Introduction


Considering the dramatic news that came from the United States and was relayed by the media in autumn 2019, one is entitled to wonder whether it’s advisable to go for sealed cartridges over e-liquid bottles.
We present both products below and give you food for thought.

Enjoy !

Presentation

For several months now, we’ve seen e-cigarettes bloom on the shelves of kiosks and department stores. These systems are called "closed", meaning that the sealed cartridges are pre-filled with e-liquid. Simply put the cartridge on the battery, inhale the liquid and once empty, throw the cartridge away and put a new one.

Some information about these "closed" systems
The mass production of these products requires a substantial basic investment. It’s, therefore, mainly the large tobacco companies that manufacture these products.
Once the system is launched, the cost of production is minimal and ensures a very nice margin for the supplier. Plus, these e-cigarettes guarantee the manufacturer he’ll keep his customers since they’ll now be forced to buy compatible cartridges.
Let's take the example of a well-known coffee manufacturer. The brand created coffee machines with its own capsules, forcing the consumer to buy the capsules at home. We are here in the same configuration.
You'll probably tell us that there are now lots of compatible capsules... we'll come back to that later !

Sealed cartridge : quality guaranteed ?
The argument put forward in favour of these closed systems is that you can't just put anything in. That's a big argument considering what's happened in the last few months in the United States ! But would these closed systems have prevented these people from getting sick or dying ?

The answer is no. Like with coffee, the competition was quick to develop self-filling cartridges compatible with these devices. With just a few clicks, you can find empty cartridges and even equipment to fill them easily. We’ve even heard of people who’ve found a way to fill cartridges originally intended for single use.

We know now that people who got ill and/or died in the United States vaped adulterated, black-market cannabis products that happened to be in pre-filled cartridges. Those cartridges contained highly harmful substances when inhaled, such as vitamin E acetate. For more information, check out our article on the subject.

So, it’s possible for anyone to buy the equipment and fill the cartridges with liquids, controlled or not, and resell them on the black market.

What about liquid bottles then ?
It’s the same, you might tell us ! And you're right. A bottle of e-liquid can be filled in carelessly, just like cartridges or a glass of water after all.

However, it’s important to point out that strict standards have been established by the authorities in both Europe and Switzerland (TPD, Afnor, Food Regulations, Chemicals Act, etc.). This applies to both the production and distribution of e-liquids. Therefore, products sold in professional shops do not represent any danger, because they are traceable and of controlled quality !

We’ll never say it enough : it’s imperative that you only buy your products in specialized shops ! Your health is at stake.

Whether you go for pre-filled cartridges or e-liquid bottles, the only guarantee is to rely on a known, identified, professional network that complies with standards and legislation.

More about closed systems
Often, with proprietary closed systems you only get to choose between 6-7 flavours, whereas you will find almost 300 bottled flavours in our range alone !

Let's talk about prices... if we consider that a 10ml e-liquid bottle costs on average CHF 6.90, we are at CHF 690.00 per litre.
With the most common closed system, 4 refills of 0.7ml cost CHF 17.95. That's 6'410.70 per litre !
Depending on your vaping habits, you should consider those numbers.

And finally, ecologically speaking, a cartridge that can be filled several times or an atomizer where you simply have to change the coil, will generate less waste, than a single-use cartridge.

Considering the evidence presented, it comes down to the consumer’s choice. As we have pointed out, whether they are "closed" or "open" systems, the only guarantee in terms of quality is to pay attention to where you buy them.
So, let’s avoid going to a dark alley and buying black market bottled liquid or pre-filled cartridges ! Especially if they contain illegal products such as THC.

Conclusion

As with many consumer goods, there’s good and bad. In e-cigarettes, some liquids are produced according to strict standards, others are produced for the black market. And in this area, caution is called for.
Whether it’s closed (pre-filled) or open systems, the most important thing is to always buy your products from official retailers. Your health is at stake !

Thanks for reading

Sweetch Team