VRushVapes.com
Officer Bandy, promoting his pre-workout vape.
A New Haven cop has come up with a new business venture peddling a product aimed at athletes wary of bloating caused by dietary supplements. The pitch: Smoke before you hit the gym.
That cop is Jason Bandy.
When not working as a New Haven police officer (or podcasting a range of QAnon anti-government conspiracy theories), Bandy serves as the founder and owner of V‑Rush Vapes, a company that purports to sell “the world’s first vape-delivered pre workout.”
His company bills the product as perfect for gym rats who want the “boost in energy, endurance, focus and muscle pumps” associated with more common pre-workout pills or powders that are typically loaded with caffeine. V‑Rush, according to the marketing, provides that same jolt with no associated bloating or indigestion.
The V‑Rush Vapes website promises that its products are sugar-free, calorie-free, nicotine-free, THC-free, and “B.S.-free”.
Vaping, the inhaling of vapors created by electronic cigarettes, has been targeted by politicians and public health experts in recent years for reigniting a public health crisis among youth by offering a new, flavorful route to nicotine addiction.
Bandy’s company claims that V‑Rush Vapes has nothing to do with nicotine or THC — but instead is all about facilitating a smooth, comfortable, energetic workout.
According to the Secretary of the State’s business registration database, Bandy founded the limited liability company in 2018, is currently the principal of the company, and runs it out of his house in East Haven.
A review of the company’s website and social media feeds on Facebook and Instagram show that Bandy is an avid and dedicated booster of his side business, frequently promoting a “Back to the Gym Stimulus Sale” and even winning a recent interview on a YouTube channel called RxMuscle — The Truth in Bodybuilding. That interview video alone, in which the bodybuilder host endorses the product, has racked up nearly 11,000 views so far.
On the V‑Rush Vapes website, one can buy a Pre Workout Cartridge with Ego‑T Vaporizer Pen w/ battery charger ($24.99, marked down from $54.99), a V‑Rush Vape Pre Workout Cartridge ($19.99, market down from $44.99), as well as company-branded swag, like V‑Rush Logo Leggings ($40) and V‑Rush Vapes Logo Short Sleeve Unisex T‑Shirt ($25).
The site also offers some insight on the company’s founding, tips on vaping for people who may be unfamiliar with the practice, and an explanation of what’s in these things anyway.
“V‑Rush was born when Jason, long-time fitness enthusiast could not find a pre-workout in the market that works for himself without upsetting his digestive system,” the company’s backstory begins. “Through his own research,” Bandy discovered that the culprit might be “harmful additive and fillers” in more common powder pre-workout supplements.
So he set out to start his own company and build his own product that solved that problem of pre-workout bloat.
The site claims that a team of “scientists and athletes” came up with the resulting concoction, which is “manufactured in FDA-approved facilities in USA!”
Some of the ingredients listed on the site include Agmatine Sulfate (“Helps to promote healthy insulin sensitivity, promoting leanness and muscle building.), Citrulline Malate (“This in turn has benefits like increasing blood flow, oxygen transportation and nutrient uptake, as well as assisting muscle functions for improved output and growth.”), and L‑Tryosine (“A popular dietary supplement used to improve alertness, attention and focus.”)
The site features a handful of positive customer reviews, including one from someone with the Instagram handle @allmyhty.
“Awesome product man,” the customer wrote, “it’s a weird energy at first cuz the liquids hit you differently, almost like u know what to expect, with the vape it’s like I had super powers I didn’t know about lol”.
Bandy declined to be interviewed by the Independent.
OMG! Crazy, irresponsible.