A letter to HR

[Mach10X]

Here's a copy of the letter I'm writing to HR to make them aware of vaping and the benefits. I'm also trying to assure them that despite the FDA fearmongering they truly are a safe and healthy alternative for smokers. Please comment on edits you would make or info you would add or take out form this letter.

To Human Resources,

I just wanted to make you aware of devices known as electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). E-cigs are more correctly called Personal Vaporizers (PV's). These devices are a safe alternative to smoking tobacco products, they contain no tobacco, no ignition source, no odor, and are approved for use in areas where smoking is prohibited such as on airplanes and in restaurants. No lingering smoke or vapor is left behind, the "smoke" exhaled is a short lived water vapor (like clouds). These devices deliver a flavored nicotine solution via an atomizer and battery to the user, the exhaled vapor is simply water vapor from the lungs. The main ingredient is propylene glycol which is used in hospital injections, food flavorings, and beauty products. Propylene Glycol is considered very safe by the FDA. Please note that the FDA has recently attacked electronic cigarettes due to the tiny traces of TSNA (tobacco specific nitrosamines). These were detected since nicotine is derived from tobacco and the fact that the apparatus used to detect these TSNA's are extremely sensitive able to detect as little as 1 part per billion. All nicotine replacements such as the patch and nicotine gum contain the same tiny traces. Nitrosamines at these levels are found in all kinds of FDA approves products such as beer and bacon and are not considered a health risk. Many believe the FDA is villanizing e-cig simply due to the pressures of Big Tobacco and Big Pharmacy as e-cigs are a legitimate threat to the tobacco and pharmaceutical comapanies' nicotine replacement therapies (which are very ineffective). The success rate for e-cigs is around 60% where the patch and gum have only around a 1.6% success rate. The FDA found traces of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) in one of the nicotine solutions and began fear-mongering the population stating that DEG is a component of antifreeze (so is water and propylene glycol which are 100% safe for food uses). DEG is approved by the FDA in the trace amounts found in some nicotine solutions and poses no risk to the user. Even if significant quantities were found, no DEG would be exhaled by the user.

Be rest assured that the approval of the use of Personal Vaporizers at our call center are as safe as drinking water and stand to vastly improve the health of current smokers as a safe and sustainable alterative to tobacco products.

For more info about the recent FDA scare please refer to the following press release: Prominent Public Health Physicians and Tobacco Researchers Expose Double Standard in the FDA's Recent Study of Electronic Cigarettes and Challenge the FDA's Alarmist Attitude Toward the Devices

 

[framitz]

Why create FUD where it isn't needed? I would not send this to HR.

 

[souporvapor]

Hi Mach10x
Great idea - and important to be clear with your information.

Might not be a good idea to include...
"and are approved for use in areas where smoking is prohibited such as on airplanes and in restaurants.
No lingering smoke or vapor is left behind, the "smoke" exhaled is a short lived water vapor (like clouds). "

Personally I'd be really careful of making 'statements' claiming facts that are not completely true. You are opening the proverbial 'can of worms' when you claim they are approved in places which they are not.

Your letter also says the vapor is water vapor from the lungs...
often the person vaping does not totally inhale into the lungs - and we have no proof that what 'comes out' is indeed void of any and all components of 'what went in'.

The letter is a good idea
and making sure it includes acurate information is important to be taken seriously.

Focusing on what can be proven may give you the best benefit, even if it means you can't vape at your desk.


a bit of rewriting and you could be good to 'send'

 

[ratthevol]

The only way I would send a letter to HR about e-cigs is if they (the company) banned them. As far as I am concerned the best course of action is to discreetly Vape wherever you want. If something isn't on their radar there is no need to make a judgement for or against it.

 

[BARENETTED]

I wouldn't send that letter. You may stir up trouble where there is none.
You may force them to make a decision and that decision my not be in your favor. Just do it discreetly.

I am fortunate. I vape in work - but I have an 'office alternative' - it is a very large cube with very high walls and a door. My boss and some other people know that I do, but I do not walk around with it in my hand or mouth. I try not to call attention to it.

I also work very closely with the Senior HR Manager(she is a smoker). She knows I vape and has no objections to it, as long as no one else raises an objection.

On a positive note, she did inform me there have been a few articles about it in trade and benefit publications. The articles are 'middle of the road' as to allowing it or not. The good thing is that it is being discussed.

 

[Mach10X]

Thanks for the advice. My HR manager is a nice person, and I wasn't planning on asking for a definitive decision but I see now how it may force her hand to make a decision prematurely when one was not necessary. I'm a bit of a planner myself and I could foresee others having an issue and coming to her with complaints, I was hoping to be preemptive and provide the positive point of view first...first impressions being the most important rather than having a negative complaint be the first impression and having to explain it after the fact.

 

[NY JETS]

If someone complains to HR about your vaping at work and mentions the FDA mumbojumbo they saw on the news, sending this letter after your employer prohibits vaping will not overturn their decision.

I would send it before that happened. People tend to complain about everything at work for some reason.

 

[souporvapor]

Yup-
my brain kicked in here... I work at home so 'my boss' always lets me vape when I want.

As others have said, it's easy enough to be 'discreet'. Take a vape - hold it, exhale in a manner that doesn't include 'vape' rings in the non-smokers' faces or billowing clouds of wasted vape/juice.

Maybe having your 'talking points' - or letter ready if you need them would be best. Remember vaping is not like smoking, so co-workers won't 'smell' smoke
and unless you make a point of being obvious about it ....

The key is that yes - there are some places which are making rules against vaping so being polite and aware that in some cases it's 'banned' just so smokers don't get 'upset'.

30 years of smoking
Vaporized by my Screwdriver!

 

[Mach10X]

I'm a techie, working at a technical support call center. Our cube walls are high enough that you can't see the vapor easily. I went ahead and sent the letter before I left work tonight. There's about 3-4 of us that have taken up e-cigarettes. I think quite a few more are going to try switching as soon as the next paycheck comes in as I've been talking it up and giving demonstrations. I've talked with 4 of the managers about it and they're all cool with it (2 of them are smokers). But I'm a bit scared to tell the head boss about it (he's a smoker) since he would be the one that can completely ban it.

Being geeks makes vaping much more enticing for many smokers at work. We're all technical wizards and like showing off gadgets, everyone I've shown including non-smokers have usually reacted with ! "That's SO awesome!"