- “Buy ___________ brand e-cigs, the only award-winning, tobacco-killing, marriage-saving electronic cigarette available!”
- "E-cigarettes are now banned for no apparent reason, in major cities, minor cities, insignificant villages and Neptune.”
- “E-cigarettes are dangerous and WILL explode, no matter what.”
The Truth About Exploding E-Cigs
Over the last few years, there have been a number of stories about people who fell victim to fires and explosions related to the overheating of e-cigarette batteries. Luckily, the majority of these cases resulted in minor property damage, and nothing more. And, in the instances in which people did get hurt, the damage was caused by user mistakes – not the product itself.E-Cigs vs. E-Cig Users: Which is to Blame?
While the majority of news stories very quickly place the blame of exploding cigarettes on the products themselves, is it really fair to blame e-cigarettes, or is user negligence the real problem? In one incident, a woman was charging a “big battery” e-cig (more commonly known as an advanced personal vaporizer (APV)) in her living room. This battery came with a charger from the manufacturer – a proprietary charger, I might add – but the owner instead used a third-party “rapid charger” to shave a few precious minutes off the process.
The cost of her hastiness? Four-foot flames, burnt carpet, and the possibility of much worse harm had she been sleeping, or away from the house. To boot, the battery normally utilized an indicator light to let users know when charging was complete; however, the battery didn’t recognize this third-party device, so the light didn’t activate, leaving no way to determine how long it had been done cycling. Had she just used the charger provided with her e-cig, chances are we’re not having this discussion.
While we’re thankful no one was hurt, the reaction to this incident was mind-boggling. Instead of highlighting the importance of safety and proper use of electronics, the media response did nothing more than vilify e-cigarettes, labeling them as unregulated and unsafe. Let’s get real. Any electronic items – from e-cig batteries to EZ-Bake Ovens – pose a threat of fire and explosion if used improperly. While there are obviously variances in risk, all battery- or electric-powered items come with instruction manuals for a reason. And, if the user ignores these instructions, in a “best case” scenario, the product simply won’t work. Worst case? Well, it can get pretty messy.Need proof? Check out this next story.
E-Cig Modification: How Far is Too Far?
A few years ago, an e-cig user in Florida had a vaping device explode in his face. It was a very unfortunate incident that led to severe harm to his mouth and parts of his cheek. The media immediately jumped on the e-cig connection, and posted reports of this story using stock images of standard-sized e-cig batteries. What the stories failed to mention – mostly because of ignorance to the industry – is that the gentleman was using a giant, heavily modified device with two batteries stacked to increase power output, which has been long considered a “no-no” in vaping circles.
The device in question was NOT designed to handle such voltage, not to mention the stress of heavy use. Yet, the man continued to push his device past its threshold (and well beyond its recommended power level), leading to a near-tragedy. But, according to the media, it was the e-cig companies that shouldered to blame. It’s not like these dangerous incidents are limited to “extreme” misuse, either. Just ask the guy who wakes up groggy and tries to microwave a baked potato still wrapped in foil. Chances are, he won’t be able to cover that flavor with extra sour cream, much less the toxic smell infused into his kitchen walls.
These incidents happen every day. But, you don’t see people blaming Sears-Kenmore because they didn’t follow directions for reheating leftovers, do you? Then why do people want to shut down e-cigarette companies due to the misuse of owners? Because e-cigs are part of a new industry that is unfortunately very misunderstood, and anti-vaping advocates are looking for any reason to shut it down. This is exactly why vapers need to take caution and follow guidelines for vaping safely.
White Cloud’s Commitment to E-Cig Safety
Now, while we can’t say things never go wrong with e-cigarettes, we can assure you that White Cloud products are vetted thoroughly from the most reputable manufacturers.. Our batteries are fully regulated, meaning the voltage doesn’t spike: all White Cloud batteries, including those both in our
and our Fling disposable e-cigs, include an automatic “safety switch” between the battery and the heater. This switch prevents over-discharge of the battery. We also use only lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries in our products, which are much safer than the lithium-ion batteries used to power advanced personal vaporizers. Our e-tanks and atomizers are also tested to ensure they activate evenly and safely every time you inhale.
Related: Lithium-Ion vs. Lithium Polymer Batteries: Which is Safer for E-Cigs?
