Organizing a vape-in. Let's get started.

[Jay-dub]

Since this site has a group section with major cities and minor cities represented I figure it wouldn't hurt to utilize the network. I think it would be good to organize some vape-ins in high traffic areas of our towns/cities. A chance to gather and have fun while exposing the public to vaping and vaporers. Could be picnic or pot-luck style but the main point is to engage the public in a non-confrontational, informative way while having some fun and meeting fellow local vaporers. I'm not great with people or organization so where do I go from here? Is the notion DOA? Anyone with ideas or even the gumption to assist in implementing this idea would be welcome.

 

[Impulso]

I like the train of thought, but given the precarious position we're in, I feel like this would expose e-cigs to the masses, and you always know how that ends up...widespread panic, and screams to ban this. The general public doesn't have a lick of common sense.

 

[Jay-dub]

It's better for us to reach people first than the scare-media and die hards. Right or wrong people tend to stick to first impression. Who do we want to leave that up to? No one I say. It'd be a lot better for the vaporers to represent the vaporers. At least in my opinion. One thing is we need to get people from each city/town group to work together and propose good locations and dates.

 

[Jman8]

IMO, a vape-in is likely to be perceived as confrontational, regardless of how it is planned to go. Yet, I don't think idea of it being perceived as confrontational ought to be reason for not doing it. Of course, not all people would agree with that and conforming to accepted standards, however wrong they may appear to general society, is often preferable.

My idea of a vape-in would be to have a number of vapers show up at an establishment, and then split up. Obviously things would be coordinated a bit going in, but my idea is that if you had say 30 vapers in an indoor building, spread out and all openly vaping, but other patrons had 'no idea' that (vaping) was going on, it would send a very interesting message about how vaping indoors actually transpires, and how it actually impacts the non-vapers in that same building.

Additional ideas for this guerrilla tactic would be:

1 - have vapers who don't vape stand outside and educate, handing out flyers, cards and where to get more info about the topic, hopefully presenting both sides of the issue

2 - have other vapers who are indoors, but aren't vaping and who are secretly video recording the vapers who are. Thus proof that there were x number of vapers in the establishment vaping, while (presumably) no one noticed

3 - exit poll for non-vaping patrons to see if they noticed anyone vaping. Hope is that none do notice it, even while it is plausible that they easily could have. In event someone did notice it, it would be interesting and honest to capture their opinions about what they observed and how they reacted, plus if they noticed how many others were in the establishment doing the same thing

4 - deliver video/poll results to media agency or online medium that conveys what this vape-in intended to do and what the results were

 

[Davinna]

NYC is voting today whether or not to have vapers under the same rules and restrictions as smokers. Chicago is talking about it's own proposal to ban e-cig use from public areas. Evanston, Il has already passed a ban on e-cigs. These are just a few I know of, I'm sure there are more. The dominoes are already falling. If you plan to do this in a public place, better make it quick.

 

[Jay-dub]

IMO, a vape-in is likely to be perceived as confrontational, regardless of how it is planned to go. Yet, I don't think idea of it being perceived as confrontational ought to be reason for not doing it. Of course, not all people would agree with that and conforming to accepted standards, however wrong they may appear to general society, is often preferable.

My idea of a vape-in would be to have a number of vapers show up at an establishment, and then split up. Obviously things would be coordinated a bit going in, but my idea is that if you had say 30 vapers in an indoor building, spread out and all openly vaping, but other patrons had 'no idea' that (vaping) was going on, it would send a very interesting message about how vaping indoors actually transpires, and how it actually impacts the non-vapers in that same building.

Additional ideas for this guerrilla tactic would be:

1 - have vapers who don't vape stand outside and educate, handing out flyers, cards and where to get more info about the topic, hopefully presenting both sides of the issue

2 - have other vapers who are indoors, but aren't vaping and who are secretly video recording the vapers who are. Thus proof that there were x number of vapers in the establishment vaping, while (presumably) no one noticed

3 - exit poll for non-vaping patrons to see if they noticed anyone vaping. Hope is that none do notice it, even while it is plausible that they easily could have. In event someone did notice it, it would be interesting and honest to capture their opinions about what they observed and how they reacted, plus if they noticed how many others were in the establishment doing the same thing

4 - deliver video/poll results to media agency or online medium that conveys what this vape-in intended to do and what the results were

Not against you're notiion either but I'm going to have to request that it be "on the side". For one, your idea is more of an operation/campaign whereas all I'm actually proposing is a gathering. Your's requires a focus on the tasks at hand whereas mine is more about simply organizing, socializing, and informing curious bystanders and passers by. I wouldn't be against flyers or other material at vape-ins but I was going more for "Here we are, here's what we do, what we do is harmless and as you can see most of us are relatively normal people". But damn man... like you're post. I'm just hesitant to immediatly dismantle the original idea without giving it a go.

 

[Tinkiegrrl]

It would be viewed as confrontational. At least, I think it would in NYC. I vape outside, away from any entrance to any building and I get treated as a pariah here. Fake coughing and waving their hands by their noses, as if they're trying to wave away smoke from their faces. I can't imagine having a vape in in an indoors location. I understand the need to educate and expose people, but the anti cigarette crowd has people convinced that anything that resembles smoke is an attempt to poison them or something. Nothing worth doing is easy I know, but I fear that a vape in here would have the opposite effect of what we're looking for. Right now, we'd do better with vapers who aren't vaping and just handing out pamphlets perhaps.

 

[Jay-dub]

NYC is voting today whether or not to have vapers under the same rules and restrictions as smokers. Chicago is talking about it's own proposal to ban e-cig use from public areas. Evanston, Il has already passed a ban on e-cigs. These are just a few I know of, I'm sure there are more. The dominoes are already falling. If you plan to do this in a public place, better make it quick.

Maybe the banned cities are the ones that need vape-ins the most. Though...we'd need a legal fund since a lot of people get sent to the clink for peaceful protests. Who here's willing to get tazed, pepper-sprayed, shot with rubber bullets, tear gas and bean bags? You guys sit in front.

 

[SpettroJoe]

NYC is voting today whether or not to have vapers under the same rules and restrictions as smokers. Chicago is talking about it's own proposal to ban e-cig use from public areas. Evanston, Il has already passed a ban on e-cigs. These are just a few I know of, I'm sure there are more. The dominoes are already falling. If you plan to do this in a public place, better make it quick.

NYC pushes e-cigarette ban - CNBC

 

[Jay-dub]

Maybe people in different cities could join their respective groups and report back here to start organizing? I'm already in the Kansas City Missouri group.