Ace of Vapes is among the latest new businesses in Acton, recently opening up shop at 9 Mill St. W.
The store - one of two locations owner Ganesh Narasimhan runs with his business partner, the other being in Arthur - offers many different kinds of vape products for those looking for an alternative to smoking.
Narasimhan said he saw an opportunity in the relatively uncrowded market of Acton and decided to take give residents some more choices.
“I don't want the customers to go all the way to Georgetown or Brampton,” Narasimhan said. “I want the customers to come into my shop, see the prices and leave happy."
But he is differentiating himself from most business owners in one crucial way. He promises to refuse service to anyone who may buy a vape product for the wrong reasons.
“If you want to stop smoking [cigarettes] and want to take up vaping, then that is a good option for wanting to do it,” Narasimhan said. “If a guy walks into my store and says that he wants to start vaping and never smoked before, I say no.”
While the science behind the safety of e-cigarettes is not 100 per cent settled, the general consensus appears to be that they are safer than tobacco. But that does not mean these products are harmless.
“In addition to nicotine, vaping liquids typically contain glycerol (vegetable glycerin) and propylene glycol (PG), and chemicals used for flavouring,” Health Canada warns. “While these ingredients are considered safe for use in cosmetics and foods, the long-term risks of inhaling these substances are unknown and continue to be researched.”
“E-cigarettes have the potential to benefit adults who smoke and who are not pregnant if used as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products,” said the Centre for Disease Control’s website.
Narasimhan's store carries vape juices that have zero nicotine as well.
For any parents concerned about sales to children, Narasimhan said the shop staff will deny, and have denied, purchases to those who are under 19 years of age.
For more information on vape products and their safety, consult Health Canada and other sources for research.
