Planning to quit smoking this Stoptober? Get organised!
Planning to quit smoking this Stoptober? Get organised! Stoptober is nearly here! With the many health concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s never been a better time to pack in the cigarettes. If you, like many others, are planning to quit smoking this October, then good on you! You’ll soon be enjoying the many benefits that come from looking after your health in this way. But you may also be feeling quite anxious about quitting smoking too. That’s fine and totally normal. Your best chances of success lie in your planning and preparation, so read on to find out how maximise your chances of success! #1 – Find a quitting buddy Giving up smoking is hard – you know that already. But it’s a lot easier if you can find yourself a friend who is in a similar boat to you. You can encourage each other, and give each other a pep talk when you’re thinking of caving in. If you don’t know anyone around you then you can always look at forums online. Accountability is a great motivator for breaking any habit – you don’t want to be the person who cracks first! #2 – Do your research Spend a little time online reading up on the many dangers of smoking tobacco, and you’ll soon find yourself with extra motivation. Print out a list of the many benefits of stopping smoking and put it somewhere that’s always to hand when you’re feeling weakened. #3 – Get into vaping Some people find that the physical act of smoking is harder to give up than beating the nicotine cravings. These people find that taking up vaping helps them stay off the cigarettes. Vaping has been proved to be far safer than smoking, and it doesn’t smell like smoking does either! With vaping, you’re able to control the amount of nicotine that you are taking in, and gradually reduce it so you can wean yourself off slowly. You’ll also be able to choose from a wide range of flavours, each of which smells better than tobacco! #4 – Track your progress Each day you stay off the cigarettes is a minor victory, and you should feel good about that! There are lots of apps which you can install on your phone that track your progress, remind you of the many benefits of quitting smoking and let you know how well you’ve done so far. The NHS has a Quit Smoking app which many people are turning to in order to support themselves through the process. GOOD LUCK! Nobody said that quitting smoking was going to be easy, but the good news is that if you get yourself fully prepared, by 1st October you’re going to stand the very best chances of success. Here at Ohm Brew, we wish you the very best of luck, and we’re here to support your switch to vaping too, so you’re not alone. If you are feeling up to trying out vaping for the first time and need more information then visit our ‘Make The Switch’ section. << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
5 surefire ways to get customers through your door
5 surefire ways to get customers through your door Empty shop syndrome? We hear ya. Since the pandemic, it is harder than ever to draw customers into a physical shop when they’ve been tempted away by products online and in supermarkets. But hold up… it doesn’t have to be that way! Get creative and tempt your lovely customers back in – you won’t regret it. Here’s how: #1 – Nail your branding Not got a decent logo? Is your shop name a bit… meh? Well how do you expect people to remember you? Before going all-out on your marketing, make sure your branding is on-point and serving you well. Work with a local design agency to create branding that pops with a look and feel that make customers want a piece of you! #2 – Get printing First off, before we even start talking about online marketing, you need posters. Good old fashioned posters that can be put up around the town letting people know you’re there. While you’re at it, get some flyers done, and don’t let a single customer leave the store without a handful to give to their mates. And how about some business cards, or printed ‘special offer’ vouchers? Printing doesn’t have to be expensive; you can do it on a budget and believe us, it’ll pay off. #3 – Focus your social media Say what you like about Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc., but when it comes to boosting sales, it works. It just does. So if you’re going to do it, then spend a bit of time getting it right. If you want to attract local customers (and you do), then that means targeting them online. It’s pretty easy to design a social media marketing campaign that targets certain demographics. Figure out who your ideal customer is, then design your online marketing around them. #4 – Cosy up to the search engines Get a website and make sure it’s showing up on search engine results by registering your site with Google and other platforms like Yelp. There’s strength in numbers, and by buddying up with Ohm Brew we’ll give you bags of exposure via our interactive map – and you’ll benefit from all the work we do behind the scenes to supercharge our SEO, too. #5 – Get people talking The good news? The best marketing is totally, 100% free. Word of mouth referrals are a brilliant way to boost sales, so what are you going to do to incentivise your customers to tell a friend or two? Maybe it’s a discount on their next visit, or perhaps it’s a loyalty card that gives them all the feels. Whatever you do, do it now – your current customers are your very best brand ambassadors, so make them feel special! Get on top of all this and you’ll have a queue of eager customers at your door in no time! << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
Stoptober – Make The Switch.
Stoptober – make the switch 2020 – the year to end smoking It is officially that time of year again, Stoptober is here again folks – with the current covid-19 pandemic sweeping the nation this year, there has never been a better reason on giving up the smokes. The need and want for smokers to quit has been very evident this year with a recent surge in the number of people who have stopped smoking throughout the UK. According to a recent report by ASH (Action On Smoking And Health) stated the following: “Over a million people in the UK have stopped smoking since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country. A further 440,000 smokers tried to quit during this period.” The numbers speak for themselves; it appears that people seem to be putting their lungs and immune systems first this year as we all try to make it through the current pandemic unscathed. How difficult is it to stop smoking? It certainly is more than achievable, but it really depends on the individual. Every human being is wired differently – some find that stopping smoking is a near impossible task whilst others are not too phased by the process. Nicotine addiction is very powerful as it affects a smoker’s mood, emotions and behaviour. If a smoker uses tobacco to cope with unpleasant emotions and feelings, it can become increasingly difficult for them to give up the habit when they attempt to do so. The smoker may also link their smoking with social activities (in the pub, going for a coffee with a friend). All these factors point back to the evidence that giving up smoking for good is a tough habit to break. What are the effects of nicotine withdrawl? People who have used tobacco regularly for a long period of time will undoubtedly experience some type of withdrawal symptoms when they stop suddenly or greatly reduce their nicotine intake. While these withdrawals carry no danger, the symptoms can be extremely unpleasant. They tend to start within only a few hours and peak massively when most of the nicotine leaves your system. These symptoms can last for several weeks but improve every day that a person stays free of tobacco. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following according to Cancer.org: Dizziness (which may last a day or 2 after quitting) Depression Feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger Anxiety Irritability Trouble sleeping, including trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares Trouble concentrating Restlessness or boredom Headaches Tiredness Increased appetite Weight gain Slower heart rate Constipation and gas Cough, dry mouth, sore throat, and nasal drip Chest tightness These symptoms can lead a person to start using tobacco again to boost blood levels of nicotine and bring an end to their withdrawal symptoms. What are the options? #1 – GO COLD TURKEY Going cold turkey means giving up smoking without any kind of aid in the form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or switching to a vape. Whilst this method does have its success stories, experts argue that the results from this approach generally are not that great. Research over the past 25 years has shown that out of 100 people trying to quit smoking cold turkey, about three to five will succeed past six months. #2 – NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) The most-commonly used of quit smoking medications, NRT helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms by giving the user a small, controlled amounts of nicotine but without the other dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes. It is important to understand that while NRT can undoubtedly help users with their withdrawal and cravings, it will not completely rid them from their urges to smoke. Types of NRT include Patches, Gums, Lozenges, Inhalers and Nasal Sprays. #3 – Make the switch to a vape E-cigarettes (aka Vapes) are reported to be ‘three times more effective than nicotine patches and gum’ when used as a quitting aid according to a study by the University College London. E-cigarettes are becoming more and more popular with smokers looking to kick the habit as it allows the user to replicate the sensation of smoking tobacco. E-cigarettes do not produce carbon monoxide or tar – the two most harmful chemicals contained in traditional tobacco cigarettes. Not to sound biased or anything as an e-liquid manufacturer – but we think you should definitely give vaping a go. What we’re doing to help Stoptober is quite a big month in the vaping world with many smokers across the UK every year ditching the ciggies for a vape. Some ex-smokers find the transition over to an e-cig quite easy, while others can find it an overwhelming experience – with so much choice out there in terms of hardware and e-liquid brands. This illusion of choice is the core reason why we’ve decided to launch our ‘Make The Switch’ campaign – aiming to simplify the vaping journey for smokers through providing them with information and guidance that’s of value. Click here to take a look at this section of our site where you can find: 5 things every new vaper needs to knowVaping factsInteractive cost calculator – work out how much you could save per year by switchingE-cigarettes explainedE-liquids explained << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
Celebrating National Hemp Month
Celebrating national hemp month All around the world on national hemp month we celebrate the roaring comeback of one of the world’s most versatile plants – hemp. Although they both belong to the cannabis family, hemp is often commonly confused with Marijuana plants (weed) and one can be forgiven as they are very similar in appearance, but their uses are a lot different. How is hemp different from weed? “Marijuana” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain more than 0.3% THC (by dry weight) and can induce psychotropic or euphoric effects on the user. This is the illicit stuff that you smell coming from the guy who lives next door moments before a pizza delivery arrives at his door. If you want to know a bit more about weed consumption, look no further than Chris Tucker’s role of smokey in the film, Friday. (Which is a classic!) “It’s fridayyyyyy. You ain’t got no job. And you ain’t got sh** to do” – Smokey (Friday) “Hemp” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain 0.3% or less THC content (by dry weight). Meaning these varieties of cannabis are non-intoxicating and is harvested for industrial use. Hemp induces no psychoactive effects on the user – meaning no euphoria nor the munchies. Sounds pretty boring compared to its sister plant, eh? However, whatever your vices are you cannot ignore that Hemp has heaps of practical uses which have been documented in the history books, many moons ago. The history of hemp Depending on your knowledge on the topic of Hemp, you may be shocked to discover that hemp has been cultivated by man for over 10,000 years! Yep, you read that correctly and no, we have not been smoking anything funny, many believe that hemp was the first crop ever cultivated by mankind! Hemp has been dated back to ancient Mesopotamia and China – with many different applications of the plant discovered over the years. In fact, it is known to have over 50,000 different uses. Image Source: CBD Origin Wow! If it was so useful? Why was hemp outlawed? The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 strictly regulated the cultivation and sale of all cannabis varieties. The Control Substances Act of 1970 classified all forms of cannabis, including hemp, as a Schedule I drug. The question remains to this day as to why? Conspiracy theorists maintain that when there was the invention of the cotton gin, hemp was quickly forgotten about as it was much cheaper to produce cotton for textiles and it was a far more comfortable material. However, in the early 1900s, George Schlichten introduced an invention called the Hemp Decorticator – providing a new, much easier means of processing hemp. Things were looking up for the hemp industry, but things were far from rosy… as years of negative propaganda conducted by wealthy businessmen with their own agendas then quickly followed. After almost a decade of negative stories about cannabis plants, the Marijuana Tax Act was proposed to congress on 2nd August 1937. The act did not criminalise the possession or use of hemp, cannabis, or marijuana – but certain provisions were enforced. Hemp farming was eventually banned totally in 1970 when it was classed as a Schedule 1 drug via the passage of the Controlled Substances Act. Hemp & CBD in today’s world If we fast forward to the year 2020, hemp is now legal in most parts of the world – meaning there was a massive surge in Hemp or CBD-infused health & well-being products. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, you will have seen CBD products somewhere along your high-street! There is all kinds of stuff available on the market nowadays – e,liquids, skincare products, sprays, tincture oil drops, edibles, hemp seeds… the list goes on and on! So, the question remains; what exactly is it? And is it just another retail trend disguised to take our money? What is CBD then? CBD (short for cannabidiol) is a chemical compound which is extracted from the hemp plant. Whilst THC (the stuff that gets you high) is the major ingredient in marijuana plants, cannabidiol is obtained from Hemp plants that contain very minor amounts of THC. CBD doesn’t get you high or give off any psychoactive effects – but has proven effective in relieving symptoms of the following health conditions: Pain Relief Reduces Anxiety and Depression Can Alleviate Cancer-Related Symptoms Reduce Acne Substance Abuse Treatment Quitting Smoking When you consider it’s many benefits, it’s easy to see why CBD is one of the fastest-growing (pun intended) industries of modern times. It’s estimated that the global CBD market is expected to ‘accelerate to $23.6bn’ over the next five years according to a Grand View Research. It’s definitely here to stay Regardless of personal opinion it seems pretty apparent that Hemp and CBD products are here to stay for the foreseeable! Let us now celebrate the awesomeness Hemp has to offer us this month of July. Hemp Hemp Hooray! << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
Vape Stores Set for a Grand Reopening
Vape Stores Set for a Grand Reopening Stay calm everyone. The day is finally here Vape stores reopening across the UK is news that was met with a warm welcome. Especially when you rewind back to March – the coronavirus pandemic forces vape shops to close throughout the UK, causing quite a panic for shop owners. “How will we survive closing our doors?”, some owners asked themselves, whilst others prepared for the immediate future by setting up click ‘n’ collect or local delivery services where possible. Online retailers and distros were able to carry on doing business as usual – meaning it was always going to be the smaller stores with no means of e-commerce that would suffer the most. A testing time for everyone indeed – especially when you consider an industry like vaping thrives on the vibe you get from local stores; it is such a social experience. When you walk in you are made feel welcome by helpful staff, who are happy to recommend you the best vape solution for your personal taste. How are we in June already? Fast forward to June, Vape stores all across the UK are getting prepared for a grand reopening this month on Monday the 15th – with the lockdown starting to ease and some normality restored. John Dunne, director at UKVIA spoke with joy about the news, “Our members, together with the industry as a whole, will be delighted that shops will be able to reopen from the 15 June as it will enable them to give the critical support to their customers, and be a boost to the whole supply chain.” A great day for the vape community indeed – it is great to finally start to approach some normality in the industry (and the world) once more. But it will not happen overnight, and the rules need to be followed closely to ensure everyone’s safety. The last thing anyone wants is to see a spike in the infection rates now at this stage (when we nearly have the worst of it over!). Long gone will be the good old days where you could simply just walk on into the shop at your leisure, plant yourself down and start tasting samples with no concerns. IBVTA guidance – how to open your store safely Any vape shops that may be looking more guidance on how they can reopen their doors safely, IBVTA have issued a guidance document. This document can be requested via email and is free for IBVTA members and a £50 charge to non-members. The document has been shared and approved by Public Health and Business Ministers – but there is a strong emphasis made on they should only open their doors when the correct measures are taken, and all guidelines are obeyed. “It is vital that if vape businesses prepare to re-open stores, they do so having in place the correct measures & procedures to protect their staff members and customers, and following all government guidance. The IBVTA recommends that stores must only re-open once the best practises outlined in this document are in place, allowing a safe environment for staff to work in and customers to shop in.” – IBVTA What we are doing to help Find a stockist map One of the leading features of our newly launched website is our find a stockist map, helping your store to be found as an official Ohm Brew stockist. Anyone who lands on their page will be able to see what stockists are in their area, hopefully driving some foot-flow to your store as a result. New Promotions and Media Pack Access As of June 12th, we will be running a special offer to celebrate the reopening of stores throughout the UK! What better way to open your doors to the public than with some more margins? Keep an eye out for more details as they unfold… and remember you can always check out the B2B Partners section of our site for current offers and other Ohm Brew announcements. Not only that, but remember there’s also media pack access where you can find bottle renders, flavour descriptions, banners and catalogue (more resources to follow). Helping stores to promote our brand better is key for us as an e-liquid manufacturer. Customer Deepdives FeatureIt helps us to help our customers, which is exactly why we want to feature your business on our social channels – get in touch today if you would like to be showcased. Good luck to all stores! Good luck to all our partner stores on your reopening – hope it goes well for each and everyone one of you! << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
Menthol Ban May 2020
Menthol Ban May 2020 – what it means The Menthol Ban Is Now Here. As of 20th May 2020, menthol cigarettes will now be banned for sale across the UK and the rest of the EU. The ban applies to capsule, click-on, crushball and dual menthol cigarettes. This ban only applies to tobacco products but not to e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Why Ban Menthols? It is estimated that around a quarter of all smokers regularly smoke menthol cigarettes. The menthol ban comes off the back of studies showing young people find menthol cigarettes more appealing than their normal tobacco counterparts. Leaving young people or new smokers more inclined to pick up the habit. In a study based on young smokers and their habits it was found that half of all underage smokers choose menthols. Why Should Menthol Smokers Make The Switch to E-Liquids? When the ban comes into effect, menthol cigarette smokers will have to choose traditional cigarettes or switch to vaping (menthol flavoured e-liquids are not affected by the ban). Vaping has been shown to be 95% safer than smoking. Therefore it’s easy to say that switching to a vape is the better option – offering similarities of smoking a menthol cigarette through various flavours whilst also helping to reduce the health risks associated with smoking tobacco. How Ohm Brew Can Help Some people find that the physical act of smoking is harder to give up than beating the nicotine cravings. These people find that taking up vaping helps them stay off the cigarettes. Vaping has been proved to be far safer than smoking, and it doesn’t smell like smoking does either! With vaping, you’re able to control the amount of nicotine that you are taking in, and gradually reduce it so you can wean yourself off slowly. You’ll also be able to choose from a wide range of flavours, each of which smells better than tobacco! << Back to blog Facebook-f Instagram Linkedin
