Want to find out what's going to happen next year? See: 2021 Vape Predictions: Expert Roundup.
What's going to happen to the e-cig industry in 2013? Rather than share one blogger's predictions, I thought I'd get 10 of the web's top bloggers and videographers to share their opinions.
And here's what they thought:
1.Grimm Green from Grimm Green
Vaping in 2013 is going to be more accessible and more hassle free than it ever has been. We will continue to see more and more brick and mortar stores popping up all over the country as well as CVS, Wallgreens, 711 and Wal Mart carrying ecigs. I think that although they will be relentless, the FDA will have less and less of a leg to stand on in terms of trying to ban e-cigs. The problem we have now technology wise, is that there is a never ending stream of "updated" mods, tanks, attys, and cartomizers coming out of china. I think we as consumers need to be more picky as to what we are buying.
If we buy every new revision of every devices that comes out of china, they will simply continue to upgrade and upgrade knowing full well we will just buy the "next best thing" this needs to end. We need to somehow break this cycle. The Joyetech eVic looks promising as a "next step" in vaping devices. But again, you never know when the eVic V2 is going to come out. Variable wattage is here to stay as are re-buildable atomizers, which I would like to see become smaller and more integrated into the design of a mod.
The future is bright for vaping to say the least. I just hope that as we grow, we keep the smokers in mind and not tailor every new thing to the "advanced" vaper. We need to keep everything as accessible as possible to as many people as possible.
2. Steve from Steve's Vaping World
The FDA will finally release draft regulations for other tobacco products including e-cigarettes. The draft regs might not be as harsh as title IX and may not set the clock back to 2007 but the following are likely:
- e-liquid manufacturers must be certified to produce e-liquid, there will be safety and testing standards put into place
- Consumers will only be able to purchase e-liquid in self-contained form (prefilled cartomizers)
- A DIY grey market will emerge as a result
- Many small companies, particularly e-liquid vendors will be at risk for lack of resources for certification
- Restrictions on advertising
- If not an outright prohibition of online sales, vendors will have heavy age verification requirements
After the EU shakeup, the EU's tobacco directive will eventually get back on the rails. What happens will depend on who heads the initiative. Chances are good snus will remain banned and e-cigarettes will also be threatened.
Some vendor will do something stupid that will outrage the community and be all the buzz for a week or two and then everyone will forget about it (this prediction is good for multiple uses throughout the year).
3. Dave from Vaper News
I think we'll be seeing an insurgence of VW (Variable Wattage) devices hitting the market in 2013. There is already big manufacturers (Joyetech for example) who are about to release mass market VW devices, so I think we'll be seeing a lot more of them next year. However, I also think that there will be a big uptake in disposables next year too, as more and more bricks and mortar shops are offering these, as well as dedicated ecig companies opening on our high streets. Great times!
4. Carl V Phillips, PhD, Scientific Director, CASAA
I suspect I am one of the few who will prognosticate that 2013 will mostly bring only a simple continuation of existing trends: continued growth of e-cigarette use and acceptance; increasingly desperate anti-THR lies by those who want to stop this; no reduction in the trend toward regulatory strangulation; increased involvement by cigarette companies and other sources of big money; and lots of research, almost none of which will be of any real value; but only incremental product improvements. It is 2014 that will see some serious game-changers.
5. Russell v. Ord from CAM VIP
In 2013, the Government will formally recognise electronic cigarettes as a powerful tobacco harm reduction tool. The MHRA will give an MA to a select number of electronic cigarettes as 'quit-cigs' but the rest will be widely available as recreational nicotine products. Big business will start to get involved, the cost of the devices themselves will plummet and more smokers will switch due to their increased availability and cost effectiveness.
6. Philip Busardo of TasteYourJuice
What do I think we'll see in 2013?
As far as the electronic cigarette industry as a whole is concerned, I feel it will continue to grow. It has grown well beyond a fad at this point. Hopefully the forces greater than us as individuals will not try to regulate, what many of us would consider to be a lifesaver, right out of our hands.
But that's the politics of vaping which I find frustrating and not much fun at all. So let's move to the devices themselves!
Although it's always hard to speculate the direction any industry will take, I can hope that some of the focus goes towards consistency. I think we already have some terrific devices out there, but most of them are only as good as what you screw onto them. Consistency in THOSE devices is necessary. I'd very much like to see a dry hit, a flooded device, a bad taste, or the need to tilt & tip all things of the past. May they all rest in peace along side Lipton Pyramid Tea bags!
As far as the tech side of vaping, I think we're already seeing some of it now; the integration of the E—Cig and the PC. The ability to download settings, history, upgrades, etc., to and from your PC and the ability to share that information with others. The PC is just the beginning... I'm quite sure iPhone and Android apps will quickly follow.
We've got Smart Phones, Smart TVs, and Smart Blu-Ray players... the Smart E-Cigs are coming!
I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing them with integrated mp3 players, cameras, and perhaps even as fully blown Android devices!
Now for some far out predictions and/or pipe dreams:
1) Wicking without a wick. (and don't say dripping!! :-) ) 2) Vaporization without a coil. 3) A true temperature regulated device.
It's all fun, a bit crazy, exciting, and confusing all at the same time. In the back of my head, I can't help to think about what all these crazy devices are meant to replace... the very simple cigarette. Will the industry and vapers alike know when enough is enough? My guess is... no... but in a way, that's what makes it so exciting and yet potentially overkill from those on the outside looking in.
In 2013 I can say one thing with complete certainty. I will continue to be a very proud vaper.
7. David Dorn from Vapour Trails
If the UK's Nannying bodies manage to keep themselves at bay, then 2013 will see massive upwards growth in e-cig user numbers, and the development on a thriving mainstream product. If they don't manage to keep their unwanted attentiona at bay, however, we could see the influx of regulation and the end of bottled juice on the e--shelves, leaving us in the unhappy position of being restricted to pre-filled cartos only. I know which scenario I'm wishing for!
8. Dimitris Agrafiotis AKA The Vaping Greek from Vapeteam
2012 has really been a break thru year in innovation and technology for electronic cigarette users. Demand for variable voltage and regulated power fueled China to catch up to the game by releasing device after device. Although many of them were from sub par to flat out numbers wise wrong, it seems that they have figured it out and adjusted their products to the customers demands and specifications. So one can only assume that 2013 will be just as ground breaking when it comes to the technology in devices and accessories hitting the market.
Unfortunately for many US ecig users the fear of the unknown on what the FDA plans to do with electronic cigarettes still looms. The FDA's stance towards electronic cigarettes has been decidedly unfriendly, and with so many states depending on tobacco tax as a necessary tax, it is absolutely certain that they will interfere, most likely this year. The only question will be to what extent? With big corporations and tobacco companies entering the market, money will be available to influence legislation and pay lobbyists so that might be able to help us. But let's remain cautious. If history is any guide, tobacco giants will continue to experiment with this new market in 2013 until they find the most profitable way to exploit it.
We need to do our best getting more and more people involved, helping others discover tobacco harm reduction and fight for our rights to live smoke free. Without funding and big corporation money, all we have is strength in numbers and leading into the new year we will need it now more than ever.
9. Blake from Guide to Vaping
As we've all seen, the Electronic Cigarette industry is growing substantially. The rapid growth will obviously have quite the impact on tobacco companies and with that being said, I think in 2013 tobacco companies will follow in the footsteps of Lorillard - who has recently purchased 'blu Ecigs'. We have already seen this start to take place when RJ Reynolds announced the plan to release their version of the electronic cigarette, the Vuse Solo.
Though the Electronic Cigarette industry doesn't have to rely on this, it has and will play a huge role in what this industry becomes. It isn't a coincidence at all that we're all wondering what 2013 will hold for electronic cigarettes, and I was speaking with Kevin from VapersPlace.com just the other day about this particular topic. Kevin went on to telling me that he's heard many vendors say that once the blu Ecigs commercial was first aired, vendors have noticed quite the benefit and boost in sales. Even us blog owners are noticing the huge spikes in traffic also.
I'm very undecisive on what I think the FDA will end up doing as far as regulations go, but I can tell you from hearing all the talk about bottled e-liquid not being offered and probably replaced with prefilled cartomizers, it's given me quite the scare. If this turns out to be true, yes we'll be moving forward in the electronic cigarette industry... yet, we'll be taking two steps backwards. We will no longer be able to take advantage of the system by refilling our said 'disposable' cartomizers and prices will get jacked. We will no longer be saving money, which is something we've all become used to by now.
We can of course expect a lot of change in 2013, some good and maybe some not so good, but one change we can count on is growth. We can be limited, but not stopped.
[caption id="attachment_6011" align="alignright" width="200"]
John Manzione from Spinfuel.[/caption]
10. John Manzione and Julia Barnes from Spinfuel Magazine
Predictions for 2013 by Spinfuel – John Manzione & Julia Barnes
The eCigarette industry will continue to thrive but we’re going to see the large tobacco companies attempt to muscle their way in like never before.
2013 will be the ‘Big Shakeout’ for the mini-ecig segment. By the end of the year less than half the current number of ‘brands’ will exist. With margins getting smaller, competition from the big players, and a smarter customer, ‘fast-buck’ brands will fold by the dozens.
Anti-Smoking Zealots will continue to make a lot of noise over eCigarettes now that their true motives have been revealed. What ‘true motive?’ Anything that even looks like smoking must be crushed. The ‘normalization’ of vaping is their true target. Even if we found out vaping cures cancer the anti-smoking zealots would still want eCigarettes banned worldwide. We here at Spinfuel call it “eCigarette Derangement Syndrome” (How original!).
With the US, and the rest of the world, slipping into another major recession in 2013 expect more cigarette smokers to try eCigs. It should be ‘our’ (eCig online publications) job to see their ‘virginity’ is taken by good eCigarettes, not the cheap drive-by crap available at gas stations and convenience stores. We need to step up in a concerted effort to stop the proliferation of phony affiliate websites posing as ‘honest ecig review sites’. We must make it clear that these websites are marketing sites created by professional online marketers and have nothing to do with honest and sincere efforts to educated the consumer on eCigarettes.
Lastly, will the FDA (in the US) finally deliver their regulations on the eCigarette industry? I think it’s a 50/50 chance that they will. Big Government moves very slowly and there doesn’t seem to be a governmental urgency to do anything at this point.
11. Linc from WeAreVapers
The FDA will issue deeming regulations on e-liquid, classifying it as a tobacco product. This will have an immediate effect on the industry severely limiting advertising, sales, and online presence. Also included will be product registration, product listing, ingredient listing, good manufacturing practice requirements, user fees for certain products, and adulteration and misbranding provisions
The restrictions will require “Good Manufacturing Practices” (GMP).
The FDA will be challenged in court by the industry in a case which will not be resolved in the year 2013.
Online restrictions will cause retailers difficulty with compliance, stronger restrictions with credit card processors, and cause kinks in supply chains. This push from the FDA will cause an explosion in Brick and Mortar retail stores opening and we will begin to see the battle for Retail Shelf Space begin where big players like Blu and NJOY compete for convince store presence
We will see usage continue to grow in “non community” users. While the “community” will continue to grow the divide between everyday users and the enthusiasts will become more significant. Predicting 3.2 million users in the united states while the enthusiasts will make up about .02% or 64K users.
Thank you too all the bloggers who have contributed their opinions.
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