I'm in the USMC and I constantly have higher up screaming at me because they think I'm smoking in-doors. I need to wear a shirt that explains that it's not a cig! lol
Thank you for making this comment. I mean no ill intent and I applaud you and those in support of CASAA for the work you do on behalf of the vaping community, it can't be easy.How would I know if you support CASAA or not since you don't have a banner that encourages others to join and support CASAA?
I follow and support CASAA and their positions, as the only group who advocates for vaper's rights. There are those who vape and believe the opposite that vaping is the same as smoking and should be viewed that way. Since the FDA, with the urging of groups like ASH, ALA, AHA, etc, have already gone to court twice to have vaping banned, with the position that vaping is as bad as smoking, it doesn't make sense to me that those who vape should also support that position.
... we should vape openly but respectfully and be prepared to intelligently educate the uninformed.
If you think the Best thing to do is to Vape in Public Places like Schools, dont let me stop you.
My standard line: "It's not smoke, it's vapor. There's nothing in it that isn't also in food and medicine except nicotine, which carries no more health risks than coffee and has more benefits."
Then, if it's a private residence or business or anywhere smoking would be prohibited: "If you'd still like me to go somewhere else or stop, I'll be happy to. But I want you to know that nothing you know about smoking applies to what I'm doing."
If they tell me where a smoking area is: "No thanks. I don't want to expose myself to second hand smoke. Unlike what they do, what I do doesn't harm anyone and has no effect on anynoe else."
That usually works, but if they ask for details, I have citations stored in my phone and give them a reading list. So far, no one's cared enough to even take the reading list. If the conversation gets that far without them getting huffy, I've already won. If they end it by not caring what I have to say, having a team of scientists with conference presentations ready to defend me wouldn't have changed their outlook.
I told myself not get into this kind of debate again, keep your head down Meli., but no, here I am yet again, ready to get my knuckles rapped.
Thank you for making this comment. I mean no ill intent and I applaud you and those in support of CASAA for the work you do on behalf of the vaping community, it can't be easy.
I frequently manage corporate fundraisers for several charities (among other things), I can imagine the lack of understanding you come across, I am often met with more than a fair share. However, the notion of every single donor wearing slogans and banners on their sleeve just to prove they are doing some thing for the benefit of others, is slightly overreaching. A number of my largest benefactors have strict confidentiality policies. I would personally love for them to openly admit their support, but ultimately the bottom line is - it's their choice.
Personally, I think Courtesy, Evaluation of Situation and Environment, most importantly Education is key. The old adage ' you will catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a gallon of vinegar' springs to mind.
Meaning, an over zealous, aggressive stance on Vaping as a Right in any public or private residence with complete disregard to or respect for the public or inhabitants therein is not going to gain any ground with the people one would like to influence the most. This stance has been reiterated on these platforms all too often - "Just do it regardless!" - will not gain friends or influence people.
Furthermore, some people can't or don't want to wade into possible confrontational situations. Being the only person vaping can be a very lonely, uncomfortable place, considering most people don't really like to bring attention to themselves, and as ex-smokers already suffer from some form of guilt, no matter how misguided that guilt may be now, particularly if all and sundry are passing filthy looks and comments.
Nor do I condon vaping in front of minors, I didn't whilst smoking, I wouldn't begin now. Not because what I'm doing is wrong per se, but because I don't want them to grow up and do the same (smoking or vaping). I vape because I am a nicotine addict, because I was a smoker and vaping gives me the most satisfaction, as well as being the safer option.
This may not be the right approach, but one has to do what one is most comfortable with, blatantly assuming it's all okay isn't entirely plausible to me.![]()
I work at a hospital as a CT Tech. There are 2 others that I work with, one smoker and one ex smoker with a smoking spouse. They don't mind me puffing at work in the control room, or the viewing room. I have showed off my e-cigs to all the radiologists and other x-ray techs in the diagnostic side of the house by demonstrating that I can puff inside. No one seems to care, but as I puff away around my ex smoker coworker, I do start to feel guilty about it, so I am starting to develop some boundaries. I will vape in the hospital in my private work areas where none of my patients are likely to see if I am with the smoker, but try to avoid it around the ex smoker. I have not been to the smoking section at work since I started using my ecig (got to love that AC inside).
With that being said I do not try to use e-cigs at home around the kids (I will use it in the car though). I told them that smoking would make them sick, and they are concerned that I am going to get them sick if they see me exhale my vapor. They are my kids, and I don't want them to think it is ok to become nicaddicted like I did.
As for the heated discussion about the college classroom, I would not expect anyone to think it is ok to vape where it would potentially be a distraction to others. I have no experience with the big boy equipment, just seen the gigantic puffs of vapor that the can produce on the exhale. Imagine sitting behind someone, you are trying to take notes, and all the sudden this person pulls out a crome plated lava tube and starts billowing clouds of vape. Just saying, most of the time distracting behaviors are looked down upon in a school type situation.
Take care.
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I don't think your example of "wearing slogans" applies when it comes to supporting CASAA on the ECF forum. This is a "vaping" forum. This is EXACTLY the place to have a CASAA banner. And not to "blow one's horn" but to educate new people about CASAA and how important their difficult efforts are on all of our behalf. Except for myself and a few other vets, I never see one year+ vapers, who provide advice in the new members section, ever mention CASAA or the need to support them and why. How hard would it be to show support for CASAA and educate new people in the largest VAPING forum in the world? And if all the people on this forum who say they support CASAA actually did, they wouldn't have to be struggling to stay afloat. And if each of us who do support CASAA would make an effort to get just one new person to join CASAA, their membership would increase significantly.
I’m not sure why you are Surprised that so few people Monetarily Support CASAA.
When so Few People even Support this Forum that gives CASAA a place to Spread their word and to ask for Support.
I don't think your example of "wearing slogans" applies when it comes to supporting CASAA on the ECF forum. This is a "vaping" forum. This is EXACTLY the place to have a CASAA banner. And not to "blow one's horn" but to educate new people about CASAA and how important their difficult efforts are on all of our behalf. Except for myself and a few other vets, I never see one year+ vapers, who provide advice in the new members section, ever mention CASAA or the need to support them and why. How hard would it be to show support for CASAA and educate new people in the largest VAPING forum in the world? And if all the people on this forum who say they support CASAA actually did, they wouldn't have to be struggling to stay afloat. And if each of us who do support CASAA would make an effort to get just one new person to join CASAA, their membership would increase significantly.
Im not sure why you are Surprised that so few people Monetarily Support CASAA.
When so Few People even Support this Forum that gives CASAA a place to Spread their word and to ask for Support.
When people who supposidly support CASAA won't even let others know that they do or explain to new vapers the importance of CASAA, then it is less surprising but still self-defeating. I also understand the difference in importance between a place for people to chat and an organization that actively fights for others rights.
When I'm in restraints, I just ask my man to put a 78mm automatic with a full carto in my mouth. Then I blatantly vape away.
Sorry.... HAD to.
When people who supposidly support CASAA won't even let others know that they do or explain to new vapers the importance of CASAA, then it is less surprising but still self-defeating. I also understand the difference in importance between a place for people to chat and an organization that actively fights for others rights.
Personally, and coming from a promotional perspective, I think CASAA's membership awareness campaign is slightly flawed. Yes, CASAA have a presence on almost all the forums regarding vaping, but seems to overlook the areas where they could raise greater awareness and funding on larger commercially viable platforms......
I like to think that Many members are just Passing thru and Dont Plan to Use all that the ECF has to Offer so they don't feel a Need to Monetarily Support the ECF. That or maybe Money is Tight Right Now ( I Know how that is ! ) and when things get Better for them that they will Become a Supporting Member.
Let Me Clarify a Few Things.
Just because I Monetarily Contribute to an Organization Doesn't Mean that I 100% Support ALL of the Views of that Organization. And it sure as Heck Doesn't Mean that I Support ALL of the Views of All of an Organizations Members....
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Considering how well they have done testifying before politicians and providing knowledge to these decision makers when this is not what they do for a living, I think they have done quite well. I know they would welcome all the help they can get. But with the non-willingness of vapers to even mention the term "CASAA" on ECF, I think their job is thankless. They shouldn't have to smooth-talk people on ECF into supporting the only organization trying to keep vaping alive. I know if vaping is banned or severly restricted, I will have no sympathy for those who just sat on their hands, kept quite and supported the idea that vaping and smoking are basically the same thing and should be viewed that way.
I certainly hope this isn't like my gym memberships![]()
I live in a very rural area, and no one around here knows what it is. When I vaped during my last job interview, they asked me if it was a crack pipe! Of course my thoughts ran to why I would smoke crack in public(not that I've ever smoked it at all)... After explaining what it was, we talked about the health benefits and stuff, and I got that job.