Vaping and the Police

[shelzmike]

So I realize that as of right now E-Cigarettes are not banned outright in the US (though unfortunately there are uneducated jerks who are doing whatever it takes to have that happen). Anyway, when I first started vaping, I was in the car and my teenage son looked at me and said "Dad, it looks like you are smoking {OTHER STUFF}". That got me to thinking, while obviously I am not I will agree that from afar I suppose it could look like that (save no lighter of course). Additionally, I would venture to guess that in many places, like the rural town I live in, most people including law enforcement have no idea what a PV is or looks like.

When I drive my daughter to school each morning, I have to drive by the sheriff's department and today I happened to be taking a puff on my EVOD and there was a Sheriff's deputy pulling out from the parking lot. He initially was turning left based on his signal but then as he saw me and I passed by, he changed course and pulled out behind me and followed me all the way to her school then passed by slowly as I turned into the school. Nothing happened and he didn't pull me over or anything but it got me wondering how many of us have been pulled over because the police thought we were smoking {OTHER STUFF}?

I am in VA so currently it is not illegal to smoke in the car with kids (though the law is on the table) and vaping is still widely accepted so the only reason I could think of for getting pulled over would be simply because of looks. Granted I am not worried about getting pulled over bc I am not doing anything wrong, but I just don't feel like dealing with the hassle nor dealing with the cops at all.

So, what have been your experiences?

Mike

 

[potholerepairman]

hello mike,When seeing officers while vaping back in 09(when I started, it was really odd) they were curious and loved to see what it was all about.I would say hi and let em know and thank them for checking it out and had good experiences all around.Hoping your officers are just trying to be good to your community which is my belief, I would take the hard look(by the officer) as looking out for your daughter.Its hard to get to thinking that when doing something new I know.One added issue you have(2014) is with others using vaping for non legal reasons, that part sucks,good luck.

 

[Craybee]

it's high time for public educational campaign about vaping before things get out of hand and we're forced back into the arms of big tobaccy. basically we need vaping PR and we're not really getting that, so the public at large is just believing what whatever anti-vapites tell them.

 

[cocacola31173]

I would love for the police to pull me over. They need to be educated to what they look like. I hate that the same device I use can also be used to smoke drugs.

 

[chrisj3982]

I got pulled over the other night, the officer asked to see my MVP, checked it out, said I've never seen one that looks like this and handed it back to me


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[Sue1971]

My husband is a police officer, They know what they are

 

[mikonei]

My boyfriend and I actually did get pulled over for vaping. We went to check out a shop that was almost an hour away since we had heard about how great it was. We both picked up new mods, tanks, juices. On the way we had seen what looked like an awesome pet shop. Being crazy cat people we stopped in to see what they carried. After parking we dorked out, opening our new mods and puffing away for a few minutes. We spent about a half hour in the store. As soon as we left the parking lot, we were pulled over. As the cops walked up to the car, approaching on both sides, they unclipped their gun holsters, which I had never seen them do. My boyfriend had to get out of the car and was patted down while I calmly explained that we were using vaporizers and that it was nothing but nicotine. He had me show him what we had bought, and after a good 15 minutes we were sent on our way.

They told us they had gotten a call about two people smoking something in a car. Not being drug users, we hadn't thought about what it would look like to people outside the car. We were trying out new toys that were bought a block away. Haha. We aren't going to stop vaping because of one incident, but we are a little more aware of how it might be perceived.

Edited to add:
It also depends on the cop. My neighbor is a cop and loves that we switched. After she found out we had vaporizers she told us that when we used to go outside to smoke, she could smell it across the street, in her bedroom at the back of the house. And now we dork out with her husband, who also vapes.

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[tj99959]

I was giving the sales person at my favorite B&M a rash about walking away and leaving the cash drawer open. He turned and laughed and said "not worried, that's a cop standing in line behind you".
You would be surprised if you knew how many cops are vapers.

He probably wanted to see what mod you were using.

 

[2naphish]

i got rolled up on by not one but two undercover SUV's in Chapel Hill TN in a grocery store parking lot. they stared at me so i gave em' a quick wave a took a great big toot, locked my ring and slipped it in my cargo's... they moved on and we went shopping. my son commented when we got inside "i think you look just a bit too California for this town"... which made us both laugh. interestingly enough, the fastest growing B/M vaping shops in middle Tennessee are owned by a fellow who lives in that very town and started out as an online store..

i guess i didn't look dangerous enough to warrant any further investigation.

 

[3mg Meniere]

I took a proactive stance. I frequently go to the local Veterans Administration (spelled it out here!) for multiple reasons. I went to the security office, and gave an introductory talk about vaping to the officer, and asked him if it would be OK (their smoking huts stink). He went back to talk to another, and returned with the news, "Not for now. We don't want to waste our time exploring groundless complaints. Please wait for a while until we establish a policy." So I waited for a while, and about two months later, vaping became an acceptable practice.

 

[chanelvaps]

All the sheriffs in my town vape and go to the B&m I started at

 

[BostonVape]

I posted the same story in another thread but my friend got pulled over the other day for vaping.. the cop asked what it was and after her explanation spent 10 extra min asking about the benefits and where to get setup.. She gave him a card from a local vendor which helped backup her story.

Luckily this cop was probably a smoker or ex-smoker and was very nice and professional which clearly isn't the case with all.. This is why I always keep a couple vendor cards in my car just in case.

 

[shelzmike]

Nice. All great input. Like I said, I am not at all worried about it, just curious how it has been for others. I do agree that there is hardly ANY PR (good, educational PR) on vaping - at least not anyone around here. In a way, I feel like I really want to get an educational and informative meeting together to talk at - to first and foremost give our own side of the story and also to potentially help other smokers who really know nothing about it a chance to get their lives back. Sounds kinda funny, but somewhat fitting I think, but our local Parks & Rec department holds many little "workshops" each Summer and promotes them with the citizens. I know them real well as I have been a youth soccer and baseball coach for them for years and years. Maybe I could set something up that way? Huh...that might just be what I do. Helps the cause and helps people.

Mike

 

[GreenEyesDon'tLie]

I've gotten plenty of funny looks from law enforcement, and have been pulled twice using Ego-style PVs. Pretty painless both times ("You know those e-cigs they sell at 7-11? Same thing, just bigger."), but if I was using a mod it would have been more trouble. LEOs here aren't too interested in learning about vaping, so I just stick to my old cig-a-like batteries with nano clearos when I go out for my own sanity.

It's rural suburbs and there are maybe 3 other serious vapers in town (2 of them I converted), and a small (but growing) handful of people using disposables and cheap cig-a-likes. There's progress, but it's going to be very slow progress.

 

[Scott_Simpson]

I would love for the police to pull me over. They need to be educated to what they look like. I hate that the same device I use can also be used to smoke drugs.

What device are you using? What drugs can be "smoked" in it? While there are vaporizing devices made to be used with "herbal" substances, I don't know of any e-cig devices that can.

 

[jensy]

Nice. All great input. Like I said, I am not at all worried about it, just curious how it has been for others. I do agree that there is hardly ANY PR (good, educational PR) on vaping - at least not anyone around here. In a way, I feel like I really want to get an educational and informative meeting together to talk at - to first and foremost give our own side of the story and also to potentially help other smokers who really know nothing about it a chance to get their lives back. Sounds kinda funny, but somewhat fitting I think, but our local Parks & Rec department holds many little "workshops" each Summer and promotes them with the citizens. I know them real well as I have been a youth soccer and baseball coach for them for years and years. Maybe I could set something up that way? Huh...that might just be what I do. Helps the cause and helps people.

Mike

Fantastic idea Mike !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sue1971]

Just to let you all know, Back in 2010 when I first joined this site, this same topic came up. Personal vaporizers are really not that new.

 

[shelzmike]

Just to let you all know, Back in 2010 when I first joined this site, this same topic came up. Personal vaporizers are really not that new.

Depends a whole lot on the area...I can assure you that in my town they are very new (in a manner of speaking). I mean, I am a techie (IT director by trade) and consider myself to be on the up and up and didn't really know about PVs until about a year ago. I am not disagreeing with yo btw, just saying it depends on where you are at.

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[Iffy]

Early on in my vaping, had a local Sheriff deputy walk up to me at the local boat ramp and ask:

LEO - Had to come over and see what the heck that thing is you're puffin'?
Me (drinking a 'no-no in da park' beer) - Fancy electronic cigarette. (Buzz Pro w/DCT)
LEO - How's it work?
Me - (10 minute explanation and an ECF card later)
LEO - Some of my guys need to check into this. Thanx fer da info. Have a nice day!

Since I was sitting with some other local 'ramp rats', I think it was more curiosity than anything else. He was an older... errr... umm... experienced LEO and didn't project any suspicion; in other words, very pleasant.

Whenever I see an LEO, I intentionally imitate Mt. Vesuvius. Yet to get pulled over. But, if they ever ask, I'll educate. Oh, BTW, I'm retired and have da time to hold 'classes'.

 

[sonicdsl]

Please keep in mind folks the rules on mentioning illicit substances:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ation/255864-why-we-dont-allow-drug-talk.html