21
Using cooking flavor extracts in Cuba
submitted almost 7 years ago by poppadocsez

I live here in this little isolated island and recently got into vaping, and now my initial supply of juice is running low with no possibility of buying some from a store, as there is no company importing these things to Cuba. Having nowhere to purchase ejuice, I wanted to get into the DIY scene. I believe I have a way to purchase a Liter of VG from someone in my town who is a tattoo artist (apparently they use the stuff to dilute the inks?) and the nicotine might be possible soon when a friend comes to Cuba. Now my question to you fine folks is the following: If i can get my hands on some flavor from a bakery would this be a viable flavoring to use in my juice? The person who i know that can get it for me says it comes without a label so I can't exactly find out what exact ingredients it has, but I tasted it and it is very concentrated, and red in color. What do you think?

Comments
Sort
11 points
 
by jesusbuiltmyboxmodalmost 7 years ago

Could you utilize Russian, Argentinian, or Chinese resellers of concentrates like the flavor apprentice? I didn’t check other companies but I did check them and they have resellers in many countries other than the US.

https://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/affiliates.aspx

9 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

That's actually very interesting! I'll check these out, however I'm worried that it may not be possible to order from these without credit cards, Another luxury Cubans do not have available to us. Visa and MasterCard are just a couple more things we see tourists talk about and nothing else. But maybe there's a way to send cash? I'll investigate. Thanks for the link!

23 points
 
by vApe_Escapealmost 7 years agoTobacconist

PM me tomorrow. We can try to work something out for you.

3 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Will do!!

10 points
 
by SlimeQSlimeballalmost 7 years ago

Nobody has said it but you usually can't use baking flavors because they are not designed to be inhaled. I believe they are typically oil based and you could get some really bad lung problems inhaling oil.

If you have someone visiting from the states, best thing would be to have them bring in what you need.

2 points
 
by upboatugboatalmost 7 years ago

There's a way to test if it's oil based or water based. You put a drop from an inch high into a cap of water and see if it dissolves or stays afloat without mixing. Correct me if I'm wrong but oil stays afloat. Most bakery flavors contain oil.

8 points
 
by canuck_vaperalmost 7 years ago

PM me. I'm in Canada and I can send you a small package of flavors, no charge. Let me know what you like and I'll fix you up. Consider it a PIF Christmas gift.

2 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Pm'd!

1 points
 
by codlikealmost 7 years ago

aww. santas such a dude.

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Total bro! I'll definitely make a post when it arrives.

3 points
 
by docslothalmost 7 years ago

Hey, so I don't know about some fancier flavours, but if you don't mind something simple there are two ingredients that you could try.

Sweetner

Menthol crystals

You can get menthol crystals from drug stores, which can be diluted in PG / VG. I don't know of the ratios, (I would imagine VERY diluted) but something maybe to look into.

2 points
 
by PremeBarsalmost 7 years ago

I thought Cubans didn't have access to Internet?

23 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Oh we have access, at wifi hotspots in almost every park, it's just prohibitively expensive compared to the average wage (it costs about one dollar per hour and the average worker makes about 20-30 dollars a month) But we've found ways around that via hotspot sharing and apps like connectify and some dudes bring routers with car batteries in a backpack and split their 2mbps connection and rent out the hour to others at $.50 an hour. Yeah It ain't easy but the people here are very creative.

11 points
 
by UnLuckyKenTuckyalmost 7 years ago

I love that about the Cuban culture and people. If y'all need something that you cannot get, you fucking make it. Wonderful!

13 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

It's like Prison mentality 24/7! If you can't buy it, make it. If it breaks you fix it. if it cant be fixed find a way to MAKE IT!

Edit: You'd be surprised how much homemade wine I've drank.

2 points
 
by djrider69almost 7 years agoDiketones, Schmiketones

By your description I’d say no.. maybe just vape unflavored ?

4 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

that might end up being the best case scenario for me. maybe i'll just get some pastries and eat them while i vape. SIGH

1 points
 
by djrider69almost 7 years agoDiketones, Schmiketones

Sorry to hear man. But I could never tell you to vape something that we’re not sure what it contains.. Especially whatever is turning it bright red..

Can you maybe source Lorann flavors there .. they are used more for making candy than vaping so IDK maybe ?

Can you not import from the US there ?

3 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

It's cool bro, I understand and wouldnt want to breathe anything toxic either, that's the whole point of me asking here first!

Basically because of the embargo on Cuba I can't import anything american, and most companies NOT american don't want to because of sanctions and other dumb things i sometimes don't understand.

Besides someone physically coming to cuba from the states with a bunch of flavors in their luggage for sale, I'm basically SOL unless i make my own juice.

2 points
 
by UnLuckyKenTuckyalmost 7 years ago

Unless things have changed drastically the U.S. and Cuba don't have trade agreements.

1 points
 
by EdibleMalfunctionalmost 7 years ago

No. Not at all. You cannot use those flavors to make juice with

4 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Boy you are just the bearer of bad news for me today, dude! I love the input though, thanks for helping me out. I'll keep looking for alternatives then, hopefully i can find something before i run out (or before my mod commits suicide as you said in my other post).

2 points
 
by EdibleMalfunctionalmost 7 years ago

Wish I could send you a spare mod!

11 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Thanks man, that means a lot. I love the vaping community here on reddit, you guys are amazing. With any luck, One day I'll be in the states enjoying some of these mouth-watering flavors i'm always reading about on this sub! Some of these sound better than anything I've eaten here in the past year and you guys just INHALE the stuff! LOL.

2 points
 
by rainman_104almost 7 years ago

I don't know if this is allowed, but I'm here in Canada and I have a voopoo drag I'm happy to donate to you. Works fine still, and I just don't use it because I bought a lost vape.

If you want it pm me. I'm happy.to just send it to you for the cost of shipping.

I have an rda I don't use either I'll toss in too. It's an ijoy combo rda. Decent enough rda.

Also just making sure you're an adult. I won't ship to kids.

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Pm'd! Also, yes I'm an adult about to be thirty who just quit smoking due to a decade-early midlife crisis.

Irrelevant FYI, however, legal age for tobacco here is 16! Not even enforced. Not surprising seeing what Cuba's famous for.

But yeah I got id bro.

1 points
 
by overridetwelvealmost 7 years ago

Hello, can't you order from nearby countries ? Lets say Jamaica ? Shipping shouldn't be very expensive since it's really close. Also you mentioned that you don't have credit card, perhaps you can install Revolut app on your phone ? It is like a bank, but without physical offices. In the app you can create multiple virtual credit cards and use them as payment. They are real Visa or Mastercard and are way better and more secure than physical cards anyway, that's what I use.

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

but how would i put money in the app?

1 points
 
by overridetwelvealmost 7 years ago

Can you do a bank transfer ?

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

i'm not sure if the cuban bank even allows that kind of transaction. I'll have to double check tomorrow, because as far as i know, the Cuban bank is just a place to keep your cash and take it back out. There's no credit, no loans, not even interest as far as i know. I'll check that out in the morning because it's actually a very good idea. Not sure about the nearby countries shipping here, however, i'll have to email some of the shops on a list someone gave me higher in the thread and see how that might work.

1 points
 
by penatbateralmost 7 years ago

If you have access to post mail, you can buy from chefs flavours. Afaik, they ship to most places. Check with your tattoo artist, as the vg we use are usp grade.

1 points
 
by rainman_104almost 7 years ago

Stupid question. Cuba does have trade with Canada. Can you order juice from Canada? Or is the importation prohibited?

2 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

I'm sure it's not prohibited, the problem is credit cards, which we don't have here. Most of us don't even open bank accounts, because there are very little benefits to it besides keeping it from potential thieves, and then every time you need some cash it's a hassle to go to the bank and stand in line.

I feel terrible that all these wonderful people are trying to help me figure out a way to find a supplier and I have to nit-pick all the reasons why I can't do that, unfortunately that's how it is here all day every day haha just an ever growing list of things we can't do because reasons.

1 points
 
by rainman_104almost 7 years ago

Prepaid credit card? That's about the only way I think which is unfortunate.

What are the juice laws? Are you allowed to import?

1 points
 
by garamasalaalmost 7 years ago

Do you have aerocasillas there? Or aeropost

2 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

I asked around and nobody knows what that is lol even Google shrugged at me and bounced

2 points
 
by garamasalaalmost 7 years ago

It's a mailbox service used in a lot of Latin America. You are assigned a mailbox in Miami where you can send stuff to and then this company ships it privately to their office in your country. Looks like it's not available in Cuba though.

1 points
 
by mznstralmost 7 years ago

I tried this in the past when I didn't know anything about mixing and was a poor student. It didn't work out, I have just had a super bad throat hit and the stuff was barely evaporating. I also destroyed the coils in a cheap 3$ chinese pen vape.

Also, why would you want to vape, when you have cigars?!

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

I can buy cigars here (lower end) for 1 peso (about 5¢ American) but that was always too much flavor for me. Cigarettes are also relatively cheap at around 50¢ a pack for the good stuff (unfiltered) which was a big reason it's been hard to drop the habit till I discovered the beauty of the vape. Been a cigarette fiend for about 13 years now and had to stop because it was creating problems with my marriage but the addiction is strong, especially with the excellent quality of the cuban unfiltered H.Upmanns hehe

1 points
 
by propoualmost 7 years ago

Could you start importing and make a business out of this, Great opportunity I would say.

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

I could, but then I'd also have to import the Vapes! And honestly I don't have that investment power right now. It really could be a huge thing if you could find a way to get the cheapest ones. Though many people here have family in the states that send them money periodically, the majority do not, and blowing 20 or 30 dollars when they could just spend about 7 pesos (about $0.26) for a pack sounds insane to them. Not to mention then they'd have to buy the juice and batteries.

It still may be profitable if you can target the more well-off.

1 points
 
by propoualmost 7 years ago

That's very true, didn't even register because stinkies are like 30 aud a pack (about 21 usd) per pack thanks to tax hahaha.

​

​

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

There's your trade agreement right there! Hahahah

1 points
 
by poppadocsezalmost 7 years ago

Actually the price I mentioned is with recent taxes placed on cigarettes, back in the day cigarettes were subsidized heavily by the cuban govt and people even had a monthly quota they would receive, in addition to coffee, Rum, and all manner of household food and items. This was at the height of the Soviet Union so I hear things were pretty good back then. Not so much now, of course. I never saw a single benefit from the era hahaha

Site copyright © 2025 DIY Compendium. Data courtesy of Reddit.