Well, I'll just give a quick opinion, and be on my way...
I personally believe hiding and hulking in shadows will never help to "keep our rights"... because, if you think about it, the current e-cig bans have not been proposed by a lot of "common, everyday people" who have been somehow turned against the e-cig. Those bans were motivated by
ideology (it looks like smoking...) sprouted by a
small group of haters, who believe to have the right to say how everybody else should live! To fight this small, obnoxious group, we need the support of the bigger group, the "common, everyday people"! That means:
1)
We should not be obnoxious ourselves about the e-cig, or else we will turn that group against us;
2)
But, we should not hide in corners either, or the bigger group will never know the difference between a cigarette and an e-cig!
As far as I've read here, smoking is already banned in some open spaces, like beaches and parks... to those who say 'only vape were smoking is allowed':
would you really restrain yourselves from vaping in places like that?? On what grounds?
Take this example: if people see you vaping in the smoke pit, you will be giving the message that vaping should be treated like smoking. Uninformed people will think that vaping is as dangerous as smoking. Worse than that,
misinformed people will see that as a
confirmation of what they "already know", because they have "heard it on the news". And later, if you vape elsewere, while you stink of tobacco from that same smoke pit, people will believe what they "already know" also... "the e-cig stinks, and is not so diferent from cigarettes..." (Remember, before the cigarette ban, people were usually more upset by tobacco smell, than concerned about heath effects)
The only way we can 'educate' the "bigger, and yet neutral group", is to let them perceive, in their own experience (not just by 'hear say') that vaping and smoking may seem the same, but there is indeed a great diference between the two. This is important because later, when the small group starts sprouting ideology again, to aim at an ever harsher ban, the bigger group will recognize them for what they are:
liars.
The bigger group will no longer be deceived, because they have experienced first-hand what is really happening. Hopefully, many of those people will have a smoker friend/relative/sweethart, and will
actually know that the e-cig could
actually help them, and therefore
should not be banned.
We need the support of a big,
properly informed group of people to win this!!
Vape on dOOds!
