What Do You Tell People Is In The Vapor?

[beecee]

Just need something quick to tell people in public. I like the "water vapor and flavoring, no harmful smoke or chemicals" type answer.

But saying water vapor would be a lie

"propylene glycol" chained very fast with "the same stuff as in Asthma inhalors"

works great! and takes about the same amount of time saying "water vapor and flavoring, no harmful smoke or chemicals"

[kristin]

I have yet to find an asthma inhaler with PG. Trust me - I looked, trying to find supporting evidence.

It's definitely not "steam" nor "water vapor" and you don't want to be lying.

I say, "It's NOT smoke. Nothing is burning. It's just a little nicotine and food flavoring in propylene glycol, which the FDA says is safe for human use."

If they press it, I say it's the same stuff McCormick's uses to make it's vanilla flavoring.

[beecee]

I have yet to find an asthma inhaler with PG. Trust me - I looked, trying to find supporting evidence.

I felt the same way when I heard about that but a quick google search led me to some references

http://www................/pg.html

Danger of Inhaling Propylene Glycol | eHow.com
(talks about the dangers but mentions the inhalers

Even used in eye drop solution, which is odd...hiv medication even?

I'm not an expert though, just a googler and don't claim that my findings are based on anything more than a couple of hours of googling and reading.



Another thing I usually say is "It's the same thing they use in smoke machines at concerts and haunted houses...and that's been around forever"
If they argue that's not safe I reply "Surely they wouldn't put it in there and make children and adults ill?" Then they would reply "My names not Shirley"

[Mammal]

Smork!

So far everyone's been amused and/or encouraging me to do it indoors, in the car, or otherwise constantly (this is not helpful!). My avoid-boring-them-to-death explanation has thus been "Propylene glycol, like the pet-safe antifreeze but they use it in food and stuff. Like half a drop." If it goes on I guess the next bit is "Yeah, it's the same stuff they use in smoke machines, but a lot less of it."

I'm not going to claim it's completely harmless when I have no idea what remains in 'tobacco absolute,' so if their eyes haven't glazed over I give them the full scoop - "There's usually some tobacco in it right now, for flavor, or at least they're getting the nicotine from it, but at least I skip the carbon monoxide and they might be able to clean it up further."

Which gets me asked to blow some in their face, which I consider a breach of etiquette ('you think this means I didn't have onion at lunch because why?'), and if I oblige they tend to comment on how they can't smell it.

...Of course, some of these same people couldn't tell I smoked despite obvious signals, so this is not a highly sensitive sample. And people are oddly inclined to believe pet-safe antifreeze is perfectly safe, even though it's only ever been labeled as 'maybe won't make them keel over after one lick.'

[kristin]

I felt the same way when I heard about that but a quick google search led me to some references

http://www................/pg.html

Danger of Inhaling Propylene Glycol | eHow.com
(talks about the dangers but mentions the inhalers

Even used in eye drop solution, which is odd...hiv medication even?

I'm not an expert though, just a googler and don't claim that my findings are based on anything more than a couple of hours of googling and reading.



Another thing I usually say is "It's the same thing they use in smoke machines at concerts and haunted houses...and that's been around forever"
If they argue that's not safe I reply "Surely they wouldn't put it in there and make children and adults ill?" Then they would reply "My names not Shirley"

Classic Airplane line!

Anyhow, your first link didn't work.

The second link - ehow - isn't exactly an authority and I saw that during my research. It may have been used in the past, but looking up the ingredients lists of asthma inhalers in use today showed none with PG in the ingredients list. so it must have been old-school inhalers and is no longer used today. (Athough, it MAY be in generic inhalers, but it's impossible to find their ingredients list - so someone who has one would have to speak up.) It IS in asthma oral medication, I found. I couldn't find any inhaled medications with PG in their ingedients list - which I searched for hours to find.

But you're right about the fake smoke thing. I used to say that (still do sometimes) but fake smoke irritates a lot of people's lungs and/or sinuses, so it's not the best example - especially since the fake smoke has other additives, which I think is what causes that bad smell & irritation.

[OutWest]

When I'm using ecig in public and asked about it, my reply depends on the situation (if either of us are in hurry or only briefly meeting, etc.) But, I tell 'em "the same stuff that's in fog machines, propylene glycol, (I sometimes add, "which is also in asthma inhalers and some IV meds"), nicotine, and food-grade flavoring. Even though it looks like smoke when I exhale, it's actually fog machine vapor (or similar wording)."

If person is truly interested, I give them the full scoop, including the bit about there being trace amount of nitrosamines that are pulled over during the nicotine extraction process, which are also in the patch and gum.

Shortest answer I've ever given: "it's my inhaler".

The most recent curiosity look I got was the other night from a cop, when I was walking towards his direction and took a drag off of it (black unit, blue led), but he didnt ask about it.

[MikeDeason]

I think I'm just going smile and say "Google it"

I'm getting asked every 20 seconds when I Vape Up in public.

I got frustrated today and told an obnoxious lady with a screaming kid that it was "an emission 100 times more deadly than traditional cigarette smoke, designed for the specific purpose of giving her kid a sore throat so it would shut the hell up"

[Shortstuff116]

Kristin and others, you may want to try doing a search on the Google "Scholar" Beta which I find provides more information that you may find useful. I did one search propylene glycol medical inhaler and found quite a few interesting articles and studies.

[kristin]

Kristin and others, you may want to try doing a search on the Google "Scholar" Beta which I find provides more information that you may find useful. I did one search propylene glycol medical inhaler and found quite a few interesting articles and studies.

I'll check it out - thanks!

[blah]

I just tell inquisitors that the emission is made out of peace, love, and rainbows. That seems to content them....

j/k


I usually just tell them that it is a combination of a vegetable extract, nicotine, and flavoring.

I wouldn't mention anything that even remotely sounded like a "chemical" name. Your average person will either stop listening and/or just freak out.


Chastise people for ingesting Dihydrogen monoxide on a daily basis and see how they react..