Second Hand Vapor

[ArcaneMolaMola]

Lately I have thinking about second hand vapor with so many articles and discussions about vaping in public. I have looked for research regarding exhaled vapor and have found very little. Even with the little info I have, I can't help but notice that some people claim that they smell a humid environment around those who vape in public. I have also read others who experience headaches and nausea due to second hand vapor.

This is not a phenomena that I have read here in the ECF so far after some digging (at least not a thread dedicated to it), but it itches me to ask this community if anyone has met someone like this? If this does occur, I wonder if PG has something to do with it? I vape only high or pure VG by the way.

Unfortunately, I am a covert/shut-in vaper so I would like to ask ECF for help regarding my question. I am really just asking for experiences out of curiosity.

Any info would be appreciated.

Edit: I have found a section that may shed some light on this. Thanks.

 

[Nitwit]

It's your house and you should feel comfortable enough to either just vape or let your relative know ahead of time that this is to be expected.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

Also, regarding the headaches and nausea some report, I am wondering if it is not a separate problem that the person has, but maybe the smell? Some smells so make me feel horrible depending on the strength of odor. Recently, a friend of mine let me try some of her "Frozinilla". I literally pulled no vapor on the first vape, and the taste and smell were absolutely strong. My reaction to that vape was literally:

 

[DC2]

Here are some studies...
Utah Vapers - Clearstream Air Results
IVAQS Project

And of course there is this one...
http://publichealth.drexel.edu/SiteData/docs/ms08/f90349264250e603/ms08.pdf

 

[DetraMental]

I know I can't be around the scent of vanilla it literally makes me ill and nauseous. Peach is another flavor that I can't tolerate. Never could have these in scented candles or perfumes. I know I had a fog machine for Halloween which used vg and it would give me a headache if I stayed in the same area with it. Same thing happened at concerts when they used fog machines, I'd see it coming and start to cringe cuz' I knew I'd be getting a headache in 3, 2, 1, ........Funny thing is I can vape a 50/50 pg/vg mix with no repercussions.

 

[Myrany]

my hubby did not like the smell of one of my juices at all. SO I stopped using it. The only other comment I get is when I vape watermellon juice in the var he says it makes him hungry.

I would probably go slow. Talk to your guest and find out if they have any known allergies. For example someone allergic to peanuts probably would not do well smelling peanutbutter cup. Besides you sort of need to know for cooking purposes. Also just let them know that if anything you vape is making them ill to tell you. You can swap out your juices or only vape in your room or something. There has to be give and take in any roomie situation.

 

[happydave]

i always crack a window when i vape, no matter how cold it is. the vapor is heavier than air and when it cools to room temp it will sink to the bottom of the room. so i don't vape at all around kids for this reason as well as a few other reasons... as previous discussed some people might have an allergy to something your vaping so its something to check into before you vape in confined areas with them.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

I know I can't be around the scent of vanilla it literally makes me ill and nauseous. Peach is another flavor that I can't tolerate. Never could have these in scented candles or perfumes. I know I had a fog machine for Halloween which used vg and it would give me a headache if I stayed in the same area with it. Same thing happened at concerts when they used fog machines, I'd see it coming and start to cringe cuz' I knew I'd be getting a headache in 3, 2, 1, ........Funny thing is I can vape a 50/50 pg/vg mix with no repercussions.

Huh, this is the first time I have heard someone having a reaction with VG. Thanks for the info, especially since I vape only VG juices. Do you get the same effect if you vape a high/pure VG juice?

 

[stevegmu]

The smell of some of my vapes makes my wife sneeze, so while at home, I only vape in my vaperoom.

The extremists will say it is only water vapor, though, so shouldn't bother anyone.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

my hubby did not like the smell of one of my juices at all. SO I stopped using it. The only other comment I get is when I vape watermellon juice in the var he says it makes him hungry.

I would probably go slow. Talk to your guest and find out if they have any known allergies. For example someone allergic to peanuts probably would not do well smelling peanutbutter cup. Besides you sort of need to know for cooking purposes. Also just let them know that if anything you vape is making them ill to tell you. You can swap out your juices or only vape in your room or something. There has to be give and take in any roomie situation.

Yes, the smell as well was one of my concerns. Some of my family members (including the one that is arriving) have a strong sense of smell. I hope the type of liquid I have ins't too bad since all of them are of the "artisan" variety. Most of the juices here locally I don't think I would stand for a minute because the smell is either too strong or chemical-like. Thanks for the info.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

i always crack a window when i vape, no matter how cold it is. the vapor is heavier than air and when it cools to room temp it will sink to the bottom of the room. so i don't vape at all around kids for this reason as well as a few other reasons... as previous discussed some people might have an allergy to something your vaping so its something to check into before you vape in confined areas with them.

Actually, the place I live has a ton of ventilation no matter how many windows and doors I close. There are so many crevices that the air is constantly moving. I also have a portable air filter because it gets dusty so quickly here. I am thinking of just going to another room if someone is present. However, since not everyone reacts to the vapor the same way, I have always worried about this. Thanks for the info.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

The smell of some of my vapes makes my wife sneeze, so while at home, I only vape in my vaperoom.

The extremists will say it is only water vapor, though, so shouldn't bother anyone.

I haven' heard that one, but given that some are allergic to some perfume/cologne scents, it is expected. Unless the juice has natural extracts, it kind of makes you wonder what they put it in. I remember I got a dark chocolate from ECBlends and it smelled like acetone, literally.

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

A recent article published in the Dallas newspaper in their health section was entitled "Getting e-cigs in hand," a reprinted article from the Chicago Tribune. It was a horrible article with no references but there was one quote that really ticked me off.

"Just because someone chooses to service their [nicotine] addiction by using an e-cigarette, that still doesn't create a right for them to poison people in the neighborhood."

Really? I'm poisoning people in my neighborhood with my second hand vapor? Perhaps I should post a sign in front of the house to warn everyone.

 

[RosaJ]

This topic has been covered here in ECF ad nauseum. If you're really that personally concerned about making your guest completely comfortable in your house/apartment, then the right thing to do may be to quit everything cold turkey and make sure you don't breathe in their general direction.

One word of caution though, your guest may feel so comfortable, he/she may decide to make the arrangement a permanent one. Just sayin'...

 

[Dakota Jim]

Lately I have thinking about second hand vapor with so many articles and discussions about vaping in public. I have looked for research regarding exhaled vapor and have found very little. Even with the little info I have, I can't help but notice that some people claim that they smell a humid environment around those who vape in public. I have also read others who experience headaches and nausea due to second hand vapor.

This was an issue brought up to me several times in public (outdoor venues) so a few friends of mine got together and we tried a completely unscientific experiment.

We went over to another friends (Ed) house whose wife (Tammy) HATES everything and is affected by EVERYTHING (neither one has ever smoked or vaped)
While his wife was getting ready four of us proceeded to chain vape in the living room - Ed thought he could smell something when he was right next us but could not when he was across the room
We continued to chain vape for the next 40 minutes until we heard the bedroom door open which meant Tammy was coming out.
She did not notice the cloud of vapor (self- absorbed, she should really live in Hollywood)
She did not notice any smell at all.
Now this woman did not let me park in the driveway when I smoked because she could smell the smoke from my pickup when she was inside (and of course, I was never allowed into the house when I still smoked)

Now some eliquids do have a very strong smell (vanilla and maple syrup) so I can see some people smelling it but I think most people that over react and say it is bothering them is because they just see the vapor cloud and they are so preconditioned that if it looks like smoke it is smoke.

Vaper also dissipates so quickly, vapor molecules are so much larger than "smoke" molecules I personally can't see an issue unless you are blowing vapor directly into someone's face (of course we have all seen the video's of the large vape meets which look like bars of old but that is normally several hundred people chain vaping (and demos of the Legal Vape 4000, of course))

 

[angstless]

I know I can't be around the scent of vanilla it literally makes me ill and nauseous. Peach is another flavor that I can't tolerate. Never could have these in scented candles or perfumes. I know I had a fog machine for Halloween which used vg and it would give me a headache if I stayed in the same area with it. Same thing happened at concerts when they used fog machines, I'd see it coming and start to cringe cuz' I knew I'd be getting a headache in 3, 2, 1, ........Funny thing is I can vape a 50/50 pg/vg mix with no repercussions.

And never like peaches...

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

This topic has been covered here in ECF ad nauseum. If you're really that personally concerned about making your guest completely comfortable in your house/apartment, then the right thing to do may be to quit everything cold turkey and make sure you don't breathe in their general direction.

One word of caution though, your guest may feel so comfortable, he/she may decide to make the arrangement a permanent one. Just sayin'...

Perhaps you can point me to one or two ECF threads where they discuss this? I have tried looking for threads asking the same question and all I can find are threads regarding whether or not you should be able to vape in public. Thanks for the info.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

This was an issue brought up to me several times in public (outdoor venues) so a few friends of mine got together and we tried a completely unscientific experiment.

We went over to another friends (Ed) house whose wife (Tammy) HATES everything and is affected by EVERYTHING (neither one has ever smoked or vaped)
While his wife was getting ready four of us proceeded to chain vape in the living room - Ed thought he could smell something when he was right next us but could not when he was across the room
We continued to chain vape for the next 40 minutes until we heard the bedroom door open which meant Tammy was coming out.
She did not notice the cloud of vapor (self- absorbed, she should really live in Hollywood)
She did not notice any smell at all.
Now this woman did not let me park in the driveway when I smoked because she could smell the smoke from my pickup when she was inside (and of course, I was never allowed into the house when I still smoked)

Now some eliquids do have a very strong smell (vanilla and maple syrup) so I can see some people smelling it but I think most people that over react and say it is bothering them is because they just see the vapor cloud and they are so preconditioned that if it looks like smoke it is smoke.

Vaper also dissipates so quickly, vapor molecules are so much larger than "smoke" molecules I personally can't see an issue unless you are blowing vapor directly into someone's face (of course we have all seen the video's of the large vape meets which look like bars of old but that is normally several hundred people chain vaping (and demos of the Legal Vape 4000, of course))

That is a funny experiment. Thanks for letting me know!

Legal Vape 4000 and the vape meets? That gives me an idea. I think another group of people I can ask about this are those who actually go to the vape meets. I am sure that there are quite a few non-smokers who have to cater to these things.

 

[wv2win]

Here are some studies...
Utah Vapers - Clearstream Air Results
IVAQS Project

And of course there is this one...
http://publichealth.drexel.edu/SiteData/docs/ms08/f90349264250e603/ms08.pdf

Perhaps you can point me to one or two ECF threads where they discuss this? I have tried looking for threads asking the same question and all I can find are threads regarding whether or not you should be able to vape in public. Thanks for the info.

It looks like you are ignoring the excellent information that DC2 provided. The Drexel University study basically put to rest any issue with second hand vapor being a problem. A particular strong flavor, from a smell standpoint, may be unpleasant for someone, but that is no different than some people's aftershave.

 

[ArcaneMolaMola]

It looks like you are ignoring the excellent information that DC2 provided. The Drexel University study basically put to rest any issue with second hand vapor being a problem. A particular strong flavor, from a smell standpoint, may be unpleasant for someone, but that is no different than some people's aftershave.

I have gone through all of that info a long time ago and still find info today regarding exhaled vapor. What I am asking about is not numbers and data but actual experiences from individuals.

There are may things that articles say are okay for us, but people's experences will always be different. The Drexel Study as well as the Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut Study simply states that all particles are below threshold levels and nothing else. That does not mean it is not a problem for everyone. Thanks.