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[sailorman]

I won't vape indoor publicly yet. I think it's unnecessary and tbh might make people frown upon vaping, and I like to give off a good first impression always I vape in the smoke areas in bars, when they see the cherry light up blue on my Apollo Extreme, it's instant curiosity!

My Health concern relates to confusion about type sensitivity, or perhaps I am just releasing toxins.. but on my upper chest area I've broken out in hives? It's in the exact spots where the lungs divide into their respective sides in a "V" shape. I was smoking a 60pg/40vg mix from Apollo, but just recently (YESTERDAY!) I ordered from Jugheads in Alberta, and it arrived within 24hrs... with free flavors to boot. Those guys are unbelievable! ANYWAYS - I got 100% flavors with the hope of it being a sensitivity to PG... Now the kicker is, that when I tried it (while signing up for this ), I was coughing and had an asthma kick (hadn't needed the inhaler for a week beforehand with the pg/vg mix)... I puffed my inhaler, and i'm all good. Went back to it and I seem to be totally fine again.

I really don't know what to do, so I'm going to aggressively puff the VG liquids, and see the results (the hives is going to be the real test of sensitivity.) If I have to switch to 100%PG I will, but I'm still afraid of it getting worse. (Side note: I never get pimples or anything, so it's very concerning to me. I can provide pictures if it comes to it)

And thanks to everyone else for the warm welcomes

A sensitivity to PG is far more common that to VG. I'm not sure I've ever heard of a case of VG sensitivity, not that it's impossible. My guess it that 2 things are happening. It's not unheard of for people to report skin problems when they are detoxing from the chemicals in tobacco. There are also a lot of reports about increased coughing and respiratory problems as their cilia come back to life and their lungs attempt to dislodge the gunk they've built up. The other thing that may be in play is your technique. If you try to inhale like you would an analog, you will cause more irritation. Vaping is a different technique.

I don't know what the legal environment is for vaping in Canada. I'm in the states and, IMO, "stealth" vaping, or not vaping in public is far worse for the image of vapers and perpetuates a negative attitude toward vaping. When you slink around and act like you're doing something wrong, all you're doing is teaching the ignorant public that you feel you're doing something wrong.

Why would you hang out in the smoking areas with the smokers? You are NOT smoking. All you accomplish by that is to perpetuate the myth that vaping is the same as smoking. That does us ALL a disservice. Plus, don't you know secondhand smoke is bad for you?

So don't blow your vapor in anyone's face, but don't act like you're sneaking a smoke. Most people will be curious and it opens up a valuable opportunity to educate them, as well as breaking the ice with the girls, even the ones who don't stink like smoke. As it is, the only information the general public is getting is coming from the anti-nicotine health-Nazis, the tax vampire politicians and those whose profits are threatened by the use of PVs. We cannot let these people monopolize the dissemination of information, or we will lose all public support. I have talked to dozens of proprietors of restaurants, bars and retail stores about vaping. Not once has any of them refused to allow vaping in their establishments after they learn what it is, and that it doesn't produce offensive smoke. Before then, most of them would probably have supported the inclusion of PV's in indoor smoking bans.

Contact CASAA and get some of their business cards with the concise explanation of what an e-cig is and isn't on the back. Keep some of them with you and give them to anyone who looks slightly interested, and especially those who look like their ignorance is causing them to frown upon vaping. Virtually 100% of the opposition to vaping springs from one of two things, greed or ignorance. You can't do much about greed. You CAN and SHOULD take every opportunity to fight ignorance.

 

[Turns]

Excellent points sailorman.

I've heard of the skin problems from quitting cigarettes - yet I've quit before without any breakouts. I'm not prone to skin issues ala acne - if anything my skin is very dry. To appear on my chest in such a pattern and such ferocity makes me certain it's a reaction.

The coughing was not apparent until I started hitting VG fluid, I had a couple coughs here and there with my previous 60/40 mixture, but this was like smoking a cigarette again, including the chest closing up making me need my inhaler. It could be unrelated and just an attack - I'm not too worried about this, it's the hives that scare me.

I vape in public, I like the reactions. I don't stealth unless I don't want the attention, I don't want to have a puff in an establishment just for the sake of being a badass ya know? You seem to be fighting the good fight, I applaud you, and many others on the forum for leading the way with a new modern way. You could be saving lives by discussing this with business owners, and sharing the facts. The only issue I have is that I never smoked in restaurants or businesses before.. why start now? it's a little tricky that way, but I do like spreading the knowledge for one day, not to be able to freely vape around the world, but all the smokers will realize there is an alternative that is so vastly greater than hackin darts.

 

[sailorman]

I never smoked in restaurants or most businesses for a very long time. I usually don't vape in a store, for example, unless it's a mall or someplace I'm going to be spending a lot of time. The reason I never smoked in restaurants is because I almost stopped going to restaurants when they banned smoking area. Now, I'll vape in a restaurant unless it's so crowded that I'm elbow to elbow with some other diner. In that case, I usually just leave anyway.

I dont invite attention, but if someone random idiot gets up, walks across the room and insists I put my cigarette out, I will hold my ground and ask to see a manager. Then, I'll proceed to inform them both. This has never failed to placate both of them and create a venue safe for vaping. In the case of a particularly obnoxious patron, I'll simply tell him to mind his own business, I'm using a medical device. That's the advantage to a PV that looks nothing like a cigarette.

The reason to vape in establishments where you never smoked is to delineate the differnce between vaping and smoking. The more vaping is practiced the same way and in the same circumstances as smoking, the more the public will equate it with smoking. It's only natural and that link must be broken, or the only difference between a PV and a cigarette will be the amount of chemicals inhaled. Vapers will face all the same taxes and stigmas and discrimination and restrictions as a smoker. That's not what we want to see.

 

[nansc]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Turns]

My PV looks just like a cigarette lol, the tip lights up blue luckily, but it's tough to distinguish when I'm exhaling giant clouds of vapor. In america where they are sold generally most places I understand that you need to fight for your rights and to spread the word. Up here in Canada, they are unknown unless sought out. I'm so glad I bought mine because I feel like a revolutionary haha, drumming up interest and being abrasive is the difference in our contexts. You need to fight for less ignorance, I'm basically letting people get their foot in the water with this new concept

All in all though, we're on the same page VIVA LA VAPOR!

 

[sailorman]

Yep, you probably have the advantage in that Canadians haven't been swamped with anti-ecig propaganda spewed out by the special interests and prohibitionists. In the U.S., we find ourselves fighting a rear-guard action, half the time on the defensive to save ourselves from being treated like smokers.

OTOH, Unless you get a head start and immunize people against the interests that would spread mass disinformation, you too could find yourself in the same position as we are. So, you can't afford to be complacent either. You can't afford to give the anti's a head start. They are just as powerful in Canada as they are in the U.S., and if they perceive a threat, they will wake up and engulf you before you know what happened.

 

[bushmasterar15]

Welcome to the ECF

 

[Turns]

Maybe they are anti-PV's because they're being force fed the pro-opinion while in a restaurant/mall? I'd assume it would be a tad like being pushed onto religion when you're an atheist (anti-smoking) to begin with. We're very laid back in Canada, non-abrasive techniques would be my way of sharing the knowledge. I'll infiltrate the smokers while they smoke in their native habitat, suffer through their second hand and discuss, share a delicious puff and who knows. A subtle share would be better than me drawing attention to it at this point of the game.

 

[kcss88]

Welcome Turns.....I hope your health issue is nothing serious.

 

[Turns]

Welcome Turns.....I hope your health issue is nothing serious.

Thanks so much. Not coughing on the VG still, seems to be fine. I promise I'll keep this updated whether the hives go away. I'd love to be a success story for people in my situation. Not a lot of resolutions on my searches, decided to go for it. Vaping has been too important to me for such a short time to give it up (if I was forced to - I still wouldn't go back to analogs.)

 

[Turns]

--UPDATE--

Switching to VG has fixed my issue - it must have been a PG sensitivity. The hives/rash or whatever it was has cleared up - and I'm breathing great. Good times ahead! thanks everyone for the warm welcomes.

 

[TheLethalHero]

Welcome turns

 

[Anthonyy207]

Welcome to ECF!!