Although no one really knows what the future will bring, when it comes to vaping, we already have a very good idea of where we're headed in both the short and long term. While there will, of course, be unforeseen developments, the future of vaping will doubtless include enhanced technology, more advanced e-juice flavors, and less of a burden on the environment as the number of smokers continues to drop worldwide. Here are a few of the trends to keep an eye on as we continue into a promising new era for vaping.
NEW FLAVORS PUSHING THE INDUSTRY
It wasn't that long ago that e-juice was extremely limited when it came to flavors, which is natural within an industry still emerging from its infancy. But, in just a few short years, the game has completely changed, with the best e-juice producers out there now offering an incredible range of flavors designed to fit every pallet.
At the forefront of the transition, the quick evolution of menthol and tobacco-flavored e-juices have already had a tremendous impact. Especially helpful for smokers looking to make the transition, tobacco e-juices of today allow consumers the opportunity to mingle with some of their favorite parts of their former smoking life – only without the most demonstrable of negative side effects associated with smoking. Producers go out of their way to not only deliver a tasty, tobacco-flavored e-juice but to tell a centuries-old story while doing so. Gourmet blends of Virginia, flue-cured Kentucky, and honey-cured tobacco are only some of the possibilities embedded in the growing trend, which is only going to increase as flavor remains essential to the experience.
For a would-be former smoker, finding the right tobacco-flavored e-juice might – in a literal sense – be the difference between a life-altering health choice and sticking with old habits. As experts predict that more people will switch from smoking to vaping, the ongoing advancements of tobacco-flavored e-juices should continue to be a driving factor.
But we're also only just getting started when it comes to the flavor revolution that is taking shape. One of the biggest ongoing changes in the industry is the ability to match your lifestyle to the vaping experience, including via flavors designed for different occasions. While tobacco-flavored and naturally-flavored Max VG e-juices are great all-day options, unique fruit and dessert flavors are perfectly suited for general vaping as well as special occasions – or even for helping to subdue that insatiable sweet tooth. As creative, naturally-based flavor concoctions continue to permeate the e-juice market, the best producers of today are already showing why the future of vaping will be all about versatility, customization, and finding that perfectly comfortable vaping lifestyle.
LIMITING THE IMPACT ON THE PLANET
Limiting our carbon footprint and reducing the amount of greenhouse gases being produced has become a worldwide imperative, and that battleground is actually an important part of the smoking versus vaping dichotomy. Though there have been many different estimates about the volume of gases that are released courtesy of the tobacco industry, a World Health Organization study found that the combustion of tobacco is "equivalent to about 1.5 million vehicles driven annually." Tobacco combustion is also particularly heavy in formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, which is a deadly medley that has a serious negative effect on the world over.
As smokers continue to make the life-changing decision to move to vaping, they're also helping reverse the ugly side of cigarette butts. The WHO pointed out that about two-thirds of cigarettes end up as non-biodegradable litter, which includes chemicals like arsenic that ultimately finds their way into water supplies. Many are hopeful that, with the ongoing rise of vaping and decline of smoking, the future will be considerably cleaner on a variety of environmental fronts.
More than just better air and water, however, moving away from tobacco should have other environmental advantages as well, specifically for the predominately low-income countries that do about 90% of the commercial tobacco growing. As tobacco is generally a monocrop, that means that there is no rotation to other crops throughout the year – a process that weakens the soil and other natural defenses. The result is a dramatic increase in the need for chemicals to protect tobacco crops, including using chemical compounds that are illegal in more affluent countries. The process of producing such large quantities of tobacco to be smoked also contributes to both desertification and deforestation on a major scale.
Ultimately, the accelerating vaping revolution doesn't just have the ability to transform your personal health outlook; former tobacco smokers are taking a big step towards minimizing their carbon footprints, from the curing and cultivation process all the way through the elimination of litter that is directly impacting water supplies around the globe.
TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE VAPING EXPERIENCE
While the flavor options have certainly expanded in recent years, the technology also continues to offer more practical advantages than the earliest ECs, ultimately providing more inclusivity for those looking to switch to vaping. Although there is already quite a bit of room for personal customization thanks to rebuildable mods and an ever-growing range of ECs, we could see a similar trajectory as the cell phone market.
One area where this is already happening is with mod screens, which formerly relied upon buttons but are rapidly moving towards touchscreens. This could ultimately look like the difference between a flip phone and today's typical smartphone. Similarly, there has already been plenty of credible speculation that the ECs of tomorrow will be able to download updates over Wi-Fi, bringing ECs fully into the digital age by offering the possibility of regular updates and improvements. Another development that is in the same realm as cell phones, there has been a push to make wireless charging more readily available, which would only increase the convenience factor. Currently, while there are wireless-charging vape mods available, they're far from the norm and are on the pricey side.
There is also some room for improvement when it comes to the security of an EC. As regulators begin to step into the vaping industry, one possible move could be to make future ECs biometric, meaning they would include technology that can specifically identify the vaper. Fingerprint scanners, facial recognizers, or even retina identifiers could all be a part of the equation with or without regulatory mandates. If ECs did gravitate in this direction, it would mean additional safety for vapers who have underage children in the household and could act as a deterrent to thievery.
You can also count on the typical technological process of turning the unique, high-end aspects and making them widely available. More and more mods are already allowing for temperature control and can count puffs, which is a trend that is only going to get more uniform from here as mod producers give consumers greater control over the vaping experience. While a vaping session will always be only as good as the e-juice behind the cloud, the ECs of the future are sure to be much more technologically advanced and easier to use while continuing the current trend of increased customization.