Co-Worker Upset about Secondhand Vapor

[zoiDman]

I don’t understand when I read threads like this.

When I smoked analogs, I couldn’t smoke in my office. Or inside any company buildings for that matter. I would walk outside at breaks and at lunch and have a smoke. Everyone was happy. Now I vape and do the same thing. I walk outside at breaks and lunch and vape. Everyone is still happy.

Why should vaping be any different that smoking at work?

Perhaps a bigger question/issue is does your co-worker have the “Right” to come to a work place and not be exposed to second hand vape?

 

[ncargrl]

I agree with SharonCC. My question is . . . are you vaping in a non-smoking facility? If you are; then maybe you need to rethink vaping there. From what you've written; you're not going to be able to compromise anything with this woman, and although I would love to vape in my office, the building is non-smoking-and I do want to keep my job! I just go outside to vape-same as I did when I was smoking.

 

[Anima]

..There's a LOT of restrictions these days to accomodate other people's rights.

I think it's pushing it to say that people have a "right" to control things that others do that don't really effect anyone. He's in another office, for Pete's sake! It's gone way too far. Offices are not prisons. I suspect that the woman in question is just the behavior police and doesn't approve of vaping. She doesn't really care about FDA-approval; she cares about controlling other people. If she were really worried about the office air she would have spoken to the OP about it, but instead she went on the internet and ignored the reams of data that vaping is innocuous and armed herself with something she could use. She even changed her ostensible reason for concern when he offered to switch to 0 nic. If PVs were FDA-approved tomorrow, she would find another reason to object to it.

I just don't see how giving in to the office Nazi is helpful to anyone.

 

[Fizzgig_fluffypaws]

As a manager, even if I don't agree with a person's complaint I have to listen to it. And do something about it. If I were the poster I would definitely tell the woman I think she is acting juvenile in the fact that she didn't voice her concerns to me directly first before going to the manager. She is obviously someone who just enjoys causing trouble, and no amount of literature will sway her misguided opinion.

But being the person I am, I would definitely tell her where she stands with me and happily remind her that my complaints will carry just as much weight as hers do. just my two puffs worth.

 

[skydragon]

Apparently she did do research. This woman is really something. She went and complained to the boss without even giving me so much as a hint that she was unhappy about it. She's the type of person to actually file a lawsuit. Sadly not that laughable anymore.

I tried the zero nic thing and all she keeps saying is FDA blah blah blah. She wants proof from a reliable study or official website of some kind. I need to prove somehow that there's just air freshener in this thing...

Maybe you should remind her that thousands die every year from FDA approved products and hundred of thousands permanently harmed. Does she use air freshener's? If so, you might want to tell her to do some research on the affects of them. In fact, if she does in the office, I would complain about that since it is proven to be harmful. Perfume?

 

[SharonCC]

It's not a matter of "giving in"...we don't have enough factual data about what's released into the air by vaping. We're not sure, so there's not much point in arguing until we have the facts. It will draw negative attention if we have unnecessary battles about it now...

 

[Anima]

It's not a matter of "giving in"...we don't have enough factual data about what's released into the air by vaping.

We know exactly what we're vaping: PG, VG, nicotine and flavoring. See my link for tons of data. These ingredients are not new. We may not know the long-term effects on those inhaling them directly into their lungs all day every day for years, but I think it's disingenuous to say that the jury is still out on whether or not they can harm someone who sits in a separate room from someone who exhales them occasionally. I don't have any "factual" data (as opposed to unfactual data?) on what gets released into the air when someone heats a Hot Pocket in the microwave, and I'm sure that if I looked hard enough I could find a website that says it will kill me, but that doesn't make it a valid concern.

If they shared an enclosed space, you might have a point, but it's pretty obvious in this case that the woman is just being a PITA.

 

[Anima]

... Does she use air freshener's? If so, you might want to tell her to do some research on the affects of them. In fact, if she does in the office, I would complain about that since it is proven to be harmful. Perfume?

I would definitely make it my hobby to monitor everything she does in her office and report her for anything that violates my "right" to work in an odor-free, germ-free, hypoallergenic environment. I would find out if she has a pet and complain that she's bringing pet dander to the office on her clothes. I would say that I don't know for sure, but that I think I might have a severe allergy to her favorite food. I would say that the candy bowl on her desk makes me crave sweets when I see it, putting me at risk for diabetes. It actually sounds kind of fun.

 

[juicejunky]

I would tell her you are switching to no nic VG or PG in the office to appease her fears since you want to cut back on nicotine anyway. Make her think she won the battle so your nice boss is off the hook. I'd switch for an hour and then I'd just continue to vape whatever I felt like since she wouldn't know the difference.

 

[AlmightyGod]

I don’t understand when I read threads like this.

When I smoked analogs, I couldn’t smoke in my office. Or inside any company buildings for that matter. I would walk outside at breaks and at lunch and have a smoke. Everyone was happy. Now I vape and do the same thing. I walk outside at breaks and lunch and vape. Everyone is still happy.

Why should vaping be any different that smoking at work?

Perhaps a bigger question/issue is does your co-worker have the “Right” to come to a work place and not be exposed to second hand vape?

I'm with you.

I don't vape where others can't smoke.

Vaping isn't a right, it's a habit...just like smoking.

 

[zoiDman]

Yeah, It just seems if people would vape the same way that they smoked, there would be No Real problems and No Need for government to step in and enact bans.

Some people, like myself, consider Smoking/Vaping to be an Addiction. ( I know that the "A" work is kinda taboo to use on this forum so let the flaming begin.)

I started vaping to quit smoking. But what I noticed about my addiction is now I could vape in places that I couldn't smoke and may not be caught.

To me, this was taking One step Forward and One step Backwards. I didn't like giving up something I did 20 times a day in favor of something I Needed to do 24-7. Maybe the Monkey on my back was Healthier, but he was also Bigger.

So I decided to vaped only where I could smoke. It was a little difficult at first, I'll admit it. But after about two weeks I didn't even think about it.

I'm not saying anyone here in this thread is so Addicted to vaping that they have to vape where they can't smoke. But in my time here on the ECF I have meet Many people who can't. MANY People.

And that is kinda sad in a way.

 

[AlmightyGod]

You are so right. Smoking was an addiction. Vaping is an obsession. We seem to be so happy to not be smoking, that we try to convince ourselves vaping is harmless. Doing nothing is harmless. Vaping is harm reduction. When I hear vapers say they vape anywhere & everywhere, I cringe. When vapers become indignant when others find the smell of their vape a nuisance, I shake my head. I just wish we would take a little softer approach to what others think. Once you are arguing medical studies & FDA approval, it's probably a lost cause with the person you're talking to about it. Why not back up a second & be considerate? We will all be better off in the long run.

 

[zoiDman]

Vaping has been good for me.

I have more energy, sleep better and don't get out of breath running up stairs. These are all the benefits of switching to vaping. But what about the Psychological addition?

When I first started vaping, I would carry my PV with me Everywhere. It was like a pacifier. But after about a month of this I started to feel like Gollum in The Lord Of The Rings.

I would think about taking a hit at my desk, or in Home Depot or on a plane or where ever I could "Stealth Vape". It was kinda disturbing. I never felt this way when I smoked? WTF?

Then it hits me, I didn't think about smoking because I knew I Couldn't smoke in Home Depot or on a Plane.

So switching to vaping was good once I realized that there was going to be an Ugly side effect. And that was, at least for me, wanting to vape anywhere and everywhere.

 

[nanovapr]

In a proper debate, there is judging going on, and a winner declared. In a personal argument, there is rarely a winner.

I vape moderately at my desk, fortunately with the blessings of my boss and immediate co-workers. I work in a place with 1200 employees, and consider myself fortunate. I still go hang out with the smoking guys (despite the smell) because I have friends that I can only see there.

 

[Anima]

... When vapers become indignant when others find the smell of their vape a nuisance, I shake my head...

The OP's coworker wasn't complaining about the smell (again, she's not in the same office), and she's the one who brought up the red herring of FDA-approval. I wouldn't call her a Nazi or advise pushing back if she hadn't been so unreasonable. If she came to the OP directly and voiced her concern, I probably would have said to give her some information and then stop doing it if it still really bothered her. It's pretty clear that she just wants to keep other people from doing things she deems unacceptable whether they effect her or not.

When I vape in company, I always first tell those around me what it is I'm doing. They have a right to know. I usually tell them the ingredients in my juice (most people don't care). I also say that I will stop immediately if the smell bothers them. On one occasion a woman said that she didn't like the smell, so I apologized and put it away. No big deal. The only other people who have ever commented are those who really liked the smell, those who said they couldn't smell it, and many who wanted more information about vaping for a smoking loved-one. When I vape in a nonsmoking area (e.g. a restaurant bar), I always ask anyone in my immediate vicinity if they mind if I use an electronic cigarette. No one has ever cared. Most people seem to understand that vaping is not smoking.

Yeah, It just seems if people would vape the same way that they smoked, there would be No Real problems and No Need for government to step in and enact bans.

People are not trying to pass legislation because vapers are bothering them. Ecigs are still not that common. If you look at their websites, they are ostensibly doing it so children won't start vaping, so it doesn't really matter how considerate we are. They want people to have to smoke to get nicotine. They are the same people who are against condoms for teenagers and clean needles for IV drug users. They think that certain behaviors and activities that they deem unacceptable or sinful or whatever should be very, very dangerous. It has absolutely nothing to do with how we behave.

 

[AlmightyGod]

Ignoring entire posts & selecting parts of others, doesn't make a argument stronger.

The moral of the story is to vape where it's acceptable. Don't vape where it's not.

Perhaps if the OP had asked permission before vaping inside, there would have been a different outcome. Once you have been told it's not acceptable in a workplace, deal with it.

 

[Anima]

... The moral of the story is to vape where it's acceptable. Don't vape where it's not.

That may be the moral(?), but it misses the point entirely. The point was who gets to decide where it's acceptable. [I hope the ellipsis are ok. I only wanted to respond to this part of the post here.]

Perhaps if the OP had asked permission before vaping inside, there would have been a different outcome. Once you have been told it's not acceptable in a workplace, deal with it.

Um, the OP's boss said it was fine, and he has only had one complaint from the scold in the next office. I love it when things get banned because one person with a stick up his .... gets to play dictator.

 

[AlmightyGod]

The OP did not indicate they had asked for approval, before vaping in the office.

I do agree that office tattle-tales suck.

 

[zoiDman]

... Um, the OP's boss said it was fine, and he has only had one complaint from the scold in the next office. I love it when things get banned because one person with a stick up his .... gets to play dictator.

Are e-Liquids that contain Nicotine considered to be a Tobacco Product?

Because if they are, the OP's boss is putting his/her company in a huge risk if he/she says that the use of a Tobacco product is ok inside a confined work place. Lawyers just love stuff like this. It's the stuff high commission lawsuits are made of.

BTW - What happens if more than One person in a office "sticks up [thier] ...." and says that the e-Cigs have to go?

 

[cigarbabe]

Ignoring entire posts & selecting parts of others, doesn't make a argument stronger.

The moral of the story is to vape where it's acceptable. Don't vape where it's not.

Perhaps if the OP had asked permission before vaping inside, there would have been a different outcome. Once you have been told it's not acceptable in a workplace, deal with it.

Smoking does not equate to vaping. I think it is unreasonable to not vape somewhere because smoking of tobacco products are prohibited. This is exactly where I think many non vaping folks get confused and why they might be confused.
If someone questions what I'm doing or says "you can't smoke in here!" I tell them I am a non smoker and then I explain what I'm using and ask if it bothers them or the management.
I have never had anyone object to my vaping anywhere including my doctors offices, restaurants,and even in my hospital room after surgery I have also used my pv's at church in a meeting room before services.
C.B.