780.562.0288 info@vaepworld.com
Kellie Ann

Kellie Ann

Kellie Ann

Our founding member

I started smoking before my teens. I didn’t enjoy smoking. It harmed my health and made me stink, but what bothered me most was I was powerless over my addiction.

I tried everything to quit. Sometimes, I would quit for a few months or even a few years, but one drag and I was a pack-a-day smoker within a week.

In 2013, bought a vape online and I haven’t had a single urge to smoke since. Vaping freed me from the grip of tobacco addiction when all else failed!

 

I wanted to understand what I was inhaling, so I read hundreds of scientific articles on vaping. As a result of my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, I am trained to interpret science and form an educated opinion. I am satisfied that vaping is not only exceedingly less harmful than smoking but it is an appealing alternative to current smokers and is preventing future smokers.

After talking with people about vaping, it became clear that what they thought they knew about vaping was either incomplete or just outright incorrect. They were learning misinformation, half-truths, information out of context, and worse, they didn’t know very important information. I became concerned that the public and my colleagues lacked the facts to make informed decisions about vaping.

During my years as a hospital RN, I have provided care, including palliative, to hundreds of patients with smoking-related diseases. These diseases destroy the patient’s quality of life and negatively affect their friends, family and society.

 

Smoking-related diseases are 100% preventable.

I formed VAEP to help people learn the truth about vaping. Smokers have a right to know, and so does the public. 

 

-Kellie Ann

Kellie Ann did her original research on vaping in 2014. In 2015, she copyrighted a paper, “Vaping, the Truth” in both English and French reflecting on Canadian data. Another version was produced reflecting American data.

This is a timestamp illustrating the evidence that vaping is a harm reduction strategy has been available since 2014.

For more information on Kellie Ann’s work history, please visit her LinkedIn account.

Kellie Ann guest appearances

Kellie Ann

About us

About us

We are driven by ethics
Our vision

To make the truth about vaping common knowledge throughout the general population

Our vision

To make the truth about vaping common knowledge throughout the general population

VAEP is a grass roots nonprofit founded by a registered nurse to help people learn the truth about vaping.

After reviewing the scientific evidence, we format the information in a way that anyone can understand it.

VAEP is founded on nursing principles such as:

    • self-directed learning from credible resources.

    • teaching others so they can make informed decisions.

    • respecting a person’s right to make their own decisions.

Our Mission

Through advocacy and education, disseminate to the general population accurate and comprehensive information about vaping. Ensure smokers can make an informed decision about vaping as a smoking alternative.

Our objectives

Unify the growing numbers of knowledgeable vapers and their passion for vaping by engaging them in the development and implementation of a population education campaign.

Create support for the effective utilization of vaping within non-vaping populations such as government, non-profit organizations and healthcare agencies by providing access to vaping information and facilitating informed decision making within those  groups.

Our Mission

Through advocacy and education, disseminate to the general population accurate and comprehensive information about vaping. Ensure smokers can make an informed decision about vaping as a smoking alternative.

Our objectives

Unify the growing numbers of knowledgeable vapers and their passion for vaping by engaging them in the development and implementation of a population education campaign.

Create support for the effective utilization of vaping within non-vaping populations such as government, non-profit organizations and healthcare agencies by providing access to vaping information and facilitating informed decision making within those  groups.

Our ethics

 

In keeping with nursing principles, our corporate code of ethics is based on medical bioethics.

Nonmaleficence

to not cause harm or minimizing the possible harm to reach a beneficial outcome. It prohibits causing offence, suffering, or deprivation. Nonmaleficence includes respect for confidentiality and privacy. VAEP considers potential harm and its effects in the decision-making process and in the outcomes of its actions.

Beneficence

to act in a way that aims to benefit others. Examples would be preventing harm, reducing harm, protecting rights or improving a situation for others. Beneficence also means to create a safe, inclusive and supportive environment on our social media. Beneficence is the objective of all of VAEP planning and actions.

Autonomy

to respect a person’s right to make their own decisions and support their decisions. This prohibits manipulation and coercion. Autonomy includes giving people all of the information they need to make an informed decision. Promoting autonomy requires VAEP to stay current in credible evidence and providing that evidence without bias.

Justice

to treat people fairly without discrimination or prejudice. It’s a respect for people’s rights and distribution of resources evenly. Justice prohibits favoritism towards individuals or groups; bullying of anyone at any time; and abuse of any nature. We at VAEP are mindful to communicate respectfully and to facilitate inclusiveness whenever possible.

Cigarettes

Cigarettes

Cigarettes

The most deadly form of nicotine

VAEP Shareables are images utilizing graphics, colour and text to quickly teach people about vaping. Each Shareable provides the reference on the bottom.

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The reality

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The reality

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Smoking kills

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Smoking is everyone’s problem

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Youth and smoking

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For more information on youth and vaping, please visit our VAEP Shareables gallery and choose the “Youth” category.

Gov’t and MSA payments

Gov’t and MSA payments

State governments & the MSA

On November 23, 1998, all but four state governments entered into the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with the 4 big tobacco giants.

 

These tobacco companies committed to pay out around $200 billion over twenty years to the state governments. Payment amounts are based on annual cigarette sales.

Money.

Vaping nicotine is proven to help smokers off of cigarettes and keep them off.

If smoking rates drop because of vaping then the states get less money from the MSA. Therefore, successful uptake of vaping threatens to reduce the amount of the MSA payments.

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In the first section of the MSA, this agreement was made “to avoid the further expense, delay , inconvenience, burden and uncertainty of continued litigation” by the state against the tobacco industry for expenses occurred to Medicaid as a result of smoking.

Unfortunately, the MSA did not make clear provisions for how the MSA money is to be spent and very little of it is being spent on the intended purpose.

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Since the 4 tobacco giants entered an agreement to pay the state though the MSA, other tobacco companies are to be penalized by the state for doing business because the state doesn’t get a cut of their sales. So, since vaping helps smokers get off of cigarettes (which would lower MSA payments) the FDA catigorized vaping as tobacco and the states can ‘dilligently enforce’ laws against them.

It’s important to note that vaping is no more tobacco than vitamin C is an orange.

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Some of the state governments issued bonds based on the projections for future MSA payments. Unfortunately, they underestimated the rate at which smokers would stop smoking which means the payments were lower than they banked on. The actual payments were too insufficient to pay the bonds when due.

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S&P bond ratings sound alarm

The S&P Global Ratings rates publically trading securities such as bonds. Ratings range from AAA to D which indicates the reliablility of the security to pay out when due. They assessed the immerging vaping industry as reducing the amount of smokers and therefore the ability of what is backing the bonds (MSA payments) to cover the pay out. This means the governments that issued the bonds have to find money elsewhere to pay the bonds out when due.

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Gov’t and MSA payments

What went wrong in the USA

What went wrong in the USA

Governments, health authorities, medical professionals, anti-smoking groups and health-related nonprofits utilized mainstream media to repeatedly claim that vaping was injuring people without specifying that the injuries were caused from illegal THC cartridges.

Over and over again, they included vaping nicotine in their conversations, statements and announcements. A false narrative that blamed vaping nicotine for the lung injuries spread throughout the public and the health community. 

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For over 20 years, RealClearPolicy has been reviewing US domestic policy and analyzes “the most pivotal information on the day’s need-to-know issues”. They reviewed how the CDC handled EVALI in their article titled, Heads Should Roll at CDC after Botched Vaping Investigation.

Filter is a nonprofit, their mission is to …”advocate through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights”. Their critique of how CDC handled EVALI is titled, Vapes and Lung Disease: The CDC’s Lesson in How Not to Handle an Illness Outbreak.

Gov’t and MSA payments

Expert warnings

Expert warnings from the UK

Since the 2016 publication of ‘Nicotine Without Smoke‘, UK health authorities have been promoting vaping as a smoking cessation aid for their citizens.

 

The UK health community understood that the cause of the 2019 vaping-related lung injuries (EVALI) was not from vaping nicotine. Yet, North American experts were saying it was. Scientists, health authorities and doctors in the UK issued statements and reports to help people learn the truth.

“Complete madness”

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Quotes from experts

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Repeated fear provoking narrative

The pervasive message in North America is that we have to ban vaping because their is a ‘youth vaping epidemic’.

In Great Britain, vaping is recognized as a significant harm reduction strategy and is promoted by their public health. Yet, less than 2% of 11-18 year olds vape more than once a week.

WHERE is the youth vaping epidemic in Great Britain?

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Youth experiment with adult activities, this is why 52% vaped “to give it a try”. Cigarette smoke is far more addictive than nicotine vapour and far more harmful. Since smoking tastes gross, perhaps the flavours in eliquid are preventing youth from becoming smokers.

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CALL TO ACTION

Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs wrote a referenced paper about EVALI. It is the perfect document to enlighten health professionals about how they have been deceived about EVALI and vaping.

Gov’t and MSA payments

Canada gov’t THC cartridges

Canadian government & THC cartridges

The Canadian federal government controls the sale of cannabis products and makes revenue through a cannabis federal excise duty.

 

On October 19, 2019, during the EVALI outbreak, THC cartridges were approved for sale in Canada. Remember, the lung injuries were caused from illegal THC cartridges. 

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Due to the deception that vaping nicotine was the cause of EVALI, sales of the new cannabis products were not interrupted but how many vapers switched back to the most lethal form of nicotine: tobacco cigarettes?

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Gov’t and MSA payments

What went wrong in Canada

What went wrong in Canada

Governments, health authorities, medical professionals, anti-smoking groups and health-related nonprofits utilized mainstream media to repeatedly warn the public that vaping was injuring people without specifying that the injuries were caused from illegal THC cartridges.

Over and over again, they included vaping nicotine in their conversations, statements and announcements. A false narrative that blamed vaping nicotine for the lung injuries spread throughout the public and the health community. 

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Gov’t and MSA payments

What happened

What happened

Suddenly, there were hundreds of cases of severe lung injuries in areas around the USA. All the patients had vaped.

Yet, millions of smokers had been vaping nicotine for more than a decade without any cases of severe lung injuries.

In August of 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they were investigating an outbreak of lung injuries.

Over 2800 cases were identified, causing 68 deaths in the USA; in Canada there were 19 cases and no deaths.

76% of the patients were under 35 and 66% were male.

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The investigation and resolution

Vaping nicotine is a harm reduction strategy used by millions of smokers all over the world. Since the injuries only occurred in North America, it was clear the injuries were being caused by something other than standard nicotine eliquid.

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Almost 100% of the injured patients reported using illegal THC cartridges. Despite the evidence, the injury was named EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping product use-Associated Lung Injury) implying the cause was vaping nicotine.

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To identify the substance causing the injuries, lung samples from the patients were analyzed. The fat-based substance, vitamin E acetate, was identified as causing the injuries. This substance can not be dissolved in water-based nicotine eliquid; they would separate in the container.

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Vaping products used were analyzed

The patients surrendered the products they were vaping to help identify the cause of the injuries. Nicotine eliquids contained no unexpected or harmful chemicals but 9 out of 10 illegal THC carts contained vitamin E acetate which is used as a cutting agent.

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More on what happened

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Cigarettes

Basic Vaping Info

Basic vaping information

The facts will surprise you

In a nutshell:

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This 30 second video explains the epidemic that is related to vaping.

Learn how vaping compares to smoking in this two minute video.

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Pages in this section:

Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease and death in North America.

Vaping satisfies the habit of smoking without the devastating consequences.

The simple ingredients in eliquid have been thoroughly analyzed for safety.

By reducing the toxins that enter the body, health has been shown to improve.

The transition to harm reduction is easier if it is pleasurable.

Nicotine is a stimulant that can cause dependency but does not cause disease.

Start here:

Cigarettes

Flavours

Flavours

Adults like flavours

VAEP Shareables are images utilizing graphics, colour and text to quickly teach people about vaping. Each Shareable provides the reference on the bottom.

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Essential to success

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Harm promotion

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Nonprofits rely on smoking

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Nonprofits rely on smoking

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Youth and flavours

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Youth are seeking a head buzz from abusing JUULs by inhaling too much nicotine. Teens call it a “heady” and 8.3% of grade 8-12 students are “JUULing” to get high. JUUL has less than 5 flavours. Banning 1000’s of eliquid flavours will make harm reduction unattractive to adult smokers.

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For more information on youth and vaping, please visit our VAEP Shareables gallery and choose the “Youth” category.

Cigarettes

Outcomes

Outcomes

Reducing harm improves health.

VAEP Shareables are images utilizing graphics, colour and text to quickly teach people about vaping. Each Shareable provides the reference on the bottom.

Health improvements

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Smokers are profitable for pharmaceuticle companies

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Follow the money

Smokers get smoking-related diseases that are treated with drugs. Future smokers are future revenue for BigPharma. Youth are experimenting with vaping instead of smoking which means they won’t become smokers and get those smoking-related diseases. Agencies that are funded by BigPharma are pushing to ban vaping.

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Cancer

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Junk science

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Junk science

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Youth and industry

Commercial industries aren’t responsible to the stupid stuff youth do. Youth abuse alcohol & drugs. Yet, alcohol and pharmaceutical industries aren’t being held responsible for teen alcohol and drug abuse. Youth are also abusing vaping. The vaping industry aren’t responsible for teens abusing vaping.

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Mom and Pop vape shops were started by people who quit smoking with vaping. They quit their careers and invested their savings into their own businesses to help smokers in their communities. The are small businesses employing local people,  NOT tobacco companies. Misinformation from media & authority have demonized them and turned their communities against them.

For more information on youth and vaping, please visit our VAEP Shareables gallery and choose the “Youth” category.

Cigarettes

Nicotine

Nicotine

A mild stimulant, much like caffeine

VAEP Shareables are images utilizing graphics, colour and text to quickly teach people about vaping. Each Shareable provides the reference on the bottom.

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More on nicotine

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view full feature

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view full feature

Nicotine and fear

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Tobacco smoke has 7000 chemicals in it, many of which cause damage to the body. This fear-provoking message from Health Canada suggests that all smokers have some kind of brain damage. How is it that they can identify nicotine as the cause and not the 7000 toxins found in cigarette smoke?

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Health Canada claims vaping “can” cause lung damage. They provide no evidence to support this speculation. Health Canada “can” deceive the public about harm reduction. They “can” have a motive to promote disease and serve the pharmaceutical industry.

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For more information on youth and vaping, please visit our VAEP Shareables gallery and choose the “Youth” category.

Other pages in the Basic Vaping Information section:

Learn about the deception:

Cigarettes

Quitting smoking

Quitting smoking

Vaping makes it easier

VAEP Shareables are images utilizing graphics, colour and text to quickly teach people about vaping. Each Shareable provides the reference on the bottom.

Using vaping to quit smoking

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Using vaping to quit smoking

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How vaping works

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Why are people vaping?

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Medical smoking cessation

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Youth and smoking uptake

Eliquid contains 4 ingredients and only the nicotine can cause dependence. The chances of a youth becoming a smoker is 20 times higher if they start their experimentation with smoking verses with vaping. Vaping is interrupting the historical process of creating smokers.

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For more information on youth and vaping, please visit our VAEP Shareables gallery and choose the “Youth” category.

Cigarettes

Vaping

Vaping

Less than 5% the risk of smoking

VAEP Shareables are images utilizing graphics, colour and text to quickly teach people about vaping. Each Shareable provides the reference on the bottom.

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Harm reduction

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Government oversight

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Indoor vaping

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Youth and vaping

In Great Britain, vaping is recognized as a significant harm reduction strategy and is promoted by their public health. Yet, less than 2% of 11-18 year olds vape more than once a week. WHERE is the youth vaping epidemic in Great Britain?

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To compare statistical data from year to year, the parameters of that data must remain the same. The Government of Canada changed the parameters of youth vaping data which falsely inflates the numbers and perpetuates the fear-provoking narrative.

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For more information on youth and vaping, please visit our VAEP Shareables gallery and choose the “Youth” category.

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This documentary investigated vaping during the height of the media frenzy to demonize vaping. It offers a comprehensive, indepth look at tobacco harm reduction.

view full feature

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This documentary investigated vaping during the height of the media frenzy to demonize vaping. It offers a comprehensive, indepth look at tobacco harm reduction.

view full feature

Kellie Ann

APSAD paper

Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs

A professional critique of how EVALI was handled
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Gov’t and MSA payments

EVALI

Vaping & Lung Injuries (EVALI)

In 2019, a sudden outbreak of severe lung injuries, some causing death, occurred in North America, mainly in the USA. Vitamin E acetate was identified as the additive in illegal THC cartridges that caused the injuries.

The messages from authorities, experts and health-related nonprofits through mainstream media, conflated two distinctively different activities: vaping THC cartridges and vaping nicotine eliquid.

THE RESULT WAS, AND IS, A MISINFORMED PUBLIC AND HEALTH COMMUNITY. 

Two resulting travesties occurred:

First, failing to adequately warn cannabis (THC) users caused unnecessary injuries.

Second, implying that nicotine vaping was causing the lung injuries drove thousands of vapers back to the most lethal form of nicotine: tobacco cigarettes.

Pages in this section:

The Story

Explore the events of the outbreak, the investigation to identify the cause, the actions that were taken and how the outbreak was resolved.

The Deception

Health-related nonprofits and authorities utilized media to spread fear about vaping. Their communications omitted that EVALI was not caused from vaping nicotine.

The Motive

Health Canada approved the sale of THC cartridges during the outbreak and EVALI could spread a fearful light on this new product.

Payments to American state governments through the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) are proportional to cigarette sales; vaping is a threat to cigarette sales.

The Truth

The UK reviewed the science on vaping around 2014: before the narratives were formulated and distributed to sovereign nations. They stand alone in being fully informed on and benefiting their citizens with tobacco harm reduction.

Start here: