People always hate me for saying this, but mainstream vaping has helped to essentially murder our collective public image.
With events crazy enough to hold wet T-shirt contests, cloud comps, etc...the cloud crowd has already helped to set the perception of vaping to the general public.
Clouds, exploding batteries, antifreeze, and child killing products. That's what the public thinks of us. So no, they won't care about strangers.
We were outcast as smokers, after 5 decades of studies. We've now been outcast as vapers, after only 5 years of real mainstream use.
The sad part is, vaping is saving our lives, not taking them.
I am beginning to get the impression the entire country is filled
with intolerant vigilantes on the look out for cloud bro's or rude
cloud bro's on the look out for gamma and the babies in the cereal
aisle of the Walmart nearest you. It doesn't work that way here in
Minnesota. Minnesota doesn't have a state wide ban yet. Several
localities have instituted bans including the county I live in.
Prior to the ban here and in places there is not a ban now everyone
got along and still are getting along.
How can this be one might ask? Simple,people in general are not intolerant.
Pre-ban virtually every company and every government(on property they controlled) had already instituted
vaping policies on there own. Curiously the County commissioners slapped themselves
on the back for the fine job the did protecting county residents.It was completely
lost on them that for all intents and purposes the residents of the county had
already addressed the issue. Sooner or later the state will get around to a state
wide ban. This year they seem more intent on getting the tax ball rolling to the
tune of 30% for a start. They too will congratulate themselves for the fine job
they are doing. The dirty little secret is vaping where allowed is tolerated.
Shhh,don't tell anyone.
The perception that vapers in public are creating a negative reaction in the non-
smoking public is our perception of how we think they feel. It has no basis in
reality. When allowed to do so society has,can and,will work these things out
on their own. Vaping bans just as the smoking bans that preceded them were never
about public health despite what one might have been told. They are to control
the perception of the public. Prior to any smoking ban 70% of the non-smoking
public thought the idea was a joke. Though both sides agreed that smoking was
not appropriate in all places,( restaurants come to mind) the thought of the
government instituting blanket public and workplace bans was considered a
waste of government resources and unnecessary as the public (society)
was beginning or already had started working these issues out themselves.
The term "Family Friendly" establishment literally meant smoke free in
the pre-smoke ban days.
It's all about the future 20 years down the road when the next generation
grows up believing that vaping is bad,very very bad. It's always been bad.
Why would anyone in their right mind question that? Does anyone doubt that
20 years from now that e-liquid makers and companies like Joytech and
Provari will be called liars and deceivers and merchants of death as BT
was before them?
Regards
Mike
