anybody else shy of vaping ?

[hook425]

I use to be ashamed of smoking, now 3 months into vaping, I am very shy to pull out my PV. It is like admitting that you are a convicted addict and even though some poeple seem to think it is a good thing, I feel they think I am a freak... Am I alone in this case ?

 

[Zal42]

No, I'm very much the same way. It's amazing what years of being shamed can do to a person. I'm starting to get over it, but I still tend not to vape when anyone (except for smokers) is looking.

 

[etomic]

I think I can understand that but I feel more shy about vaping in front of smokers, I feel lesser to people who smoke. I wonder what my psychologist has to say about this lol.

 

[Rosco]

Nope. If anything, it's like admitting that I DON'T smoke.
I could care less what someone thinks. When I consider the source, it makes me laugh. It's quite sad ... when you actually consider the source of what we're talking about. What other people think about us not smoking. Really?

I wanted to quit smoking cigarettes. What "they" think means absolutely nothing to me. I did quit smoking cigarettes too and that's all that matters to me

 

[Stosh]

For me, vaping a large aluminum tube with a syringe body filled with wires and liquid sticking out of it is tough to hide, so why bother? Early on I hid my cigarette looking PV (no idea why?) but now vape as openly as I ever smoked.

 

[hiram13pm]

Nope. Not at all. I don't even think about it anymore, it's just a constant extension of my hand... I vape just about everywhere I go, and I hardly ever go too far out of my way to "stealth" it.

Mind you, I'm not being an ... about it... I don't blow huge plumes all over the place just to get a rise out of people. I just treat it as a normal, everyday thing... I've gotten tons of questions and no hassles in 9 months (has it really been 9 months? wow...). If I've gotten dirty looks, I didn't notice and wouldn't care if I did.

 

[emanguba]

Not shy, but mindful...I'm not vaping to show-off.

 

[Jennie O]

I was selective who I smoked around, same with vaping. My family is glad I quit smoking, and know I vape, but I still don't really do it openly. I could get through most family functions without smoking, same with vaping. My sons are glad I quit and I do it in front of them. I'll vape if I'm around smoking friends for sure. I have a banner on the windshield of my Jeep that says "It's a Jeep thing...you wouldn't understand"...I kind of feel that way about vaping too. But I am proud to talk about it if it comes up.

 

[Hogie]

I still have not had any encounters while vaping in public. I have only been vaping for 2 months so I have not been in many situations where it would come up. But, yesterday, I was at the mall and I must say I did feel a bit self-conscience about it. I was outside where the smokers go and they all pretty much ignored me. I was waitng for someone to say something to break the ice for me but, it never happened.

I did not vape while inside until we walked up to a kiosk that was selling ecigs (I had never been to one and was curious). My sweetie was with me and she smiled as we watched this guy doing his spiel trying to sell to a group of women. When he walked around the corner, I passed a card for FSUSA to one woman and told her "check this out. They are much less expensive here." The guy was vaping so I pulled mine out and vaped as well. My GF still laughs when she sees me vape. She thinks it is GREAT that I do not smoke anymore. She marvels at the device (I had my 510 with a cartomizer).

About the kiosk, all the ecigs he had were alike. Just different colors. Looked a lot like the 510 but the battery was shorter (bet that would be a pain....). No prices on anything. He also had bottles of juice but they did not tell the nic level in them. I wish that I had taken my eGo instead of the 510......that would have WOWed them! LOL

 

[N2rock]

About the kiosk, all the ecigs he had were alike. Just different colors. Looked a lot like the 510 but the battery was shorter (bet that would be a pain....). No prices on anything. He also had bottles of juice but they did not tell the nic level in them. I wish that I had taken my eGo instead of the 510......that would have WOWed them! LOL

Back in December I stopped at a mall kiosk- this was what got me initially looking into e-cigs. The prices were horrible- the least expensive starter package was $120 (looked like a basic 510 starter kit), and the packages went up to as high as $400 with the additions of carrying case, USB charger, a bunch of pre-filled carts, etc. I was so discouraged by those mall prices that I didn't even bother looking into it further. Then about a month later I decided to research some online, and was pleased to find out that the mall prices were not the "real" prices.

Funny- last week I was in Los Angeles on business. And almost every time I vaped, I would have someone walk up to me to talk about my vaping. And probably 50% of those that stopped to talk, had purchase e-cigs from the mall kiosks and then gave up because they didn't like the flavor or weren't getting enough nicotine, or didn't want to pay the high prices for refills (unaware that they could by the refills from someplace other than the mall kiosk). Many times when I informed them of all the variety of flavors and available nicotine levels, these people would say "Hmmmm, guess I should dig it out and give it another shot".

I really think the mall kiosks are doing more to damage this industry than they do to help build it.

 

[Bootsand]

I still don't vape where smoking is prohibited. I remember one time I was walking out of Walmart and began to vape while still in area where the carts are (not outside yet, but through the first double doors) and a woman made a pretty snide comment about me smoking indoors. I politely advised her what it was that I was doing and she seemed pretty embarrassed, but it was a very uncomfortable situation all around. Unless there is no one around, I now keep the vaping outside.

If I think no one is around, though, I'm pretty shameless, no matter what kind of building I'm in.

 

[Girl4givn]

I'm trying super hard to be proud of it, but I have found myself hiding it without even realizing I'm doing it. Of course, it probably doesn't help that my oldest daughter made a point to tell me I looked ridiculous sucking on it all the time.

I personally want as many people as possible to ask me what I'm doing. After two weeks, I feel like I have a new mission in life. That's what I'm trying to remember everytime I go somewhere. I swear, I don't ever want to be one of those ex-smokers who look down on smokers - sometimes I think ex-smokers are the worst. BUT, nothing would make me happier than to save another smoker the stigma, embarassment, and shame of being a smoker. It's okay when you go somewhere and you're one of many smokers who step outside, but it's horrible when you go to a get together and you're the ONLY one.

So on that note, even though I have gotten a couple of looks, I'm trying really hard to hold my head up and vape proudly. After all, I'm not a smoker anymore and I can't wait to tell people if they ask.

 

[Zal42]

After all, I'm not a smoker anymore and I can't wait to tell people if they ask.

I have problems calling myself a nonsmoker. I mean, I AM, I don't doubt that, but I've had several friends ask me if I quite smoking, and I always hesitate in my answer, hem and haw a little before muttering "yes." As much as I know I'm not smoking, I feel like I'm not being entirely truthful.

 

[Girl4givn]

I have problems calling myself a nonsmoker. I mean, I AM, I don't doubt that, but I've had several friends ask me if I quite smoking, and I always hesitate in my answer, hem and haw a little before muttering "yes." As much as I know I'm not smoking, I feel like I'm not being entirely truthful.

I know Zal. I feel the same way. Both of my girls informed me that I "haven't really quit". But technically, we're not smokers. We're vapers. There's no smoke anymore. I mean, someone using a nebulizer machine isn't a smoker, they are just having a drug delivered through vapor, right?

Yeah, I know. I'm reaching. I'll probably end up in the shrink's office before its all over.

 

[maureengill]

Zal,

I agree that I am finding it hard calling myself a non-smoker, but it's more because of the fear that came with 24 years of smoking and trying to quit so many times where I always went back...

I can't say I'm shy about vaping though....

I have problems calling myself a nonsmoker. I mean, I AM, I don't doubt that, but I've had several friends ask me if I quite smoking, and I always hesitate in my answer, hem and haw a little before muttering "yes." As much as I know I'm not smoking, I feel like I'm not being entirely truthful.

 

[markingold]

I personally wear it like a badge! I am not at all a shy person in any aspect, especially my vaping. I was ashamed of being a smoker however. I am proud to be a vaper. I would never be rude about it, but I do not hold back regardless of where I am. Because of this, I have had a few complaints by people who were confused. The movie theater for one.

I was at a large indoor concert (around 15,000 people), standing down by the stage with my wife and her friends, vaping my head off. Being 6'5", I tend to stick out in a crowd, especially around a bunch of girls. (I'm not going to say what concert it was!) I had a cop grab me by the shoulder and spin me around, and started grabbing at my shirt pockets. I calmly pulled out my PV, gave him a little explanation and demonstration, which was followed by an apology and some follow-up questions about where he could get one for his wife.

I look at public vaping as an excuse to have people question me, and an oppertunity to share the good news about switching to ecigs.

This is not meant to condemn anyone who is not as open with their vaping practices, because it's a personal decision. But I encourage everyone to be well enough informed, so that you are prepared to give intelligent answers to anyone who asks you about it.

--Mark

"Don't drip and drive"

 

[sonnetjie]

I hide my vaping too. Especially since most people didn't even know I smoked. But as my pv is getting bigger and bigger (I just got a provari) the smaller units don't satisfy me anymore and it's getting harder to hide it in my day to day life. I'm seriously contemplating letting the cat out the bag. But I'm scared that my smoker friends will be upset that I've hidden this miracle from them for so long.

 

[Trips1103]

Since I just started, I'm waiting for someone to approach me.

I'd love it to be a non smoker standing around me coughing. (why would you be coughing, there's no smoke!) Or someone complaining about the smell. (what smell?)

I went to my Mom's house for dinner this evening, and being able to vape inside someone else's home without bothering anyone, all out in the open .... it was a great feeling! Years of the stress of being a smoker just melted away. Or rather ... floated away on a little vapor cloud.

<happy dance>

 

[FreakyStylie]

I was at first, but my confidence increased as my knowledge increased. I'm not a great speaker, and throw a lot of uhhs and awkward pauses into conversations; and this was difficult when people would ask me about my device. Kind of like: Now it's a lot, uhh, well, it seems to be, really it's rather a lot easier, not really easier, I mean my conversations are, uh . . . I'm still me when I talk, but I'm not, uh, well, I know how to answer the, uh, everybody's questions now.

I don't know why I can type faster than I can talk, and have it make more sense, but now that I have a few more answers, I'm not afraid for people to see me vaping. Just my experience anyway.

 

[Stownz]

Oh you bet , I'm very ashamed. Hiding in my shame cave right now !!! Seriously though, fog a whole room and watch the smokers flock to you in anticipation of something incredible.