Permission vs. Forgiveness - Vaping in the workplace. Ontario, Canada.

[Eileithia]

I vape all day at work at my desk, however I'm not blowing huge plumes of vapor over my head. I'm "stealthy" enough not to draw attention to my self, but everyone knows I do it. So far no complaints and I've been doing it for 1.5 years. I get some odd looks from vendors once in a while, but being in the technology industry, most of it is curiosity, because lets face it, in the industry I'm in 90% of the people there are techno geeks LOL

 

[Projectguy]

And the truth will set you free

"Whats that thing?, are you smoking inside!??.

-it's just a fancy Nicorette inhaler, it's kept me free of smokes for a few months now-

"How's it work?"

-Just a battery and a heating coil that turns a water based nicotine solution into vapor, like the steam from a coffee pot-

"Won't water build up in your lungs?"

-Did you drown in the steam from your shower this morning?-

"I heard HC banned those things"

-Nope, e-cig stuff is perfectly legit. It's the nicotine in the vapor solution that causes all the confusion, HC hasn't fugured out how to control and tax it yet, so they ask everybody to not to use e-cigs till they get the red tape figured out, basically-

"Is it safe?"

-Cigarettes have smoke and fumes from burning leaves, paper and chemical additives that help to preserve the tobacco, add flavor and make the nicotine more addictive, science estimates 4000 to 7000 chemicals in every puff and in the second hand smoke shared with others, many of these chemicals are known carcinogens and poisons. My e-cig is 70% PG 30 % VG with a hint of artificial flavor and a spec of pure nicotine, it contains no carcinogens and the second hand vapor disperses instantly, its main ingredients are extremely common and can be found in many food, medicines and personal hygiene products and has safety testing going all the way back to the 1940's-

"HC found PEG and carcinogens in e-cigs OMG"

-The levels were lower than what is commonly found in nicotine patch, inhaler and gums, a potato would have higher levels and the testing perameters were less then scientific.-

'Nicotine is super addictive poison of the Devil and you are bad"

-In its pure form and consumed in proper dosage, nicotine is no worse than caffeine in both effects and withdrawal symtoms-

"I don't care what you say, you are smoking anti-freeze and plastic and putting me and my children at risk, you should be banished for being a weak addict, omg get away from me *cough* *cough*"

-YOUR IGNORANCE CONFUSES AND INFURIATES ME, MAY YOUR BODY BE CONSUMED BY DISEASE AND ALL YOUR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS DESTROYED-

 

[rachelcoffe]

atomicben...you have rights. The provincial government has zero authority to misclassify vapour as smoke, or to treat vapour as smoke. Especially not by way of a diktat issued at whim.

As a government employee on the clock, you might not have the right to vape during work hours in your public workspace. But you are in no way obligated to enter a designated-smoking area, ever, if you want to vape during your breaks. And you're definitely allowed to vape during your breaks.

For more details, I would refer you to post #22 in page 3 of the thread below, where I recently posted at length on the same topic.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/canada-forum/316407-well-here-finally-3.html

Happy vaping, and vape proud Ben!

 

[Eileithia]

atomicben...you have rights. The provincial government has zero authority to misclassify vapour as smoke, or to treat vapour as smoke. Especially not by way of a diktat issued at whim.

As a government employee on the clock, you might not have the right to vape during work hours in your public workspace. But you are in no way obligated to enter a designated-smoking area, ever, if you want to vape during your breaks. And you're definitely allowed to vape during your breaks.

For more details, I would refer you to post #22 in page 3 of the thread below, where I recently posted at length on the same topic.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/canada-forum/316407-well-here-finally-3.html

Happy vaping, and vape proud Ben!

Good info, but just to add to this, any place of employment (Public, or private) has the right to tell you not to do it indoors. that doesn't mean you HAVE to go to the "smoking" section, but they can definitely tell you to leave the building, or in some cases premises.

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

Oh there is an odour. A good chunk of the time its usually females that pick it up (that may just be a generalization as most men don't really comment). But there definitely is an odour to our vapor.

As for the residue, where I notice it is in my car. Blowing the vapor directly onto the windshield and after a while I do notice a slight film develop on there.

I love lots of vapor, so I often have my "head in a cloud"! I often notice a film on my glasses when I clean them. I would prefer to have more studies on what is being produced.

Anyone have an "IN" with the Fraser Institute?

 

[kingcobra]

I think a bigger issue is is the attitude we have towards vaping. Mine has always been that you'd be out of your mind not to let me do this anytime, anywhere. I have never been asked not to vape. On the other hand I have been asked questions about this, it's a fancy nicotine inhaler that I've been able to quit smoking with (or you're trying to quit if that's the case), it's not smoke it's water vapor, etc. Not once in a year and a half of vaping has anyone been anything but supportive and encouraging.

If you take a meeker approach as in well excuse me can I use this here, as if it is or should or even could be an issue, I would expect that you may have all kinds of pushback.

The only reason why anyone would disallow vaping is by way of ignorance. I would challenge that HR person, first of all by saying that anyone who would equate this with smoking is out of their mind, there's no smoke,these other people know nothing, maybe you want to step away from that crowd and use your head?

They do have a right to tell you not to vape inside just like they can tell you no food or drinks at your desk or whatever else, use a black pen only or whatever they want you to do while you are under their employ. This is no excuse to be ...... though.

In the end they therefore have the final say but we should insist on having ours, voices of reason here instead of voices of ignorance.

I love the term "vape proud" that was used and that's what we all need to do. We're all in this together, as Red Green says.

 

[NoizMaker]

I would rather vape on my feet than smoke on my knees.

That being said, I don't care about permission. I stealth vape in the bathroom if there is a "No Smoking" or "No Fragrance" policy, so their words are merely blowing smoke up their own asses.

At the end of the day I am a person who vapes and wishes to help anyone else do the same thing, but first and foremost it is about THEM and not ME. Yes, I do vape outside at work, but when I am ...... and want to delicately remove a co-workers head from their shoulders, I just go and vape in the bathroom.

No one can or will say anything. If they make a rule about it; Adapt.

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

I would rather vape on my feet than smoke on my knees.

That being said, I don't care about permission. I stealth vape in the bathroom if there is a "No Smoking" or "No Fragrance" policy, so their words are merely blowing smoke up their own asses.

At the end of the day I am a person who vapes and wishes to help anyone else do the same thing, but first and foremost it is about THEM and not ME. Yes, I do vape outside at work, but when I am ...... and want to delicately remove a co-workers head from their shoulders, I just go and vape in the bathroom.

No one can or will say anything. If they make a rule about it; Adapt.

Exactly! That is how it should be done!

 

[zoiDman]

I guess I’m kinda Old School…

But I subscribe to the Believe that it is Never a Good Idea to Piss Off the People who give you a Paycheck unless I have to. Guess I have seen too many people let go for something Silly when the Real Reason is they ...... Off their Boss Once too often.

I smoked Cigarettes for 20 Years and never seemed to have a Problem just Smoking at Break or at Lunch. And that was outside and Not in my Office.

When I switched to Vaping, I saw no reason to Vape in my Office. I just vape at Breaks and at Lunch just like I did before with Analogs.

 

[torozzgrl]

I just started taking the odd haul here and there and before I knew it my whole area was filled with people wanting to know what it was so I explained and that was that! They were very cool about it and still are

 

[kingcobra]

When my bosses come to town to visit I vape in front of them at work, it's just water vapor after all and who would have a problem with that As a matter of fact, what we really want isn't neutrality it's support, as in are you still using that and not smoking? Kudos man!

I do think though that in situations where they may be a little confused, even though they sign our paycheque this doesn't absolve them from our looking to at least educate them a little. If they still are mixed up about what we are doing and think that it's a problem well at least we tried.

 

[Mindfield]

I went the sneaky route myself.

I talked to my supervisor in the afternoon and told him that I quit smoking. He was very happy for me, and I told him I did it by using electronic cigarettes. I explained what they were, that they produced no smoke, just vapor, had no significant smell unless you were in close proximity to me (though with a few exceptions, and even then the smell is generally quite pleasant), and so on. Then he said the thing i'd be hoping he'd say: "So you could use that in your office and nobody could tell." So I said, "Yep. I have been all day, and you didn't."

So I've been vaping at work ever since. Sometimes I'll be vaping something with a stronger smell -- but a nice one -- and I'll occasionally get asked what I'm "smoking" today. The important thing being I don't smell like stale smoke all the damn time.

 

[fourtytwo]

I think one of the keys is to go with the non tobacco flavours. If you vape something that smells like a cig in an enclosed room like a small office, someone might say something.

 

[Projectguy]

I was in an all day meeting with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, a senior level meeting. I made a point of vaping to my hearts content because of what I have read here on the forum (SloHand's very negative experience as a Gov't of Ontario employee). MTO was very supportive of my vaping.......

 

[dnakr]

I have been vaping at my desk since I began this journey. No one, almost 5 years that I have been doing this, has ever complained or said that they could smell it. I guess I am lucky.

 

[Oriana871]

I was back at work after a foot-related injury, on crutches, painful to walk and so, I took a stealth vape here and there because venturing outside was an ordeal. Then I got the message from my boss to please not vape as the smell is bothering people in close proximity to me.

I was really careful with the stealthing, making sure no vapor escaped on the inhale or the exhale. Once in a while a tiny teeny bit of vapor escaped. I think they could hear me do it, because I had a nice crackling carto going, so they knew I was vaping, whether they could smell it or not.

Regardless, I'm not going to argue with anyone over vaping. However it seemed to me that the negative attitude toward any kind of "smoking" was the prime motive for the complaint.

"Whats that thing?, are you smoking inside!??

"I don't care what you say, you are smoking anti-freeze and plastic and putting me and my children at risk, you should be banished for being a weak addict, omg get away from me *cough* *cough*"

I also have some issue with the argument that hey, I don't smoke cigs anymore, you should support me, just be happy for me and let me vape. As noted in the quote above, some non-smokers don't give a rats a** if you've switched from smoking to vaping. They don't see the need to inhale anything so no sympathy there.

Anyway I will respect any companies decision to ban vaping indoors, whether I think their reasoning is faulty or not. However I did feel the urge to send my boss an email complaining about the smell of my co-worker's lunches since I'm a vegetarian and don't appreciate fumes of pork, beef or whatever making me feel ill.

 

[sam.8]

I work for the federal gov't. I've been vaping for well over a year. Due to the scent bans and the general sensitiviy issues people have in the work place, I do not flaunt my vaping. However I do vape at my desk. I also go outside with a few smokers, mostly for a break, but also so I don't blow my stealth cover I mix my own liquid for the most part and have a specific blend for office use....less odour and more PG, with a normal resistance or older atty/tank depending on the what I feel like. I've converted two other people and give the same advice....do it on the down low and don't blow it for me! So far so good.

 

[Hitmetwice]

Q...Anyway I will respect any companies decision to ban vaping indoors, whether I think their reasoning is faulty or not. However I did feel the urge to send my boss an email complaining about the smell of my co-worker's lunches since I'm a vegetarian and don't appreciate fumes of pork, beef or whatever making me feel ill. ...Q

Totally agree, microwaved shrimp along with many other foreign delicacies are more than
a "little" over the top stink-wise in the lunchroom most days(vegetarian or not!). It can turn you off eating PDQ.
With a "no food on the shop floor" policy, the go outside(with the smokers)option is about the only other choice.

Perhaps having upper management eat their lunches in the "main cafeteria" for a few weeks,
during the main lunch breaks would encourage them to relax a little over the
relatively mild smells vaping occasionally produces.

One is WAY more offensive than the other. In a confined space to boot!

 

[zoiDman]

I know this is kinda a Crazy Concept. But isn't the Line Drawn when the Smell comes out of a Person's Body. Think about it.

People will smell a Bad Smell and just sort of Deal with it. But when that Smell is Chronic Halitosis, well that's a Different Story.

Or there can be a Three Day Old banana peel in someone's waste basket it people just think well, stuff happens, empty it. But sit at your desk and Rip a couple of Seismic Farts and people get Bent.

Is part of the Vaping Inside thing that the Smell is coming from One Person's Lungs and then going into Another's?