"The most important issue is to keep our Swedish shops alive"
When she's not reviewing juices on YouTube, you'll find her in the comments sections, not only in dedicated vejp forums, but everywhere e-cigarettes are discussed: local newspapers. Aftonbladet, SvT, Tobaksfakta, Swedish radio. You name it: Therese Ström, from Cloud family, is there with a pile of research in his arms, arguing in favour of harm reduction in Sweden.
You don't work in the industry. How can you be so on top of things all the time?
"I keep an eye on forums and have some friends in our shops but also various distro companies who update me if they hear anything."
Where do you get information on vejpning?
"I always try to dig in forums but also in the "right" places. I often contact authorities and check what is true and what is not. Sometimes I sit on the government's website and check different things that have been mentioned. For example, that tobacco use among young people has decreased (where e-cigs are counted as tobacco products in the statistics). When I get caught outside our closed forums, if an anti-tobacco organisation tries to claim that e-cigs attract young people, I have my counter-arguments directly from the government's own report. Much of my free time is also spent trying to "take the temperature" of those who do not vejp, to see what support we have among people and politicians."
What inspires you to continue?
"To see a loved one go through cancer and to save more lives. It inspires me. So many people die unnecessarily today unfortunately..."
What is the most important issue for vejp today?
"Right now, I think the most important issue is to keep our own stores alive. Unfortunately, we have seen many shops close recently. The authorities need to be more clear about what applies and what does not. Often when you call or email, it takes a long time to get an answer, and unfortunately even the person responsible at the various authorities does not know what applies in certain matters, such as which products are registered and what is authorised to be sold. The system today is far from good and needs to change so that our shops have a chance to give people what they want, without customers having to go abroad."
What is the best thing that happened to vejpingen in 2019?
"That the Americans are working very hard for vejping. The whole world is watching and as I said in 2017, what happens there will come here! We see what common goals can achieve and we should embrace it in Sweden."
The worst thing that happened in 2019?
"It is the illegal trade in THC that has killed people because of the oil in the e-juice. This unfortunately scares many people from quitting smoking and choosing a safer alternative."
You will receive a Christmas present from the government in 2020 about e-cigarettes. What do you get?
My Christmas present would be to write a referral and be heard before a change in the law, as some laws have caused accidents and some laws should exist but do not. In the current situation, neither consumers nor companies are protected in the best possible way!
Find Therese Ström on social media here:
Facebook: Cloud Family, Sweden
YouTube: Cloud Family
