All tests are carried out by state-licensed, third-party labs and made available to the consumer on our platform,” Barbaric tells Parentology. “We take this even further — we rigorously test and choose all materials that come in contact with the oil to prevent interaction and contamination of any kind. Uniquely for the industry, our pods are made from the same FDA certified plastic used in baby steamers.” This technology makes Airgraft vaporizers only compatible with Airgraft pods and vice-versa.
Could this technology translate to the larger vaping community?
For its part, after careful consideration, Airgraft is not interested in getting into the business of nicotine.
“Cannabis liquids are natural extracts of cannabis, but with nicotine products, liquids are a combination of propylene/vegetable glycol and nicotine, Barbaric says. “While cannabis oil has many clear benefits and is a natural plant substance, we have yet to find a way to have nicotine liquid be a natural product and, in general, a net positive to society.”
Barbaric continues, “This is very important to us, so until we can address the issue correctly, we’re not creating a nicotine platform.”
Vaping Regulations: Sources
Mladen Barbaric, CEO of Airgraft
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
