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Actually, YES, several places have banned perfumes and even strongly scented soaps due to asthmatic reactions that can be brought-on by exposure to their employees. I've been in several businesses, hospitals, and even the local health-department with signs asking that you do not enter if you just bathed in your cologne/perfume. And, it is within their rights as business owners to make such requests of their patrons. Just like those that ban smoking, vaping, or "no shoes, no shirt, no service"... I support their rights. Comp is right, we're fighting uphill, both ways, with our loose-leaf notebooks, in the snow... and those 1 or 2% that think it is their "right" to cloud-up anywhere they please are the same few that will cause all other vapers to be treated worse than the smokers... pariahs of the socially-acceptable and just-society! Those clouding-up the grocery stores, shopping malls, and aisles of the local Wal-mart will be the only people our politicians think of when they ban and tax the C R A P out of all vaping-related gear! So, be considerate of others, and be wary of your surroundings when you vape... The "nannies" are watching... always...

Establishments that are Vape friendly will need to up their game and be mindful of everyone. Designated areas to vape and the like. There is a line as vapers and places that allow vaping have to walk or they will loose business. If someone were to come into a place I had and was chucking clouds in a non designated area, I would either ask them to go to the Fog Room or, they would have to not Vape while in the area they were in. We are fighting an up hill battle in some ways and I think people who vape should be mindful of the fact that not everyone wants to be around it.

I know there is another fairly recent topic related to cloned items, but I had a brief conversation via Instagram with some folks about clones and I ultimately brought up what I think is a very valid point, so I wanted to have folks look at the topic of clones from a slightly different angle. First, I wholly understand why a person would choose a clone mod or atomizer over an authentic - money. I don't begrudge folks who are trying to do what they can to save money and stay within their budget. The most important thing is that the people who do buy clones are taking steps to quit smoking and in the end, that's really what matters. I do, however, have a huge problem with companies that clone items then try to pass them off as authentic. We've all seen them. Sure, there are companies that freely admit their products are clones, but how many stories have we heard of people buying what they thought was an authentic only to discover later it was a "clone". That isn't cloning, that is counterfeiting. That is theft of someone else's intellectual property. To me, a clone is something copied with the express permission of the creator. For example, my very first PC was a Computerland BC88. This was an IBM compatible "clone" PC. It wasn't the first "clone" PC, nor was it the last, but it was manufactured with permission. Most "clones" on the market are not manufactured with permission...the designs are essentially stolen and the product produced is often passed off as authentic. Personally, I stay away from clones. That is a personal choice by me. There is nothing on the market that I feel I need to have so badly that I feel I need to go out and buy a clone just so I can have one. If I see something I want, I save up for it. Having a brother who is not only a machinist and not only designs a lot of the parts his company manufactures, but he designs the parts that make those parts, I have seen firsthand the frustration companies must go through when they have their designs stolen. Designing a new product takes time, effort and frequently, a lot of trial and error. This is something I understand, which is a large part of the reason I choose to purchase authentics. The way I look at it is I'm supporting the innovators who will be able to create even more innovative products. The cloners will just wait for the innovators to innovate, then steal the designs. Again, just a personal choice, but I'm interested in other points of view.

I've bought a couple of counterfeit "authentic" tanks from the local B&M last summer, and I'm sure they did not even know they had purchased counterfeits from their wholesaler, because when I brought it to their attention, they had already been notified by other buyers, sent the rest of the inventory back to the wholesaler, and offered to replace my tanks with authentics or give me store-credit... I took the store credit, lol. The tanks worked, but not nearly as refined and smooth in their threading, and the o-rings were crap. Now, I thoroughly inspect anything I buy from a B&M I agree, counterfeiting is theft, and where I draw the line. I would not willingly or knowingly purchase a counterfeit. I have no issues with companies cloning or "styled as", as long as it is clearly marked as such... I know what I'm buying, and they know what they are selling. As Tam said, there are clones out there that have improved or corrected minor faults of the originals, and many of the 1:1 clones have the blessing of the original manufacturer to produce them. I have several clones from reputable cloning companies (HCigar, Infinite, etc), and honestly, the function of my Russian 91% clones was so good, that I decided to invest in two authentic as well. I can honestly say, the authentic are slightly better made (but only slightly in threading and polish). So, are the authentic Russians worth it to me? Yes, to support the authentic company had have bragging-rights that I own authentic, but no, to the 600% cost difference, when the vape is basically identical.... AND, my clones have never leaked... the authentic DO leak from time to time out of the fill-port, and the clones have slightly larger capacity, air-flow port, and juice-channels... so in all honestly, the clones have improved over the original? If any company takes something to be manufactured in China, they WILL have it cloned and sold cheaper through other outlets! China does not honor any patent agreements, nor do they treat your intellectual property as yours, and yours alone. They contract to produce X-items, or produce for X-hours a day to your specs... they then run their lines during the off-contract time to produce clones (using other materials, cheaper materials, different colors, etc.) to extend their profit margins and justify tooling/set-up costs. It's just the way they do business. If you don't want your product cloned (from day-one)... don't let the Chinese have your blueprints!

^^ This ^^ With my only exception being that I do recommend Amazon for battery purchases. All of my Samsung 25r batteries (12 of them) came from reputable suppliers and shipped Prime (free 2-day delivery). Other online suppliers to check first are here on the VT store, and any of the more well-known online e-cig vendors. Shop around for best prices, but always remember to include shipping in your overall costs. For that reason, I shop Amazon and my local B&M's first... If you're going to invest in 4-6 batteries, I would recommend the Nitecore i4 charger. It has 4 bays, and can easily charge singles or pairs (in slot 1 and 4 for most rapid charge), and will run you about $2 more for the extra capacity.