Are we shooting ourselves in the foot by using the term 'E Cigarette'?

[braindead0]

It seems to me that references to cigs and smoking should be avoided. It's a personal vaporizer, and likening it to cigs and smoking is just asking for people to pre-judge.

I tried searching for a discussion on this, didn't find one.. probably due to the key words being all over the place.

Just wondering what others opinions are on this as it related to public acceptance and the like. Perhaps it doesn't matter what we call them.

 

[halopunker]

This topic has been covered many times in the past, a lot of the supplier went this route (Even I did at one point in time) but 99.9% of the other people who sell ECigs wouldn't budge as it's a great 'marketing' tool. Who can blame them?

But, the first definition of Vaporizer I run into is:

a device that puts out a substance in the form of a vapor (especially for medicinal inhalation)

Don't like the medicinal part ;P But let's call them...I dunno...TubeSticks darn, the domain is already taken!

 

[braindead0]

This topic has been covered many times in the past, a lot of the supplier went this route (Even I did at one point in time) but 99.9% of the other people who sell ECigs wouldn't budge as it's a great 'marketing' tool. Who can blame them?

But, the first definition of Vaporizer I run into is:

a device that puts out a substance in the form of a vapor (especially for medicinal inhalation)

Don't like the medicinal part ;P But let's call them...I dunno...TubeSticks darn, the domain is already taken!

That's the downside of the calling it a PV, people don't like sick people.. and medical makes them think sick.

Perhaps it doesn't matter as much as one might think.

 

[e-pipeman]

It's a tricky one, Brain. For a long time people on the forum have been referring to their devices by shortened forms of their actual names (e.g "stick" or "evo"). If we could find a snappy short name that we all liked for all devices that would be great. "PV" is awkward in some ways as you point out - it's also two syllables where one would be better imho.

 

[Toby]

I never liked, and still don't, the term 'vape'. It seems very angular and crude, and of course is one letter different from the word - ....

I wish someone would coin a different term to describe the action of fake smoking....

 

[Boston George]

As Halo said this ship has long since sailed. If at the start they were called PVs or even glowsticks we have avoided a lot of this.

All of the anti-cig lobbies have us in their sights nothing short of gaining real legal status will protect us from them.

 

[braindead0]

Perhaps mention of this could be in some newbie FAQ type post, I dont' remember seeing one.. but quite frankly there's a lot of stuff here....

 

[spike]

I never liked, and still don't, the term 'vape'. It seems very angular and crude, and of course is one letter different from the word - ....

I wish someone would coin a different term to describe the action of fake smoking....

Agreed, I have never used it and your description of 'angular and crude' is how I also see the word; I find it very awkward and contrived. I remember seeing lists of synonyms, might have been from Kate, some while ago and nothing leapt out as a viable alternative.

 

[laynies]

I have to wonder how many of you would have found these things if the term e-cigarette had not been used?

I first saw reference to something called an e-cig and it piqued my interest. If it had been called something else, vaporizer for example, I might have skimmed over it completely.

I am probably in the minority that I like the term 'electronic cigarette'. It gives other people a basis for comparison. It is my alternative to traditional cigarettes and makes it easier to explain to others because they get the basic concept.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I agree. "Vape" sounds so goth to me. Still, it is descriptive of what we're doing.

I wish we could get away from e-cigarette, but I don't see how it's possible. As much as the anti smoking lobby may use it to target us an obfuscate the facts around personal vaporizers, I haven't heard a good alternative so far. Maybe virtual-cigarette? At least that implies that it's NOT a cigarette, whereas electronic-cigarette suggests that it's the same as an analogue, just electronic. Maybe vaporette?

 

[e-pipeman]

I usually describe mine as a "nicotine inhaler" in response to "Wot's that,then?" questions. This has the advantage of being both truthful and descriptive but is perhaps a little awkward.

 

[spike]

I have to wonder how many of you would have found these things if the term e-cigarette had not been used?

Indeed, I spotted a thread in Ebay last August/September headed something like 'what are e-cigs?' which piqued my interest and the rest is history. Had it been headed 'what is vaping'? I would never have bothered to read it.

However much we might like to, I think there is no getting away from the electronic cigarette or e-cig. It is too entrenched now and describes it's purpose precisely.

 

[Niniane]

Could call it an "Oral Diffuser," but then the abbreviation would be OD, so that's a no-go! Plus anything with the word "oral" in it either strikes me as phamaceutical or sexual, which might not be the best connotation for mass acceptance either... Maybe something that brings to mind a spa experience would work? I've had no luck thinking of anthing I like, so I've just been calling it a PV so far.

 

[e-pipeman]

We could call it a "hitter", but that's a tad agressive perhaps.

 

[happily]

I think it should be an abbreviation(initials) myself...........like NRT or NSAID one word (a real word though)

 

[e-pipeman]

I think it should be an abbreviation(initials) myself...........like NRT or NSAID one word (a real word though)

If we do that we run the risk of sounding like a "medical" product, though, don't you think? My understanding of the consensus is that we're steering clear of that at present.

 

[Niniane]

I haven't lived in England in years so I don't know about there, but I know in my area "taking a hit" usually refers to drug use, so I can't use that either.

 

[braindead0]

I haven't lived in England in years so I don't know about there, but I know in my area "taking a hit" usually refers to drug use, so I can't use that either.

Well, it fits.. I've used terms like that when smoking... but around here I can joke about things like that without any problem....

Maybe someday, someone will come up with the perfect term....hopefully it's not INV 'Illegal Nicotine Vaporizer' ;-)

 

[happily]

thinking more of a real word based on initials only ( I'm kinda assuming that the masses aligning against us have already chosen their label of preference) I like quickly saying its my PV, and then when they ask. What's a PV... you can spell it out for people.

Not PV exactly but a different word. It's going to be tough to not sound medical in the long run. Eventually society will perceive it that way. (vaping really sounds like the hottest new drug, like sniffing, huffing, snorting)

 

[happily]

how about

P ersonal
E nergized
N icotine
I halant
S tick