Keeping Youth Away from Vapor Products
Photo by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Vape retailers and distributors face obstacles when restricting product access to minors. Learn how Bidi Vapor does its part in preventing underage sales and access to vapor products.
While the movement is at least two-decades-old, modern vaping, vape devices, and the “vape culture” have become common in recent years and are now considered one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries. The estimated seven million vapers in 2011 will grow to reach or even exceed 55 million users by 2021.
With its ever-growing popularity comes the alarming rise in the number of underage users of vapor products.
The Popularity of Vaping: Is it Getting Out of Hand?
Vaping has now seeped into every part of our culture. Images of vaping in social media, music videos, podcasts, movies, or TV shows often bombard youth. It makes it difficult for them not to hear or see messages about the world of vaping.
Much has been done by individual governments to steer young people away from tobacco or vape usage. From public service announcements and restrictions on manufacturers, retailers, and distributors, to the prohibition of advertising, heavy taxation, and even hefty fines or punishments. However, the problem still prevails.
For manufacturers and retailers, it’s a fierce battle. While most brands try to adhere to and follow regulations and guidelines regarding restrictions on access to minors, underage teens still find a way to get their hands on the product.
The questions here include:
- Are the retailers, manufacturers, and distributors doing their part?
- And if they are, are they doing an effective job at it?
- Are the systems in place effective?
- If not, how can we make it more effective?
How Bidi Vapor Prevents Underage Vape Access
Bidi Vapor believes in the importance of restrictions on underage access and youth exposure to vape and tobacco-related products. Thus, the company is implementing every possible age-gating process to keep the product out of the hands of minors.
- Adult-Centered Packaging. The packaging of BIDI® Sticks does not involve any cartoon-themed designs. Bidi Vapor designed the packaging as professional and plain as possible to appear unappealing to the youth.
- Responsible Social Media Marketing. The social media platforms of Bidi Vapor use age-gating warnings and adult-centered content. There is no use of memes, slang, and kid-friendly content that can attract underaged youth.
- Retailer Pledge. The company created the Retailer Pledge for its wholesale and retail partners. It is a document that contains the terms and conditions on reselling and purchasing the BIDI® Stick product. Non-compliance with this agreement may result in the cancellation of orders and the right to distribute the BIDI® Stick.
- Mystery Shoppers. Bidi Vapor will send out “Mystery Shoppers” to its partner stores to check if the retailers and distributors are sharing the same responsibility in preventing underage sales and access to the BIDI® Stick.
