Midwest Steam Expo to Be Held This Weekend at Owensboro Convention Center

 More than 9 million adults vape in the United States, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is why Dustin Griffith has focused on advocating for the first Midwest Vape Expo to be held this weekend at the Owensboro Convention Center.

Griffith is the organizer of the expo, which will start at 10 AM on Friday. This event will focus on promoting products and the competitive landscape of the vaping industry.

Vaping is a form of smoking that involves vaporizing what is commonly referred to as e-juice or e-liquid, typically made from nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings.

However, Friday is a business-only day and not open to the public. Griffith said it will be a day for businesses to meet with industry representatives, with about 3,000 attendees expected to come to discuss products.

From 10 AM to 8 PM on Saturday and 10 AM to 6 PM on Sunday, attendees can participate in exploring products from over 120 companies offering e-liquids, vape hardware, and accessories.

One of the challenging aspects of the vaping industry, Griffith said, is that it has a negative stigma because it often involves e-liquids containing nicotine, and the FDA is currently trying to regulate much of the industry.

“Our main goal as an industry is to help people quit traditional tobacco and save lives,” Griffith said. “Many people switch to this and eventually quit altogether. Getting off the addiction to tobacco cigarettes can lead to switching to vaping.”

Griffith claims the event is the largest vape expo in the Midwest and states that representatives from various countries and as far away as China will be present.

Speakers will participate in discussions with industry professionals and business owners at noon on Friday, followed by a session for industry staff at 2 PM on Friday. The discussions will focus on the FDA timeline for upcoming events and advocacy efforts at both state and federal levels. Industry staff discussions will emphasize understanding industry regulations and how they affect employees. There will also be discussions on advocacy efforts and daily operations.

There will be competitions over the weekend, featuring what is called “cloud chasing,” or seeing who can blow the biggest vape cloud, as well as trick and vape hardware modeling competitions.

The men’s cloud competition will take place at noon on Saturday, followed by the women’s cloud competition at 3 PM and the vape modeling competition at 6 PM, with registration starting at 11:30 AM on Saturday. Winners will receive $500.

General admission tickets are $7, and attendees and sponsors must be at least 18 years old to enter.