Today’s vibrant and diverse vaping scene in California is the latest iteration of one of our state’s most interesting narratives, one that encapsulates almost every aspect of our seemingly progressive history. Though that history may read in retrospect like a tale of cultural icons’ trite excess, the history of vaping in California is a remarkable record of a trailblazing approach to trend-setting. In this article, I tell the story of the milkshake and its evolution into the juice of tomorrow.
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Early Beginnings
Vaping first became a thing in the early 2000s, when the Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik invented the modern e-cigarette. By the mid-2000s, e-cigarettes had started to show up in US retailers. And one of the first places where you could find them was California. With a culture that is at once tech-driven and interested in the next big thing, the Golden State was primed for e-cigarettes from the very start.
Rise of the Vaping Community
As their popularity soared, a distinct vaping community bloomed in California. Vape shops cropped up throughout the state, serving as places where vapers could congregate and buy goods. The choices of tastes – everything from cheesecake and soda pop to bubble gum and blueberry pie – were unlimited. Vape products were also highly customisable, so DIYers loved them. The success was astonishing.
Influence of Major Cities
California, in turn, served as the locus for the vaping phenomenon. Of its major urban centres, Los Angeles and San Francisco emerged as important settings for vape conventions, expos and banquets. Vapers and industry insiders flew to California from all over the world to participate in the Electronic Cigarette Convention (ECC) or the Vape Summit.
Regulatory Challenges
Popular as it is, there’s been no shortage of regulatory challenges facing vaping in California. In 2016, the Golden State became the second in the United States to increase the age to legally smoke to 21, including e-cigarettes, in efforts to reverse the increasing rate of high-school kids taking up vaping. California also has strict regulations on packaging and marketing vape products in the state, including advertising guidelines and bans on certain flavours. In 2020, California passed a law prohibiting the sale of flavoured tobacco products – including flavoured e-liquids – to reduce youth vaping.
Advocacy and Public Health
The regulatory debate has been shaped in part by advocacy groups pushing the perceived benefits of vaping as a harm-reduction device for cigarette smokers on the one hand, and public health organisations cautioning about the potential risks, especially for the young, on the other. Public health campaigns in California have eschewed debates over the ins and outs of e-cigarette regulatory policy in favour of simple messaging designed to educate the public about vaping’s risks, and further efforts to crackdown on the black market selling illicit e-cigarettes to the young.
Technological Innovations
California has pioneered many technical developments in vaping, from cutting-edge vape technology and devices to paraphernalia. The innovation culture of California has led to significant advancements in battery technology, e-liquid formulae and device design.
Current State of Vaping in California
In many ways, vaping persists as an incongruous tillage of the California pastoral. While regulations have significantly softened since the dark days of Prop 56, the state’s vaping community is still more vibrant and active than ever, bolstered by chains of factories, importers, distributors and local vape shops spanning the state. California’s vast population of mostly young adult masses account for its enduring resonance; while the US market has plateaued for the e-cigarette overall, vaping still makes up a sizable chunk of the alternative-smoking marketplace today.
Impact on the Economy
California has experienced a generous shot in the arm from vaping. In addition to the employment in local vape shops and other online retailers, state and local tax revenues are reaping the benefits of this innovative industry. The California boom will continue as innovation drives entrepreneurship and California’s reputation for new markets continues its steady rise.
Conclusion
The trajectory of vaping from early adopters to a mainstream phenomenon is an important part of California’s history. But there is more for the vaping enthusiast, curious reader or budding vaper to find here: how the state transformed from a dormant scene in the early 2000s to a global epicentre of vaping, with laws that have changed the trajectory of e-cigarettes. These factors explain why California is, and will remain, an important hub for an ever-changing vaping world as the industry faces high regulation and rapid innovation.
