Journalist Looking to Get Acquainted with the Vaping Community

[castorsimon]

Hello! My name is Simon, I'm a journalist in California researching vaping info for an assignment I'm on. I figured that, to get a good feel for my writing, I would peruse forums and (hopefully) befriend a few voices here who can help me with my work.

Don't get me wrong yet: I try my best not to be that typical annoying, unfriendly, and {MODERATED} reporter who demands info and nothing else. But I believe it's most important to establish a bond and to truly connect with individuals who have voices and opinions, just like everyone else. So please don't take it that I'm being rude--I do swear that I'm trying not to. But, to end it, I recognize that it might be intrusive for me to join your community when (and I do admit) I'm not a vapor enthusiast.

I hope I can still be accepted by y'all. From lurking I can tell that users here are warm and thoughtful. Hopefully we can be friends and I can get a feel for what I'm writing about in the first place

A bit more about me:

-Hemingway obsessed. Also reading House of Leaves currently.

-Survival horror enthusiast. Probably the #1 Silent Hill fan you'll meet.

Anyways, thank you for reading and I look forward to spending time here!

 

[Jessup Jernagains]

What is the assignment based upon? Perhaps some background on the article would help others open up more?

 

[vaperature]

Just don't use the word "anti-freeze" in your article AT ALL and you're fine by me.

 

[sky4it]

Well welcome Simon,,

Maybe as a journalist, you can help keep those politicians out of the vaping business, and give us some of that let freedom ring stuff, that stuff they always talking about, I mean what are we going to do Simon, eh Simon, if the government tells us we cant vape, go back to dying smoking those tobacco straws? I got my lungs back Simon, the gov dont have no right to my lungs

 

[Capt.shay]

Ask away. You'll find that most vapors are former smokers and we are not only open about but proud of the fact that we are now vapors instead of smokers.

 

[crxess]

True Journalist or today's standard?(or lack thereof)

I have never minded sharing, but hate being misquoted.

Oh, and Welcome to ECF.

60yrs old
45+ years of 1.5-2 packs per day
Quit instantly upon starting vaping.
Health is still improving after 14 months smoke free.

 

[edyle]

welcome. i am sure you will find alot here of interest

 

[ions]

I HATE when I read an article and they mention anti-freeze (its actually ethylene glycol you must not ingest as it is very toxic) and fail to mention everything else we ingest daily that propylene glycol is a part of. Part of the one-sided media view fear campaign.

 

[StormFinch]

Welcome castorsimon, wonderful introduction by the way.

I would suggest that you email the administration to let them know what you're doing and make sure they're okay with you being here, just to be safe. It is a private forum after all.

We welcome fair and balanced reporting. Unfortunately we have often found that fair and balanced goes right out the window, and some of us are even beginning to wonder if journalistic integrity is an oxymoron. Treat us correctly and we'll give you reams of info, don't and you'll find out how many acrid comments we can make on your piece. We tend to stick together and run in packs.

 

[SonHouse]

Well, I hope you'll write something which is fair and balanced rather than prejudiced. This is a huge community and like any huge community will have members with diverse opinions, interests and insights. I would imagine it would be best to keep your journalistic pursuits somewhat under wraps since most articles written are hatchet jobs intended to shock and titillate rather than honestly inform. A lot of members are nonplussed by the output of other members of your profession.

 

[Stosh]

Welcome to ECF!!

We need some well researched press these days, most of what is written is "plagiarized from press releases" drivel.

I'm a 62yr old
40+ years of 1.5 packs per day, sometimes have switched to cigars or pipes (still inhaled for the nicotine)
Tried cold turkey, patches, gum, lozenges, wellburtin, hypnotism mutilple times, all failed.
Quit the day I starting vaping, been using it for over 3 1/2 years.

 

[yzer]

All of the vitals are in my signature. I vape 2.0ml per day. I have spent a total of $1300 on all vaping expenses since 11/2011. I used to spend $3,300 a year on smoking.

 

[freeatlast!]

How about letting us see some credentials, and links to past work? I also agree with StormFinch's suggestion.

 

[StormFinch]

Lol me thinks he didn't realize how many replies he would get and how fast they would come in.

 

[smacuser]

y'all

For a journalist, you might want to work on your gramma.

 

[sky4it]

But he took off so quick before he journalized, MAYBE the journalist went on cigarette break?

Hey somebody looks like Amy Lee of Evanescence, shes a Vapor Girl??? wow

 

[Jessup Jernagains]

For a journalist, you might want to work on your gramma.

lol! how do you appeal to an audience such as this without showing us that he too is a human being?

 

[klynnn]

It's about time someone started talking to the people that actually vape. 48 year 2+pad ex smoker here and have not had so much as a cold since I started vaping. I don't know how many times I've read in articles the common phrase- well we just don't know what's in this eliquid stuff. Well quite a few of us do as we make our own. If you ain't fair and balanced don't bother writing and it might help if you passed that on to some of your cohorts.

 

[heuve]

Hey there, welcome to the forums! I'm a new participant but a long time student and observer here. I echo the hopes of others in that you will write a level piece and hopefully address the dearth of research on this subject; I think vaping has moved far beyond a niche activity at this point, and more thorough, quality research is called for.

The thread about the safety of e-cigarettes is interesting--the FDA certainly has external influences who have a lot to gain from not giving cigarette smokers such an easy, unregulated out. However, British health authorities have instructed their doctors to support vaping instead of smoking (after more traditional cessation methods have been suggested, of course).

Hope we can answer some questions and get a feel for what you're doing, I give you the benefit of the doubt based on your willingness to engage the community here though!

 

[StormFinch]

For a journalist, you might want to work on your gramma.

Funny smacuser. I'll have you know that y'all is a proper plural pronoun anywhere below the Mason Dixon. He's got to be a transplant, I hear no one is actually FROM California.