The whole "Kids!" thing...

[TheJakeBailey]

This isn't directed at any one post/poster, just additional thoughts. Regardless of what some think, and I'm by no means obsessed with it, we are in a battle. When it's all said and done, nobody is going to get everything they want, and everybody will be somewhat unhappy with the outcome. That's often the result of our democracy. You can't just ignore the ANTZ, because they certainly are NOT going to ignore us. I already have an addiction, and this is the only thing that has worked for me. If you take that way from most of us, the repercussions are going to be pretty severe. If you take it away from a kid, they will just move on to the next self destructive fad. They won't even blink an eye.

 

[tonyorion]

This is not about kids (=minors) following a new trend. This is not about kids being any more rebellious or obnoxious than my generation (actually, this generation is a bunch of wimps compared to mine: anti-war, anti-draft, women's lib, anti-segregation, {OTHER STUFF}, flower power. This generation is rather docile in comparison).

This is about my rights to use ecigs as a spectacularly successful smoking cessation therapy vs. a minor's rights to be trendy. I was a 1.5 pack/day Red smoker and tried everything to quit. It will be 4 years for me in April.

My right to vape and buy "stuff" relatively unimpeded by any legislation is being seriously threatened by the incredible proliferation of ecig usage by minors. I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT A MINOR'S RIGHT TO SELF EXPRESSSION. Let them pay their dues by going through the maturation process the way every generation has.

When will the vaping community and the ex-smokers in particular realize that we are a minority and kids vaping is really ticking off the majority?

I blame the B&M's for this unethical expression of capitalism. No adult in his/her right mind would pay the ludicrous prices of the B&M's when they have a credit card and can buy online for far less. Their market is a youth, all cash payment market. Just walk into a B&M with open eyes to see that.

More importantly, I blame the cloud chasing sub-ohm craze as being the biggest threat to my right to be smoke free. Sub ohming has the potential to be very dangerous not only to the users but to those around them.

The tide of public opinion is turning against us. Brats blowing annoying clouds in public and starting a debate about the long term dangers of second hand vape is one thing.

Now, you are adding a danger which leaves no room for debate since the effect is immediate and gory.

So, take your platitudes and stuff them. You are messing up my life. I would have backed any legislation that prevents the sale and usage of ecigs to minors.

Unfortunately, it's too late for that. Any new anti-vaping legislation will be far more draconian.

 

[Jarbs]

if you can sign up for the military, who gives a care what else you can do.

 

[rurwin]

Kids are going to do anything they like, no matter what we tell them or how hard we try to stop them. The dangers of smoking do not become clear until twenty or thirty years down the road. Right now the evidence is that vaping is harmless and nicotine is about as bad as caffeine, but we're only a few years in and we're learning more about it every day. To my mind it is right and prudent to restrict sales to minors until the results are in. On the other hand schools may want to make it harder for kids to smoke and relatively easier for them to vape.

I don't agree with vaping in class though. Like eating and chewing, not vaping in class is not the lesson being taught. It is about appropriate activities in appropriate situations and respect for those around you.

 

[Revelene]

I kinda agree with what you are saying... When I see 18 year old's, that have never smoked, vaping nic juice, I always wonder why they want to subject themselves to getting hooked on nicotine. I wish that I never was addicted to nicotine and I would save even more money that could go towards other more important things. Though, they are of age to make that decision even if it may be a poor one in our eyes. I'm 22 years old. Started smoking due to friends and parties when I was 15. Quit smoking last year, thanks to these things, and have been lowering my nic percentage ever since. So far, I'm down to about 6mg (thanks to sub-ohm, high wattage) and plan on going down to 3 or 4mg very soon. It makes me feel uneasy as well when I see someone that never smoked before getting 18-24mg juice... Luckily, there is nothing highly negative about nic that science has found out as of yet (just like caffeine) and at least they are not doing drugs... hopefully.

 

[twgbonehead]

This is where you and I fundamentally differ in that respect.

Most people (older generation) use this as a means to beat cigarettes.

Most youngsters are just out for the latest fad or want a portable hookah. They're no where near being affected by long-term tobacco use. Once you hit thirty and your lungs feel like they're about to cave in, it all makes sense. These kids are in it only for the "head shop" scene.

Rocket,

I do see where you're coming from. But I started smoking cigarettes because I liked the nicotine buzz. (The worst part about the cigarette scam is that you stop getting the buzz once you start smoking regularly!!!!) I would have greatly preferred that I started vaping instead (although it wasn't invented yet).

Perhaps instead of trying to convince them to go 0 nic, you could stock some Atomic Fireball and Habanero Pepper juices (which happened, as it were, to be 0 nic) and push the "macho dudes can handle this stuff" kind of angle. (Well, you're going to have to adjust the language to something from this century, but you get the idea).

 

[twgbonehead]

Actually on second thought can we just make them all move to California? It's already a nanny state anyway. Especially San Francisco where they decided to ban toys in Happy Meals and are now considering giving out [edited] addicts!!!

I heard they were planning to cut out the middleman.

[edited] in every Happy Meal!

 

[olderthandirt]

...

I hate that I'm a curmudgeon, I just don't know what to do with myself.

...

Funny stuff, understandable concerns but funny stuff all the same.

This ol' codger sez embrace yer curmudgeon-ness Rocket.
It'll serve ya well and also allow ya to say things like "Get off my lawn" with feeling!

(-;

 

[Vermonster13]

Anyone else here ever smoke real Clove cigs? Can't get them anymore because of the flavor ban. I like my flavored juices. I've never been a tobacco flavor person and never will be. YouTube vids glamorize vaping and a lot of kids live on the Tube. This bodes ill for us and well for BT.

 

[twgbonehead]

I was in a vape shop yesterday that is just a block from the high school. While I was browsing, a couple of kids came in inquiring about prices on starter kits and both times, they were told to come back when they turned 18. One said he would just have his older brother come by later and pick one up. kuddos to the vape shop!!
It was so much easier when I was a kid, you could get smokes from a cigarette machine and they were in a lot of places unattended. Just plop your coins in(yes, smokes were so cheap, coins would get a pack) and you were smoking in a few minutes. And if I remember correctly, some even plopped out a pack of matches with the smokes.

I liked the machines that had a separate button, "Press here for matches". (Would work one time only after each pack purchase) Since nobody usually did, you could just walk up to a machine and get a free pack of matches pretty much every time.

 

[Rocketpunk]

I've read all the replies and I've come to the conclusion the problem is with me. I'm just getting old and crotchety. Sigh. Soon I'll have to pee at every rest stop during road trips. If I drop stuff now, I have to debate whether or not it's worth picking up. I hate getting old.

 

[Ohms Lawbreaker]

Get the average kid alone and he ain't too bad, polite and respectful. Put a bunch of those average kids together and look out. But adults at sporting events often behave the same way.

Kid (no, a high school age young man) standing in line at convenience store opens his candy and drops the wrapper right on the floor at his feet. I say, "Hey, come on, man, pick that up. Do you just drop your garbage anywhere at home?" He picks it up with a dirty look, pays the cashier and storms out. Cashier smiles and thanks me. Maybe I did that as a kid but would have deserved correction.

 

[Enoch777]

It's not because they want to quit smoking. It's because all their friends are doing it. Evidentally, a local school here allows vaping if it's zero nic. In class. I don't think this is wise.

That's FUBAR. That administration needs to be fired. These kind of things hurt us, the adult vapers. Alright, sure, 18 - yea they're adults. They can do it if they want.

Should they be allowed to do it in school? HECK NO! Not even on the property man... that's just messed up. Tsk tsk.

 

[sean5340]

I'm glad that this thread was started. I have a soon to be 16 year old daughter that wants to start vaping. She doesn't vape now. Due to the internet and social media she knows as much if not more than I do about vaping and gear. She told me that she's saving money for a Nemesis/Nimbus combo. That information did not come from me. What I'm getting at is that the info is out there. If they want to vape they are going to vape. If vaping deters her from smoking tobacco I don't have a problem with it. BTW she is not interested in using nicotine. That may change over time but is still ten fold better than smoking. Just my opinion.

I forgot to add that I'm not in favor of vaping in class. Class is for education and there shouldn't be any distractions.

 

[Deeo]

I don't get upset when i see teens using ecigs. I know a lot of teens that have switched from smoking to the ecig. However i do have pet peeves about teens showing off with them on youtube showing tricks etc. I get upset with these videos because ecigs are not cool, anything to do with smoking is not cool. I wish i never started smoking and having to vape to get off smokes and still have a habit of hand to mouth etc. I wish i never had any of these problems. I feel that kids who never smoked are being lead to believe that ecigs are cool (from other teens) when they are not.

I am glad to be a vapor but only to be off the cigarettes. I don't enjoy being an addict to nicotine nor hooked on the habit of hand to mouth for relaxation.

Oh and no ecigs should be allowed in school. This is wrong on so many levels. Some kids will feel peer pressure and others who would never have touched a smoke may start vaping to only start nicotine later. Kids are very impressionable. Ecigs are safer but the more we can keep kids off this hand to mouth habit the better.

Vaping i feel is for ex smokers or for people who would have started the cigarettes to have an alternative. Not to be cool or the feeling of needing to "fit in".

 

[Myrany]

THe school that allows vaping in class is just MIND = BOGGLE. What ARE they thinking. Talk about playing into the hands of ANTZ!

As for "kids". I admit the maturity level of the average 18 year old can be difficult to take but for a great many thing in most of this country they are classified as ADULTS. Some of us might wish it were otherwise but they are. As such barring any law that sets the age higher it is not for us to judge.

They can risk getting killed in the military at 18 without an adults permission so why not vape nic or no.

 

[Rocketpunk]

Growing up, my Mom, my grandmother, my grandfather, my aunts and uncles, they all parted wisdom to me. They told me what was wise and what was not. It was up to me to choose. Occasionally, I chose wisely, other times I did not. And I had to deal with the consequences. I had no idea how annoying I was to others. I am being paid back for all the karma I dumped onto other people.

But yes, teenagers in large groups are nightmares. I get the same feeling when they come in as when sharks approach you in the water hidden behind murk and shadows.

EDIT: It's a local school, here. We get a TON of students. I'll have to find out the name. It's not a trade school, it's a real school. This is a bomb waiting to go off.

 

[Myrany]

Growing up, my Mom, my grandmother, my grandfather, my aunts and uncles, they all parted wisdom to me. They told me what was wise and what was not. It was up to me to choose. Occasionally, I chose wisely, other times I did not. I had no idea how annoying I was to others. I am being paid back for all the karma I dumped onto other people.

But yes, teenagers in large groups are nightmares. I get the same feeling when they come in as when sharks approach you in the water hidden behind murk and shadows.

You have my utmost commiseration on it. I used to teach High School.

 

[Revelene]

This talk about high school is kinda funny... I would always sneak out of class and smoke in the bathroom (smokin' in the boys room, hehe).

 

[Myrany]

This talk about high school is kinda funny... I would always sneak out of class and smoke in the bathroom (smokin' in the boys room, hehe).

We had a smoking balcony provided by the school where students and teachers could smoke. This was in the late 70s early 80s