New Vapors giving ammunition to anti-vapor stigmas?????

[Christa Marshall]

recently, i have had a few non-vapors coming up to me asking me questions about vaping. This has happened before and i am always willing to share my own success story of how vaping helped me to quite smoking when nothing else did. In the last few days though i have had non-vapors coming up to me asking me about the etiquette around vaping in public. There have been many complaints from smokers and non-smokers alike about people vaping in public. When i say public i mean like along the lines of the middle of a meeting. This has got me thinking...
first, when i began vaping part of the appeal was the freedom of vaping indoors. So i did, and what this looked like was vaping anywhere and everywhere i went simply for the fact that i could. It took a little while for me to understand and see how this was coming across. I started to see that throwing it in people's faces just because there was no law against it was really counterproductive. If i want to be able to continue to vape without regulations and laws around it i need to be respectful of others regardless of their knowledge or lack of knowledge around vaping.
Another large factor in learning some etiquette was having a vaper who had been on the scene longer than me talk to me about it. Getting called out on my self righteous behavior was pivotal!! Just because i can, doesn't mean i should...

All of this combined with the recent questions around if it is legal or not made me start to think if some of us are just handing ammunition over to people who want to regulate vaping. I want to be clear that i have made my own share of mistakes. I was so excited about not smoking anymore that i felt entitles to vape as i saw fit.
Also i am hoping to maybe raise some awareness around the need to help people out. I don't think anyone who vapes it trying to be rood or offensive. The simple fact, at least in my area, is that the general public views vaping as smoking, and how can we move within these prejudices to educate and maintain our freedom around vaping.

Thoughts??? Similar Experiences??? Completely disagree with me??? What do you think?

 

[DavidOck]

Nicely put. We used to call that "being polite."

 

[toddrhodes]

I think on some levels, vaping has become "trendy" and those trendsters do not adhere to the same self-regulation most veterans have come to understand. Make no mistake, there are folks out there who vape to put on a show and are not necessarily using it to stop smoking. To them - and I doubt very honestly any of "them" are reading this forum - it is an act of showmanship and "look what I can do" type of bravado that will, ultimately, hurt our cause. This is what perpetuates a public stigma that *all* of us are doing the same. Honestly, we don't have this sort of thing in my neck of the woods. Everyone I've come across is just another regular person trying to quit a deadly habit. Yes, I'll be the first to admit, I do enjoy freedoms with vaping that I did not have with smoking but that is, to me, the single biggest attraction. I fully realize I have to be respectful of those around me - just as when I was smoking - and if someone is uncomfortable with it for whatever reason, I accommodate their needs to the best of my ability. But I do fear that if this "trend" grows in popularity, it will make it that much harder to convince the non smoking/vaping greater majority that vaping is not a nuisance but rather a means to quit a far more menacing habit that is smoking. For the time being, I can only hope that being respectful and under the radar will suffice.

 

[degnr8]

I have to agree. I was actually doing that a while ago. I'd gotten so used to vaping wherever I was that the boss at my new job had to tell me I couldn't walk around the office vaping because it was a distraction. Now I mostly go outside with the smokers. Sometimes though I do vape in the halls or bathroom when it's more deserted.

 

[Anthal69]

The biggest stigma IMO is that my PV is still referred to as an e-cigarette. For the "uneducated" mind of non vapers, e-cigarettes are just regular cigarettes with an "E" in front of them. This label will never go away and that will be the downfall of the vaping freedom.

 

[toddrhodes]

The biggest stigma IMO is that my PV is still referred to as an e-cigarette. For the "uneducated" mind of non vapers, e-cigarettes are just regular cigarettes with an "E" in front of them. This label will never go away and that will be the downfall of the vaping freedom.

You are absolutely, 100% correct. We are branded, so to speak. I had my ProVari with twins and my Hippo - a beastly combination if I do say so myself, propped up on the bar when I met my buddy for lunch today. I saw the bartender eyeing it and without hesitation asked me, "Is that one of those... e-cigarettes?" I said, kinda, I suppose. She then went on to elaborate that she tried to use an "e-cigarette" for a few days and didn't like it. According to her, she is trying to use it again. I didn't say anything, just sat there and let her talk. But it just goes to show, even a venerable setup is still boiled down to just being an e-cig. There is a sort of association that happens then. Like a tricked out mod is the exact same thing as the Blu she would buy across the street at the convenience store. I hold absolutely nothing against my bartender today, she was cordial and courteous. But she's also the mindset of the overwhelming majority. Her Blu is the same as my APV.

 

[Anthal69]

You are absolutely, 100% correct. We are branded, so to speak. I had my ProVari with twins and my Hippo - a beastly combination if I do say so myself, propped up on the bar when I met my buddy for lunch today. I saw the bartender eyeing it and without hesitation asked me, "Is that one of those... e-cigarettes?" I said, kinda, I suppose. She then went on to elaborate that she tried to use an "e-cigarette" for a few days and didn't like it. According to her, she is trying to use it again. I didn't say anything, just sat there and let her talk. But it just goes to show, even a venerable setup is still boiled down to just being an e-cig. There is a sort of association that happens then. Like a tricked out mod is the exact same thing as the Blu she would buy across the street at the convenience store. I hold absolutely nothing against my bartender today, she was cordial and courteous. But she's also the mindset of the overwhelming majority. Her Blu is the same as my APV.

I am almost in a mind set to buy factory plastic sealed drip tips to let a blu cig user try my PV. It's one thing to see someone blow a cumulonimbus cloud from there own set up. It's another to actually try it for yourself. We as mod users know the glorious lung filling feeling of our set ups. Share the cloud!! Lol.

 

[Anthal69]

Just found my new signature, lol.


Share the cloud!!

 

[holy_handgrenade]

Not having read the full thread (there may be more to respond to) but the way I handled the vaping is this: it's like chewing gum - there's a time and a place, and there are zero laws about chewing gum, but there's times where it's not considered a good move. Such as your example of in the middle of a meeting. Do you see everyone sitting down to begin the meeting breaking out a a stick of gum and munching loudly while some presenter speaks, or do you see people spitting their gum out in napkins and throwing it away prior to the meeting?

It seems more prominent with the younger vapers that hear stories of the "good ol' days" of the 60's when nearly 50% of the population smoked and it was generally accepted behavior - ashtrays were everywhere, smoking in the office was allowed, grocery stores, movies, etc.

However, today smokers comprise about 20% of the population, and vapers are generally smokers that switched so even less. This is what puts things in perspective for me - we'll never have that true "vape anywhere you damned well please" mentality unless it becomes fashionable and acceptable as smoking was back then - which is unlikely at best.

Personally I think that social gathering places, such as coffee shops, restaurants, and bars are places we "should" be allowed to vape in. I have always asked staff prior to vaping in those establishments and received permission. Keeping in mind that these are all private places, and just because there's no law doesn't mean it's allowed. Workplace is also up to your manager, corp properties, company policy, etc.

 

[HeavenNorHell]

I have a friend that does this. We went to little Caesar's for pizza and while waiting for our order he starts hitting his PV and I ask him if he really just did that. It was in a really confined area and I definitely found that disrespectful. Still trying to work with him on it. He frequently comes over and blows his vape in my dogs face. I allow vaping in my home but I don't condone blowing it at my dogs or any other defenseless persons breathing space. I got quite upset.

Some vapers simply don't get that even though it's not an analog, it should be treated as such when non smokers/vapers are nearby. Its just respect. I understand you didn't think of it as being rude before, but I'm glad you do now. It makes you a better person and one that truly cares about not just vaping, but the cause to prove its our right to vape.

Just my hope I didn't offend, that was not my goal.

 

[meanckz]

 

[dspin]

Ev - he is not your friend if he blows anything in your dogs face. Some people would knock him out for doing that. Now you need to ban him from vaping in your house at all.

 

[HeavenNorHell]

I don't mean he grabs my dog and force feeds it to him. I would knock him out for that. His body would then mysteriously disappear.

Anyways, my dog will be sitting with him and without using common sense, begins puffing and large amounts of vapor enter my dogs breathing space. Which is still unacceptable and I will not allow him to vape in my home anymore because of it. I was simply making a point to not be that guy who forgets his brain at home that morning.

A little respect goes a long away, now to teach that to my friend.

 

[dspin]

I don't mean he grabs my dog and force feeds it to him. I would knock him out for that. His body would then mysteriously disappear.

Anyways, my dog will be sitting with him and without using common sense, begins puffing and large amounts of vapor enter my dogs breathing space. Which is still unacceptable and I will not allow him to vape in my home anymore because of it. I was simply making a point to not be that guy who forgets his brain at home that morning.

A little respect goes a long away, now to teach that to my friend.

Well done eV - your dog and I both applaud you by the way what kind of dog do you have - we have a Havanese and 2 Aussies

 

[HeavenNorHell]

Thanks didn't mean to seem like the person who tolerates that kind of thing. Ill post a pic tomorrow. His names Walle (like the Disney movie), it's my gfs dog so I could be wrong, but I know he's a dauchund(SP?), and I think pug and something else I can't remember right now. Real small guy, cute as a ... Well a small dog I suppose
He's getting real chunky too, we got him and he was real skinny, he lived with three pits. Food hogs lol. Now he's gained alot of weight. Barely a year old

 

[HeavenNorHell]

BTW if that's a pic of your dog (wink wink) he's straight up rocking those glasses

 

[dspin]

Awesome - would love to see pics of the wee tyke

Heres the boys

The Hav is a rescue

 

[generic mutant]

I always ask - the management when I first get in somewhere, and if I'm sitting directly next to strangers, I'll ask them if it bothers them too. If they say "Yes" politely, I don't make an issue out of it.

There have been quite a few pubs that have said "I wish everyone was as polite about it as you are. Most people just go ahead and do it."

 

[HeavenNorHell]

Your dogs are beauty's my friend. Ill upload pics in a few hours. And generic, I would definitely say making sure everyone in your range should be aware of and approve of you vaping near them. If they don't, don't vape. If there's any reason you don't want to ask or there's "too many people" to ask or any other reason, don't vape.

 

[generic mutant]

I agree up to a point, but not always - if I'm standing up somewhere outside, I think it's more acceptable.

Since it isn't demonstrably harmful, I think of it more like an unwelcome smell then. No different to eating strong foods, and I wouldn't berate anyone for eating strong foods outside, amongst a group of people standing up, in publicly owned space. If I don't like the smell, I can move...