Boycot Starbucks

[J**2]

You guys aren't getting the point. My anger is not that I offended anyone. Of course I politely stop when anyone is offended.

My anger is that it is precisely a companywide decision.

The following link was written by a Starbucks employee stating that e cigs were specifically added to the smoking ban.

http://www.vapeatron.com/starbucks-bans-e-cigs-company-wide-5990/




GG stealth, Provari, iatty2, DIY chef

 

[Ladypixel]

I just went and looked at your links, which (while interesting, especially the one which says that Starbucks allows guns but not ecigs -- another phone call's in my friend's future so I can hear about this one!) are all from message boards. Now, this is not to say that message boards don't give good info. After all, ECF is phenomenal for good info. But the person who I got the info from has a copy of the corporate handbook in her car, and oversees an awful lot of stores, so I kinda have to give some credence to that.

It's really easy for one employee to assume that 'no cigarettes' means 'no anything that looks like a cigarette'. Given that I live in a state which has entire no smoking cities (yes, entire cities in CA have gone nonsmoking-in-public only), parks, etcetera, I'm really familiar with the hostility towards anyone seen to be doing something which might look like smoking. I don't condone such hostility, mind you, but I'm intimately familiar with it after having smoked for 25 years. It's unfortunately to be expected that the hostility will, at least for a while, be extended towards those who vape, too. This will be far more prevalent in corporate chains because they are terrified of lawsuits (and if you don't believe that, look at all those cups that warn that your coffee is, in fact, hot). And there's going to be problems with vaping at some stores, and acceptance of vaping at others, and it all really depends on the staff at the store as to which end of the stick you'll find.

That said, if one store asks you not to vape there, I'd shrug it off and... just not go to that store for vaping-time, that's all. Other stores can and do allow it. I know, as I've vaped at Starbucks. Did it yesterday, in fact.

 

[Blood_of_Adonis]

Having worked at a Starbucks, though some time ago, I can say that there are a good deal of managers that tell BS to their baristas to get them to behave the way they want them to. I had issues with this, myself. Before the smoking ban, I had a manager tell me that I couldn't "smoke in uniform" because it was against the corporate policy and negatively effects the brand image. Upon consulting the district manager, though, he chuckled (he didn't like my manager much) and told me no such policy existed, I could smoke, just not near doors, and I had to wash my hands before returning to work. That's it.

However, if I were to see an actual memo, or official policy on their website, saying that they lumped PVs together with analogue smoking, I'd be all up in that ..... When they first instituted the smoking ban, I organized a smoke-in session at my frequented location. After dragging one of their tables just far enough away to be technically okay and camping with about 10 other smokers, and informing all the known-smokers that were going in/coming out about the ban, we caused their sales to sag rather drastically for almost a month and they decided to designate a smoking table. I think the same could be accomplished with a dedicated core of Vapers.

 

[J**2]

Ladypixel

Thanks for the reply.

Since I live in Washington state I will contact Starbucks corporate headquarters next week and get an official word " from the horses mouth"

I was emphatically told by the staff at the store it was company policy.

I am all for individual store freedom. I don't flaunt my "smoking". But I am incensed by blanket bans.

I also politely wrote Starbucks corporate headquarters and will share any reply.


GG stealth, Provari, iatty2, DIY chef

 

[ianlm]

if you don't want to go to starbucks anymore because they won't accomodate your preferences, that's fine, but calling for a boycott is a little dramatic.

 

[J**2]

You might be interested in the following threads all concerning Starbucks ban of e cigs in July 2011.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ng-starbucks-phase-ii-operation-facebook.html

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-discussion/203313-starbucks-bans-e-cigs.html


GG stealth, Provari, iatty2, DIY chef

 

[Mrtrucker40108]

My anger is that it is precisely a companywide decision.

That totally lost me.
You are opposed to the corporation making corporate policy?

Without 'corporate wide policy' you have no brand. Without the brand you might as well go to Joe's Coffee House.

 

[ambeck22]

I think it's more about the principle and the fact that smoking has gone from doctors smoking in hospitals to entire hospital properties having no smoking effective as soon as you turn onto a hospital road (just one example). To that end, anti-smokers view vaping as smoking because they don't know any better and all they see is "smoke" coming from a person's mouth and they get outraged and overly concerned about THEIR health and what they're breathing in. I don't think it will ever be accepted. All the above is my opinion only.

 

[vape-addict]

I agree..anyplace that doesn't allow vaping should be..others have said they are in their rights.I disagree..that runs with a post I made a few days ago about how we are going to lose these bans because vapors won't stick together and smokers would not either ...a house divided will not stand

 

[ianlm]

I agree..anyplace that doesn't allow vaping should be..others have said they are in their rights.I disagree..that runs with a post I made a few days ago about how we are going to lose these bans because vapors won't stick together and smokers would not either ...a house divided will not stand

you can't tell a business what is and isn't allowed on their premises. that's just as bad as the bans we have to deal with. sinking to their level isn't how I want to win.

 

[Mrtrucker40108]

So.. if you come to my house you should be allowed to vape regardless of whether I want you to or not?
And I'm somehow wrong if I don't want you to? No different.
I like to hone knifes, I find it relaxing, the grocery store doesn't allow me to do that when I'm shopping.. even if it's a legal blade. Boycott Krogers?
Join Casaa, fight the Government, lobby against Legislation banning vaping or lumping vaping in with smoking. Really, please do..
Business is not government. didn't we argue that the State had no right to pass smoking regulation in private business and that said business should be allowed to decide whether they want to allow smoking or not? Does the owner of the property have a right to determine what is or is not permissable on their property?

If supporting Proprty Rights is somehow 'not sticking with my fellow vapers', then I suppose I don't now, nor will I ever stick with my fellow vapors. Mrtrucker, the kookie libertarian.

 

[vape-addict]

My point was which is same as the op we shouold not cater to any business that does not allow vaping I take my business elsewhere.I also changed careers 3 times when I was told I could no longer smoke(they have yet to tell me I can"t smoke in cab).And private property such as your house is not the same as a business that is open to the public.I'm already a member of cassa and I have joined every organizition fought tooth and nail since the 70"s fighting these bans.

 

[Mrtrucker40108]

I don't believe a business is any different.
Who owns your cab? Does the owner of the cab have a right to tell the customer he can't smoke in the cab? Legal or not? Yes, it's his cab. Does he have a right to put up a "no eating" sign in the cab? Yes he does.

We have a rule at work that we must clean our trucks out after every trip.. does the owner have the right to declare that a rule even if theres no law against it? Yes she does.

Contrary to what the Government has led us to believe those 'Public' business belong to private individuals (even if those private individuals are 14million shareholders) and they do in fact have a right to set the rules on their properties. I'm pretty sure on page two the OP agreed with me.

One last thing and I'm going to bed I didn't suggest that the OP shouldn't take his business elsewhere if he desired, I'm really not even opposed to him trying to start a boycott, I think its silly but it is a free contry, whatever. Matter o fact I've been boycotting SB for almost a decade, not because of policy but because their coffee taste burnt. lol
I don't understand this "I'll vape where I want when I want and the world be damned" attitude. I'm trying to understand that. I don't think being 'in your face' about it is aiding our cause, maybe the rebel in me has mellowed in age but I think education and lobbying is the answer.. maybe I'm wrong, I'm just winging it here.

 

[Baldr]

MrTrucker, I agree with you, any business has a right to have a "no vaping" policy. And if they have one, I'll honor it. At the same time, if I'm not allowed to vape, I may well take my business elsewhere.

I don't go to starbucks or other coffee shops, regardless. But I go dancing at a lot of bars, (country honky-tonk kind of places). They all let me vape, even in Dallas where you can't smoke in bars. If one told me that I couldn't vape, I'd honor their request, but I probably wouldn't go back to that club. I'd take my business someplace else. I wouldn't be mad at them - it's their business, and their right. But I can spend my money some place where I'm happier, too.

 

[J**2]

I find the discussion fascinating

Of course companies can set rules about their property.

Of course I don't demand to vape anywhere I please.

The arguments re smoking in a private home are stupid. Starbucks is public.

I DO reserve my right to go elsewhere because a company prohibits me from vaping. If Starbucks lost enough business from this they would reverse their policy.

J


GG stealth, Provari, iatty2, DIY chef

 

[Mrtrucker40108]

How is it stupid? How do you determine it's public?

 

[Forkeh]

I think this is a bit of an overreaction. I believe businesses have the right to make rules regarding the use of ecigs in their facilities. They were polite, so what is the problem?

After all, we really don't know how much second hand nicotine we're giving off. Maybe a lot, maybe none. But Starbucks does have other customers to think about too.

 

[Roxxette]

The problem with some people vaping is that they now think they have the right to do it anywhere because at the moment theres no study that show if its safe or harm , just vape in the places you would normally smoke and you will never have a problem , when cig bands started to roll out im pretty sure most of the people that complaints about getting "rejected" for vaping indoor didnt do it with cigs so why bother now ? most people dont like a damm fog in the meals or clouds of vapor wondering around while they drinking a coffe or whatever they doing

 

[meeems]

I find the more confident you are, the more you'll vape wherever you want, or should i say, the more you'll exhale water vapor wherever you want...as you SHOULD.. But the more reserved you are, the less you'll vape in public.
I still get a little shy sometimes when i vape in public, (and i'm not usually a shy person) but dam', because its a head turner and conversation starter, i'm just not prepared for the ambush sometimes.
I think its also a feeling quite like being rejected, when someone says something unpleasant or stares at you unpleasantly, and it doesnt feel good.

But on the other hand, its a really great way of becoming more confident, and handling peoples reactions and stare's better, the more you vape in public, the more you'll get use to it. I vaped in a pub for the first time two weeks ago, i called the pub ahead of time to ask if it was okay, she said no problem. THIS was where i was to be meeting someone for the first time on POF. So vaping in public and a blind date at the same time?, very good for the confidence.

...it was a very bad date, in case you wanted to know. one of the worst. but i laughed it off and joined others who were normal.

Meems
Meems

If you ever find out the answer to that question, lemme know, will you? I've always wondered that myself.

 

[sailorman]

Not for nothing....I have no affiliation with any starbucks stores or employees and I never liked starbucks coffee to begin with but it is well within their rights to ask you not to vape inside their stores. A better way would be to ask permission first before vaping away. Especially since according to your post you were asked politely not to vape. That should not prompt you to want to boycott them.

And just how would that make anything different? They have a POLICY. Do you think if only he'd have asked that suddenly they'd become a vape-friendly store? No. They are a vape-hostile establishment. They made that decision before he walked in the door. They don't want our business, don't give it to them.

They have the right to prohibit vaping. We have the right to boycott them.

Good thing people didn't think like you during the Civil Rights movement.