The Image Thingy

[Kati]

It is likely that I am making a nuisance of myself for starting yet another topic. If I am over doing it, I hope someone will say so. I'd like to be a sensible member, not a nuisance. The newness of vaping brings a whole range of questions to mind, probably questions that have been broached before to the chagrin of long-time members.

I started smoking at a time when smoking was consider a fairly typical adult behavior, perhaps even cool. The societal shift in attitude towards smoking has been profound. To be a smoker today is to an outsider, an outcast, persona non grata. For years smoking has been a very personal habit done in privacy or at least as private as possible.

I view my attempts to move from smoking to vaping as a positive undertaking. However, it seems to me, that vaping also has image problem as well. I don't think I can articulate what that image is exactly, but I think it is fair to say it is not a positive image. How do you deal with the image thingy? How do you think vaping is perceived in society?

Thus far I have treated vaping in same way as smoking, a very private part of my life.

Any thoughts?

 

[bombastinator]

There are several pressures on vaping from different directions. The tobacco companies don’t like vaping because it is an effective way to quit smoking and have run various campaigns against it. Meanwhile the anti smoking groups are afraid of vaping because it removes their primary reason for existence, ie preventing smoking death and they wish to prevent vaping from becoming popular so they run campaigns as well

 

[ilporcupine]

I, for one, feel no need to cater to anyone's perceptions. Their problems are theirs. I smoked where it was legal, and I'll vape where it's legal.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

I bump and grind with people of various walk of life and right now, where I am, vaping it's normal to see someone or various people vaping anywhere smoking is allowed. Most smokers don't quite get it, a lot of people insist it's worse than smoking in one way or another. Many however will admit they like the smell. Some love it.
So, vaping is expected more than accepted in a lot of situations, but I don't get derogatory comments .
If someone does rub me the wrong way I just say "Everybody's gotta die from somethin..." and fog myself out, exit stage left like a magician.

 

[Baditude]

When I began vaping several years ago, I very rarely came across another vaper in real life. So vaping in public was not a common thing to see. Some people would see my battery device with glass tank on top of it and immediately think that I was using something from a head shop. You remember head shops, don't you? I still don't know why a glass tank would be associated with a head shop.

As bombastinator said, the last several years has revealed several groups who use propaganda and social media to serve in their best interests against vaping. Big Tobacco, Big Pharma, antismoking groups, etc. It seems today, it has become common place for people to use fake news to attack their enemies or competition.

Last fall I had a perfect stranger come up to me while I was vaping on the street to tell me, "Don't you know that vaping is more dangerous than smoking?". To which I replied, "Did you read that on Face Book?" She said that yes, she did. I then asked, "Do you believe everything that you read on Face Book?" To which she said, "Of course not." I simply told her not to believe all the bad things you read online about vaping and do some personal research on the subject before you come up to a perfect stranger and tell him how dangerous it is.

 

[DeloresRose]

Good question.

Fortunately, I’ve never cared one bit what anyone else thinks of me. I’m not here for the popularity contest. I’m okay with me, and that’s what’s important.

As Dr. Seuss said, those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.

I will say my local vaping friends are asking me what to do about the pressure. They’re getting flack about it, the usual misinformation. One was close to going back to smoking! One got razzed about the nic, and asked if I could make her some zero mg, so she could at least say she wasn’t using nic. I just started writing 0 mg on her juice ( she knows it’s still 6) hoping to get people off her back till she’s actually ready to go 0 nic. And what happened? They started telling her, if she could do 0mg, she could quit all together!

I told her she needed to be more like me and just tell people to go stuff themselves.

 

[smacuser]

What I'm going to say might be unpopular, but that never seems to stop me. lol.

The usual images most folks see of vapers range from the tatted up, pierced out meatheads to the basement dwelling social outcasts: all of whom are seeking attention by blowing clouds the size of buses. I always cringe, myself, upon spotting one in the wild.

That's why I keep it on the down low while out in public.

 

[stols001]

I don't mind when I'm out and about. I will be starting a new job where I will not have the opportunity to vape for long stretches anyway, so I've been experimenting with snus because even if I can get "vaping breaks" and I doubt it, the time period will be long enough that I really don't think I wouldn't have to be using some form of NRT and I was amazed at how effective snus actually is. Given that's the case, I don't feel like the trade off of sneaking in some vape time is really worth it and I don't want to be "that employee who vapes" or is even perceived of in that manner.

But out and about, I have to say I don't much care, and etc. It's just more a matter of starting out how I mean to continue, and I feel in some ways it will be much easier, etc.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this one though, really.

Anna

 

[Bradder]

My experience is that there are people of all types.

There is a lot of misinformation or disinformation from several "scientific" groups.

There are also the people, I am sure you were aware of, who perform a loud cough for your benefit even when a cigarette wasn't lit. They will do the same thing for vaping as well.

Of course, just like with cigarette smokers, there are vapers who are just as inconsiderate who vape in non-vaping areas and/or blow huge clouds of smoke/vapor toward non-smokers/vapers. I guess out of defiance to the haters.

I certainly never was ashamed of my smoking, nor am I ashamed of my vaping. But, I did consider myself a considerate smoker and consider myself a considerate vaper. With no shame intended, when I am out and about, I tend to vaper a much higher PG to VG ratio (40vg:60pg) and do a bit more "stealth" vaping. I do this by holding the vapor in my lungs longer so that when I exhale there is almost no vapor exhaled.

Oh, and never feel bad about asking questions. Questions are never a nuisance. Very friendly people here as you can already see.

 

[Jebbn]

Interesting post OP.
I was a very self conscious smoker. I smoked but knew I should know better but couldnt find away out of it. I didnt smoke publicly and would move away from everyone to be alone and have a private cigarette if I was out and about.
With vaping I dont care so much. I think being free of cigarettes is such a weight off my shoulders and that because vaping is largely responsible for it I tend to not be so tied up with embarrassment about my vaping. I even vape at traffic lights when as a smoker I held my burning cig below window level and wouldnt drag on it until I was out of direct line of sight!
Vaping seems to be viewed with mistrust by those who dont understand it or have no need for it and as the best thing ever by people whos health and finances has been turned around by using the technology.
Im fortunate that at work all the vapers are ex smokers over 50. We all "get it" and know it works, its a kind of a celebration rather than a negative thing.

 

[QcVaper]

I vape like i used to smoke
That means being respectful of others and not blowing smoke (now vapor) into their faces.

If people don't like seing it i don't care, just like i give no f about public opinion. I started vaping for me and only me knows the benefits it gave me.

 

[Zaryk]

I have never cared what others have thought. It means nothing to me if some person, that probably I don't even know, likes it or not. I do not conform my life to make strangers comfortable. As the saying goes "My rights don't end where your feelings begin."

I do respect others enough not to blow clouds at them, but that is as far out of my way I will go for strangers.

 

[sdennislee]

"My rights don't end where your feelings begin."

Exactly

 

[djsvapour]

It is likely that I am making a nuisance of myself for starting yet another topic. If I am over doing it, I hope someone will say so. I'd like to be a sensible member, not a nuisance.

My dear - you are not a nuisance at all. We want to help everybody of every color, race, gender and level of 'shinyitis'

Why
1. Get you off the smokes
2. Get you the best deals so you don't get ripped off
3. Get you to pay 10% of all your money into the church of vaping.

oh... maybe I am wrong about #3.

Either way... in the UK we have a TV character called Dr Who. If I could transport myself Dr Who style myself to Wisconsin, I would.

We love all people here apart from maybe Matt from Kinin who wanted us to vape essential oils so he didn't need to get a job today.

 

[djsvapour]

I bump and grind with people of various walk of life and right now, where I am, vaping it's normal to see someone or various people vaping anywhere smoking is allowed. Most smokers don't quite get it, a lot of people insist it's worse than smoking in one way or another. Many however will admit they like the smell. Some love it.
So, vaping is expected more than accepted in a lot of situations, but I don't get derogatory comments .
If someone does rub me the wrong way I just say "Everybody's gotta die from somethin..." and fog myself out, exit stage left like a magician.

Post of the week. Where do we send the prize @uthinkofsomething

 

[djsvapour]

The usual images most folks see of vapers range from the tatted up, pierced out meatheads to the basement dwelling social outcasts: all of whom are seeking attention by blowing clouds the size of buses. I always cringe, myself, upon spotting one in the wild.

Yeh... that is me... totally dude.

I like Metal (true) and boast mega clouds with my Pink mod (less true).

 

[Firestorm]

Thus far I have treated vaping in same way as smoking, a very private part of my life.

My sentiments exactly. Smoking was a vice that I didn't start or perpetuate because of others and I preferred that people not know that I was a smoker. Similarly, I started to vape to replace my smoking habit and it's not something that I advertise or try to bring attention to.

 

[Vapemesilly]

My image is one of being an old fart so anything else can only be an improvement.

 

[Grimwald]

I started 6 years ago after a 40+ year heavy smoking habit. Way back then you could vape almost anywhere and that helped a lot of smokers switch to vaping. Unfortunately that didn't last which was a shame.

Still I was always a discrete vaper. I remember when I switched from that cigalike to a huge ego sized. I was really self conscious when I took that out in public...especially with a clear tank. I was so pleased when I got an evod and an mt3 so I could hide my juice.

Today I still like smaller out and about devices. Guess I'm just funny that way.

 

[jandrew]

I find that most people are too busy silently judging me for wearing socks and sandals to even notice I'm vaping.