I had my first encounter today with someone whose view has been skewed by media coverage on the e-cig.
I stopped in at my local CVS to buy some nail decals to decorate my batteries and cartos with, since I wanted something unique and easy to tell my cartos apart at a glance. When I went to the counter, I looked over all of the tobacco and tobacco cessation products. I was able to look for a while, since there was a line.
When it was my turn at the checkout, I asked the clerk, "Have y'all heard of e-cigarettes?"
She laughed for a second and then told me how the news had recently run a story on how unhealthy they are and how they aren't even approved of in the U.S. She also informed me that the same station that ran the story had run tests and studies on a group of people, and how only one person of the study group had had any success in quitting tobacco. I was taken aback. Then I pulled out my Ego and showed it to her.
I explained that I had quit smoking tobacco, and that the Ego was why. I also asked her if the news story had explained how many chemicals tobacco had in it and what was inhaled once it was lit. She expressed real shock that cigarettes have over 4000 chemicals.
I still feel real consternation that the media paints e-cigs in such a terrible light without giving the other side of the story. As my tag line says, I would rather take my chances vaping than take my chances smoking. While I belittle no one for smoking (that would be rather hypocritical!), I am frankly disgusted at how ignorant people are of the potential life-saving benefits that e-cigarettes have. We have little positive exposure on what vaping actually does in the media... mostly (imho) due to negative hype surrounding the FDA's sadly miniscule testing and lack of regard for those of us who DO vape... Meaning they have not even gone into depth on how a large number of vapers feel about what they are doing.
Personally, I no longer feel any shame at all when I pull out my PV before walking into the store to take a quick vape before going inside, and I don't feel a whole lot of anxiety about how I smell or how my breath smells anymore when talking to people up close. When people give me the 'look' most smokers get from those that have never been there or have a holier-than-thou disposition, I merely grin at them now. I can breathe, I can taste, and I even have more energy. Terrible, awful things, these e-cigs, aren't they?
Shame on the media for not looking at this issue from both sides. Until we have a fair shake, I am afraid that ignorance and misconceptions will continue to rule the day.
I stopped in at my local CVS to buy some nail decals to decorate my batteries and cartos with, since I wanted something unique and easy to tell my cartos apart at a glance. When I went to the counter, I looked over all of the tobacco and tobacco cessation products. I was able to look for a while, since there was a line.
When it was my turn at the checkout, I asked the clerk, "Have y'all heard of e-cigarettes?"
She laughed for a second and then told me how the news had recently run a story on how unhealthy they are and how they aren't even approved of in the U.S. She also informed me that the same station that ran the story had run tests and studies on a group of people, and how only one person of the study group had had any success in quitting tobacco. I was taken aback. Then I pulled out my Ego and showed it to her.
I explained that I had quit smoking tobacco, and that the Ego was why. I also asked her if the news story had explained how many chemicals tobacco had in it and what was inhaled once it was lit. She expressed real shock that cigarettes have over 4000 chemicals.
I still feel real consternation that the media paints e-cigs in such a terrible light without giving the other side of the story. As my tag line says, I would rather take my chances vaping than take my chances smoking. While I belittle no one for smoking (that would be rather hypocritical!), I am frankly disgusted at how ignorant people are of the potential life-saving benefits that e-cigarettes have. We have little positive exposure on what vaping actually does in the media... mostly (imho) due to negative hype surrounding the FDA's sadly miniscule testing and lack of regard for those of us who DO vape... Meaning they have not even gone into depth on how a large number of vapers feel about what they are doing.
Personally, I no longer feel any shame at all when I pull out my PV before walking into the store to take a quick vape before going inside, and I don't feel a whole lot of anxiety about how I smell or how my breath smells anymore when talking to people up close. When people give me the 'look' most smokers get from those that have never been there or have a holier-than-thou disposition, I merely grin at them now. I can breathe, I can taste, and I even have more energy. Terrible, awful things, these e-cigs, aren't they?
Shame on the media for not looking at this issue from both sides. Until we have a fair shake, I am afraid that ignorance and misconceptions will continue to rule the day.
