California was born amidst an 1849 gold rush, and became a poster child of Liberty. It enjoyed this image for over a century, celebrated free speech in the 1960s, pushed for legalization of pot consumption in the 1990s, and then it got tired of freedom and started banning things.

We are not going to get into a political discussion. As you know, we stick to the facts, not to opinions.

So, let’s look at the recent facts, then.

Under a bill aimed at curbing plastic pollution in the state, California could ban the sale of disposable vapes. If the proposal becomes a law, California would likely be the first U.S. state to enact such a rule.

The California bill would ban the sale or distribution of new or refurbished disposable vapes in the state, beginning January 1, 2026. The argument against this popular smoke-free product is based on an attempt to reduce hazardous waste contained in the single-use vaping devices.

At the same time, the industry is making a concerted effort to reduce harm from smoking by encouraging smokers to switch completely to reduced risk alternatives, primarily vaping products.

What we see here is an obvious contradiction, and it needs to be resolved to the mutual satisfaction of all parties involved. In a market economy, the central figure of this equation is the customer. In California, apparently, other interests weigh heavier on the balance of Justice.

But, whatever the result of this push-pull process may be, the consumers want to consume and the retailers want to supply the consumers’ wants and needs.

In order to keep the business running smoothly in these stormy waters, the age-old science of KYC becomes increasingly important.

For those who still don’t know, KYC stands for “Know Your Customer”. And here at Ticon, we work hard, day and night, helping our retail partners in achieving the most complete knowledge of their customers by providing comprehensive traffic & demographic reports by radius, delivering insights on those who live within their trade area, as well as those who drive by their stores – we call the last category “Traffic Flow Demographic”.

Do not delay. Call us and ask us about Ticon’s renown location intelligence reports for your business, now augmented with highly granular demographics courtesy of our new business partner, Map AI.

Our doors are open for you.