E-Cig Etiquette

[anonym9199]

Hi Guys,

I just started vaping today (with my new eRoll) and I'm loving it! The biggest question I have concerns vaping etiquette. Most importantly, I need to know where it is acceptable to vape and where it is not acceptable to vape. Here are some specific locations I have in mind:

University Library
Office
Restaurant / Bar
Airport
Supermarket
Bus / Train

Is it acceptable to vape at any of the above locations? What do you say to someone who tells you that smoking is not allowed? I would really appreciate it if you guys could share your experiences with me. Thanks very much in advance!

-Anonym

 

[gman11377]

First, congratulations on starting vaping. Second, wow, what a question. I think that you'll find a variety of opinions on this matter. Here's mine. I actually can remember people smoking just about anywhere, even my grandfather when I was in the hospital with a broken leg. I think that politeness, and explanation if necessary are your best tools. I vape just about anywhere, except church. I haven't yet had anyone admonish me for it. I have, however, had LOTS of questions about what is that. I would say vape where you want, answer questions in a polite manner if asked, and abide by the instructions of the owners or administration of whatever area you are in. Following these rules I have had no problems in Grocery stores, libraries, public transportation, restaurants, or the airport, or anywhere that I have chosen to vape. Incidentally I follow these same rules as I carry a firearm at all times as well.

 

[Jman8]

I think you'll get a variety of responses if you are asking for people's experiences, or opinions on etiquette. Just saw that gman11377 made this point already.

If you would've asked me 6 months ago vs. today, I probably would've given a different response.

My current thought is that etiquette for vaping in public places is still being shaped. Therefore, unless a place has a sign posted that reads "no electronic cigarettes allowed," then it is okay to vape in there. I might still not vape, but that is logic I'm going with now.

I vape in a place if there is no one around or if I ask someone working there if it is okay to use my "personal vaporizer" in their establishment. I stay away from the word "cigarette" cause I think it carries stigma with it, that the less informed would possibly rule out by simply saying, "no we don't allow cigarettes in here." Or don't allow smoking, or some other uninformed response.

I sometimes try to do the educating on the spot thing where I convey information about eCigs to the person that is asking questions or putting up a front, but in some places I likely just wouldn't get into it with them. An airport would be a good example of where I'd prefer to not be the person that is educating airport staff on what eCigs are. Supermarket is an example of place where I may show up as providing information perhaps links to online sites that help inform the person what eCigs actually are vs. what they are not.

I would just also add that I don't see harm coming to anyone around me when I vape. As I don't see any complaints from when I vape around friends and family in an enclosed space, it would be very challenging to have me see some use of "etiquette" being, IMO misused, to suggest that we vapers ought to never do our thing around others in public for that just gives vaping a bad impression.

I honestly believe I go with 'common courtesy' much of the time in public, and so when I say I make it a point to do it around no one that is visible to me within 10 feet, I generally stick to that. Only exception I can think of with this is a bar/restaurant, but there I'm going to ask, and going to try and educate if there's resistance. If still a 'no, we can't allow it,' I'm not going to vape in the open area of the restaurant. I'll simply go to restroom or wait till I leave.

 

[anonym9199]

First, congratulations on starting vaping. Second, wow, what a question. I think that you'll find a variety of opinions on this matter. Here's mine. I actually can remember people smoking just about anywhere, even my grandfather when I was in the hospital with a broken leg. I think that politeness, and explanation if necessary are your best tools. I vape just about anywhere, except church. I haven't yet had anyone admonish me for it. I have, however, had LOTS of questions about what is that. I would say vape where you want, answer questions in a polite manner if asked, and abide by the instructions of the owners or administration of whatever area you are in. Following these rules I have had no problems in Grocery stores, libraries, public transportation, restaurants, or the airport, or anywhere that I have chosen to vape. Incidentally I follow these same rules as I carry a firearm at all times as well.

Thank you for sharing your experiences! I think that carrying a firearm was an instructive experience for you in that it taught you how to justify / explain your actions to others. I on the other hand am a shy person, and I would find it difficult to justify vaping to those who are unfamiliar with it . Also, in the case of a firearm, you can easily just refer the person to the 2nd amendment (or whatever law it is that allows you to carry a firearm) - but in this case, there is no law that protects my right to vape!

I think you'll get a variety of responses if you are asking for people's experiences, or opinions on etiquette. Just saw that gman11377 made this point already.

If you would've asked me 6 months ago vs. today, I probably would've given a different response.

My current thought is that etiquette for vaping in public places is still being shaped. Therefore, unless a place has a sign posted that reads "no electronic cigarettes allowed," then it is okay to vape in there. I might still not vape, but that is logic I'm going with now.

I vape in a place if there is no one around or if I ask someone working there if it is okay to use my "personal vaporizer" in their establishment. I stay away from the word "cigarette" cause I think it carries stigma with it, that the less informed would possibly rule out by simply saying, "no we don't allow cigarettes in here." Or don't allow smoking, or some other uninformed response.

I sometimes try to do the educating on the spot thing where I convey information about eCigs to the person that is asking questions or putting up a front, but in some places I likely just wouldn't get into it with them. An airport would be a good example of where I'd prefer to not be the person that is educating airport staff on what eCigs are. Supermarket is an example of place where I may show up as providing information perhaps links to online sites that help inform the person what eCigs actually are vs. what they are not.

I would just also add that I don't see harm coming to anyone around me when I vape. As I don't see any complaints from when I vape around friends and family in an enclosed space, it would be very challenging to have me see some use of "etiquette" being, IMO misused, to suggest that we vapers ought to never do our thing around others in public for that just gives vaping a bad impression.

I honestly believe I go with 'common courtesy' much of the time in public, and so when I say I make it a point to do it around no one that is visible to me within 10 feet, I generally stick to that. Only exception I can think of with this is a bar/restaurant, but there I'm going to ask, and going to try and educate if there's resistance. If still a 'no, we can't allow it,' I'm not going to vape in the open area of the restaurant. I'll simply go to restroom or wait till I leave.

Thanks for your response! I'm beginning to get the feeling that this has a lot to do with how shy one is vs. how assertive one is. I think that if you are more assertive (assertive enough to educate the person asking you not to vape), you will be able to to vape in a lot more places than if you are shy.

 

[xanderxman]

There is no established etiquette yet. I tend to vape in places where I would have never been allowed to smoke, but I generally do it with permission. All of the places you have listed are private property, and as such the owner of the property has the right to not allow you to vape. It is not just a question of legality but whether or not the property owner will allow it.

For example, here in Virginia, the State attorney has ruled that e-cigs are NOT included in the no smoking ban in restaurants. But since a restaurant is private property, the owner can still refuse to allow vaping. Just because something is legal doesn't mean you can do it anywhere. If I were not a vaper I could refuse to allow you to do it in my house, even though it is legal.

The best rule to follow is common sense. If you wouldn't have been able to smoke there then don't vape there. There are exceptions. When I go in a restaurant I ask permission to vape and explain if necessary. Most of the time I am given the green light. The fact that vaping is better for us than smoking does not give us the right to do it everywhere.

 

[hazozita]

As others have said, a polite inquiry is always a good idea, as is not vaping in a very crowded area. In public I also try to keep the plumes down to a minimum so that the vapor dissipates quickly and does not attract as much attention.

Oddly, I've found that people are more receiptive to vaping when I'm using a bottom feeder mod rather than an cig-look a like or a traditional cylindical mod. On more than one occassion people have inquired if I was using a new type of asthma inhaler when they see me using my Vmod or Reo. I guess the square shape makes it look like a medical device.

 

[MrPicC]

I vape mostly in the back rooms of supermarkets. I'm a vendor and spend my days in different stores. Most people that work there including management have no problem with me vaping, but even still while on the floor as a worker i ghost vape when the need arises, and try to be respectful of other people and keep it at a minimum.
Heck most of the people i got vaping, vape everywhere but they are still new and will learn.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Kanj.nguyen]

As with everything else, common sense and consideration of others are really all you need.

That said, i do often enjoy rubbing my vape in others faces when i dont mind pissing them off.

As for university library, im vaping in one right now. Just dont blow vapor into the face of the guy studying next to you and youll be fine.

 

[MattBott]

My opinion is that if you can't smoke there, you shouldn't vape there unless you get permission. The only places I'd care to ask, in the ones you listed, is a bar.

 

[ConCon]

it may depend in what areas you are in, (as some i believe have banned e-cigs until further studies have been done) but for the most part, almost all places are acceptable to vape in. unless they have a sign that says no vaping, you can vape. even if they have a no smoking sign, you can vape. that is the beauty of vaping

 

[Kronik_ NinjaLo]

Most places should be fine to vape. Personally I wouldn't in an airport or the University, everywhere else, ask. Bars are normally ok with it because smoking bans hurt business. So far no one had said no, but I also try to stay away from people to be considerate.

I like to think a good rule of thumb is to always ask.

 

[KatyLoo]

Where you live and where you are at any given moment will make all the difference. Where I live, you can still smoke in bars so these days you see more and more people vaping in bars and I don't imagine it will ever be an issue.

That is the only public place I have ever seen people vaping until today when I went to visit my sister in the hospital. She was vaping away and the nurses seemed concerned about it but the hospital has no policy so they aren't stopping her.

 

[llcooljunr]

I've always asked before I start vaping. Some places say yes, others say no.

 

[jazon1]

congrats on switching to vaping!
most places are ok with you doing it, if in doubt just ask someone there if they have any policy on it,
so far i have not been anywhere that does not allow it or has said anything to me about doing it.
but i try to use common sense and respect peoples space and dont do it in close proximity to someone without asking if it will bother them first.

 

[Bongcouver]

I'm still new at using my vapourizer in really public places. I do it more on the low down so as to not draw too much attention to myself. I know the more I use it, the less I will care. I guess I am just discreet when I use it in busy indoor places. Outdoors it's always in my hand...well, in my mouth pretty much. Great topic.

 

[antequinox]

So far, and probably because it's still somewhat new to me, I treat it just like an analog - I know it isn't but it'll take awhile for me to break that habit as well

 

[starr1349]

Sorry I don't think vaping in public is the same as a ccw (concealed weapons permit here). I don't think the same rules apply. While my kids may have "teethed on bullets" or grew up around guns, that in no way has any bearing on vaping.
If you are in bear country, you carry a gun or you are bear food- a bear doesn't look at you as anything other than "fast food", LOL you are the golden arches to them.

Vaping? I vape everywhere I smoked, and a few other places. I have vaped in bars, grocery stores (not on purpose just spaced where I was), etc. I don't vape in smoking areas, I miss the people there but I don't want to be around the smoke anymore. It makes me sneeze, go figure that one!
Vaping etiquette, I think this is new territory, I think everyone is breaking ground here. When I left the airport the other day, I noticed another sloper mom vaping in her car, first I have ever seen. I think it's great, that many more smokes not smoked!
I think people are finding there are other options out there and that is good.