How do you deal with vape hate?

[Joe13]

My first experience with a "vape hater" was this weekend, outside, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

I was sitting on a bench while my little girl was on a kiddie ride. I was using a Halo Triton, which is an eGo-size device. I was emphatically not blowing "clouds" using just a little stick batt and clearo. My usual setup is a Provari and a kayfun.

A woman plops her backpack down on the bench next to me, and begins rummaging through it. Seemed kinda cranky to begin with - It was rather warm and humid out. She's soon joined by her hubby and kid. After a minute or two, I hear "They're smoking vapor cigarettes!" as the family quickly leaves in a huff. I guess a wind gust could've blown some vapor in their direction, but I'm not sure.

I consider myself a courteous vaper. I don't vape indoors unless I know it's okay, and I'd never knowingly blow a large cloud around non-users. In this instance, I was using a small device outdoors, and I was sitting there first. There are smoking sections at Busch Gardens, but I'm not a smoker anymore and I do not want to be exposed to that nasty, toxic smoke. I've vaped plenty of times before in this park, in front of park employees, and I've never had a problem.

Next time, I'll be prepared with "It's just water vapor, lady!" or something equivalent. I think we need a quick and easy catchphrase.

 

[beckdg]

I'm scary looking.

And based on this post made with 100% pure awesome. That made my day. Thanks.

 

[KiMB00P]

I haven't come across this yet. The area I live in (around Seattle, WA) is a huge vaping community and everyone basically knows what it is and has seen one before. I also attend college out here and I just vape when there's no one around me to walk into my clouds and I usually sit away from other people outside when vaping.

A lot of people I know don't even know I'm a vaper.

 

[Davey59]

I haven't come across this yet. The area I live in (around Seattle, WA) is a huge vaping community and everyone basically knows what it is and has seen one before. I also attend college out here and I just vape when there's no one around me to walk into my clouds and I usually sit away from other people outside when vaping.

A lot of people I know don't even know I'm a vaper.

I heard Seattle has passed anti vaping laws saying you can't vape anywhere that you can't smoke.

Sorry but when somebody goes off about the usual vaping BS I simply laugh at them. This does two things, one makes me feel good and two tends to piss them off. If they have the intellectual ability to actually discern what they read than they will find out the truth for themselves.
People generally are not open to having their minds changed about anything unless they do it themselves. I am old enough now to know coddling stupid people is a total waste of time and I no longer have the patience for it.

Another ice breaker is to say "I bet you voted for Obama too"

 

[tj99959]

I just use the IGGY button

 

[Asbestos4004]

I usually start an anti cloud chasing thread and hammer anyone who doesnt vape like me. That usually makes me feel better.

No wait, thats not me who does that.

I've never been approached negatively. I'm not really scary looking, but I wear a hockey mask everywhere I go....and I carry a machete.

 

[DaPopeLP]

Only vape hate I get is from fellow vapers. Never heard a negative word while out and about. I do not vape indoors though. One hit and ill fog out a room and I may be a .... but im not that big of a ..... Bad for the hobby.

 

[DebiK]

If it's the fake coughing thing, you tell them that it sounds like they have a smoker's cough and should consider vaping instead. I read that on a post here somewhere. I haven't had anyone say anything to me besides a relative in my first few days of vaping. I tried to tell him a few facts, but he's hard headed, so I doubt he heard a word I said.

 

[zoiDman]

How do you deal with vape hate?

I Smile, say "OK" and then Walk away. It isn't worth getting into a Confrontation with someone like the OP Mentioned.

You Aren't going to convert someone who will out of their way to sit next to you and then tell you how Bad e-Cigarettes are. And Pissing them Off just leads to them Writing Letters or Making Complaints to an School Administrator.

 

[DrMA]

I haven't come across this yet. The area I live in (around Seattle, WA) is a huge vaping community and everyone basically knows what it is and has seen one before. I also attend college out here and I just vape when there's no one around me to walk into my clouds and I usually sit away from other people outside when vaping.

A lot of people I know don't even know I'm a vaper.

That being said, I'm surprised by the lack of interest in this: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...isleading-comment-supporting-fda-deeming.html

 

[Raider87]

Im not real public with my vaping, im not at the age where i hang out on campuses or bars regularly, so i do most of my vaping at home watching TV and relaxing.
Most people at work don't even know i vape, i take a few hits at lunch and when i go to the bathroom on my stealth Ego.

Ive never been approached by someone with hate.

If so, id probably tell them i researched it pretty well before i started, and it's safe enough for me.

 

[Iffy]

How do you deal with vape hate?

After a couple of my questions, I'm aware whether it's worth my time to continue to engage in further conversation. Regardless, in either case, I just vape thru it!

 

[Heliflyer3]

I just kinda smile and ask " Just how long did it take them to discover cigarettes were actually bad for you ?" and when I get the response of 50 or 60 years that's when I say " so, in a matter of just 5 or so years they have already determined that e-cigs are bad also?" and after a few seconds of letting that sink in I simply say "I'll wait for the scientific community to establish facts and research before I throw me off that bridge" That's basically the end of the debate for most. Yes there are others that want to pursue and I'll never not like a good debate. There are truths and there are fictions...but in all cases , IMO , there are four factions that want vaping to be totally regulated or gone altogether...Big Tobacco ($$$), Government ($$$), Insurance Companies ($$$) and the Medical industries ($$$)...Go Figure!

 

[wheezal]

i turn my head real slow, look at them with a super twitchy eye and flair my nostrils uncontrollably.

then i ask if they know what their spleen tastes like.





that usually does the trick.

 

[Jman8]

I also haven't dealt with an actual hater. 10 times out of 9, I'm approached by them who are clearly ignorant and are spouting off (very) obvious claims from ignorance. Yesterday, while disc golfing with good friend and an acquaintance, a discussion ensued about the 'harmfulness of eCigs.' It wasn't a very long discussion as everyone in this situation is a smoker. But, the acquaintance brought up point that flavors are made to market eCigs to kids. I disputed this and was obvious, immediately, that this person was being put in their place, and that their ignorance was them regurgitating stuff they couldn't defend. I also find it helpful, especially with smokers, to get into the discussion about how much smoking type data has been trumped up to serve a political agenda. I continue to believe, strongly, that if the smoking data can be intellectually attacked, the eCig data is far easier to put into proper perspective.

If I were back in college, knowing what I know now, and one was near me throwing a hissy fit, I'd challenge them to a public debate somewhere on campus. They can choose the time and place, and it will be good ol' fashioned debate.

I relish in the idea of meeting up with an actual hater in person. My intellectual side would love for this to happen. The side of me that just wants to get on with my business and go my merry way would probably just smile, let them know they are entitled to their opinion and wish them well with that outlook.

 

[DC2]

IMO , there are four factions that want vaping to be totally regulated or gone altogether...Big Tobacco ($$$), Government ($$$), Insurance Companies ($$$) and the Medical industries ($$$)...Go Figure!

Good list there, but you missed one of the biggest "factions" that are driving the entire anti-vaping bus...
Rampant Antismoking Signifies Grave Danger

The anti-smoking crowd is a very large industry, backed by huge money from Big Pharma.
And they are the squeaky wheels in this whole mess.

Their entire self-worth is tied up in bringing us down.
And they've been at this for over four decades.

 

[DC2]

As far as the topic of this thread?

I have not encountered any vape hate in the five years I have been vaping.
That's probably because I'm 6'5 and they only like to pick on people they think can be picked on.

But if I ever did encounter vape hate, I would make sure the person bringing the hate would never want to try that with anyone ever again.
I am well-versed in the facts surrounding vaping (and all that it entails) and would never let them off easy.

Failure to educate is just that... a failure.

Sure, there are those that are so brainwashed by the decades-long efforts to demonize smokers, and now vapers...
But letting them go with a free pass only encourages them to do it to others.

I intend to put a stop to that if I ever get the chance.

 

[AshMPWrites]

I've encountered this only once, at a flea market last weekend.

A mother and her son were sitting on a benches, while I was vaping by the smokers pole (I still adhere to as many smoking laws as possible so not ruffle feathers.) I couldn't hear them at first but when I walked by I heard the son telling his mother how vaping was like doing drugs, no different than smoking and probably worse -- yeah, okay guy.

I thought about explaining the truth to him and his mother, but decided "nah, not worth it." Was I really going to change their mind? Was I really going to shift the plates of their thinking? Probably not. Some people just live in their ignorant little bubbles -- it looks like smoking, so it's smoking! Had they been interested, or asked, or come from a place of curiosity rather than abject ignorance... any one of those would have been a different situation all together. But they didn't. They'd already decided their truth and as the adage goes, you can't argue with stupid.

ETA: I am in my thirties but look considerably younger. I've found that people feel much "freer" to speak their minds to me -- be it when I was smoking, and now vaping. It's fine, really. All things considered, it's nothing at all. But I always do get a small kick out of the brassiness of it -- I mean, for all they know I'm a complete lunatic (I'm not, fyi) who could go from 0 to 60 in no time flat. I mean, crazy can get half away around the world before sane can even put its pants on.

 

[Heliflyer3]

....I heard the son telling his mother how vaping was like doing drugs ....

Unfortunately there are devices that look and perform like the ones we use and could be misconstrued as "smoking herb". I've had some younger family members ask me if I was smoking...LOL. I agree, a bit of interest would have led to more education than just listening to your son. Perhaps then she could of asked her son how he knew it was like smoking drugs...Hmmm

 

[rondasherrill]

Unfortunately there are devices that look and perform like the ones we use and could be misconstrued as "smoking herb". I've had some younger family members ask me if I was smoking...LOL. I agree, a bit of interest would have led to more education than just listening to your son. Perhaps then she could of asked her son how he knew it was like smoking drugs...Hmmm

Heck it's not only that some look like and perform like. Some of them are straight up designed for BOTH! Google the Persei vaporizer. Looks familiar doesn't it? It can use both.