firstthings.com : Thank You for Not Smoking (Even Electronically)

[BuGlen]

An interesting op-ed about an observation by the author triggered by an incident with a TSA agent mistaking his fountain pen for an e-cig:

Thank You for Not Smoking (Even Electronically) » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog

 

[Petrodus]

What many find difficult to impossible to accept
is smiling vapers enjoying themselves blowing huge vaper clouds
in non-smoking areas. It's not a matter of health concerns
as much as the "appearance" of smoking ... in non smoking areas.

Sign
"No Smoking ... but it's OK to smoke e-cigarettes"

These signs may someday be common place.
However ... not in the near future.

 

[TampaToker69]

Interesting indeed. I never wear brown leather shoes with a grey suit.


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[Uma]

OMG! Exactly!!! And what about the worries and concerns of the individual who owns the pen? Excellent points, wonderful penning.

 

[Stosh]

Left them a short comment, as carrying the gear is much different from using it, some types of bans go to far....

 

[cdsaint66]

I thought it was interesting the author had to look up e cigarettes online. Here in our little bubble it seems like everyone is aware of what's been going on, but this should be a reminder that there are many (some of whom might be supportive of our positions) who are simply unaware.

 

[AgentAnia]

The author says:

What is particularly striking to me is the reasoning for those interdicts which are in place: the rationale typically seems not to be based on some direct health risk or potential for terrorism but the fact that some undefined group of people find the idea of the use of e-cigarettes on planes to be concerning and confusing. As was made clear to me recently, passive smoking is bad for your physical health; now apparently passive pseudo-smoking is bad for your mental health too.

As one who is in varying degrees ‘concerned and confused’ by such things as cheese whizz, the music of the BeeGees, and that distasteful American habit of wearing brown leather shoes while sporting a grey suit, I wonder what the chances are that I might be able to have these (particularly the latter) banned from air flight? More seriously, I am struck once again at how the personal preferences of nebulous groups of people and the language of subjective emotion seem to be exerting an increasingly intrusive power over the politics of everyday life.

Perhaps all pens should be banned in airports and on planes, as they may cause concern and confusion among TSA inspectors... In fact, let's ban all tubular objects... and anything electronic... and bottles... and shoes... In fact, ya know who's causing all the problems? People! Let's ban people from airports and planes.... If we ban people, we don't need to ban tubular objects or anything electronic, or bottles... or shoes...

 

[TyPie]

Not surprising that some air passengers are concerned and confused.
I'm all for great service and creature comforts. But the way many demand special food service and meals (those with special needs diets notwithstanding), many appear to believe they are in a flying restaurant, and not using mass airline transportation! (I happen to know quite a few airline employees, and I have some stories.......many books can be written on airline passenger stories.)

The whole ecig debate is again bringing to light the notion that people nowadays believe they are necessarily entitled to feel totally comfortable, totally content, totally in control, and completely catered to during every step of their pampered lives, with never an infringement of their 'rights' or their personal space. Dare I say it: particularly Americans. In the bigger picture, we are going completely soft as a country, and it is sad to watch sometimes.

 

[Uma]

I understand the claustrophobia on an airplane, but I don't understand why everybody isn't forced to wear filter masks for the germophobiacs comfort, parachutes for the fear of falling phobics comfort, and so on. I see a lot of discrimination, tbh.

 

[patkin]

Bingo! " I am struck once again at how the personal preferences of nebulous groups of people and the language of subjective emotion seem to be exerting an increasingly intrusive power over the politics of everyday life."

 

[Vocalek]

Why would a TSA agent want to confiscate an e-cigarette? I don't believe they are a banned object.

 

[gayhalo]

Funny I went through Atlanta airport Thursday night and I put my Itast30 filled and MVP in the plastic tray. Not a word.

 

[house mouse]

Funny I went through Atlanta airport Thursday night and I put my Itast30 filled and MVP in the plastic tray. Not a word.

I went through the Nashville airport a few weeks ago with 2 REOs which got me pulled out of line, asked what they were, my bag swabbed for residue and rescanned. Then I was sent on my merry way with my REOs in my bag.

At the Orlando airport, on the return trip, they couldn't have cared less.

There's no uniformity between airports in what they pull or why they pull it. Makes one feel safe doesn't it?

 

[Tache]

What I found very interesting reading was the article linked in one of the comments on the firstthings article. It's on how the EPA twists statistics and that even second hand smoke, never mind second hand vapour, is very likely much less dangerous than we've been led to believe.

http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/regulation/1998/10/lies.pdf

 

[rhm3769]

I understand the claustrophobia on an airplane, but I don't understand why everybody isn't forced to wear filter masks for the germophobiacs comfort, parachutes for the fear of falling phobics comfort, and so on. I see a lot of discrimination, tbh.

Having a parachute wouldn't ease my fear of falling, you are still falling while using it....

 

[wheezal]

Interesting indeed. I never wear brown leather shoes with a grey suit.

inorite?!? what kind of heathen would do that?!? probably wears white after labor day too. pppfffft!

 

[Petrodus]

Why would a TSA agent want to confiscate an e-cigarette?
I don't believe they are a banned object.

The TSA is a government agency.
For the most part ... government agencies do as they please.

 

[RosaJ]

Why would a TSA agent want to confiscate an e-cigarette? I don't believe they are a banned object.

Maybe he always wanted to get one and saw his chance without having to pay for it, LOL.