I agree that we need to be respectful and courteous about vaping but, it is not smoking and, if we act like smokers, it will continue to be seen as smoking.
As for the one up there ^^ that claims it is smoking, well then so is puffing out your breath in weather cold enough to make a cloud of vapor. No it isn't smoking.
What I don't see is why SOME vapers find it so hard to ask permission BEFORE vaping, and refrain if the owner or manager says no.
I ask and, I have been told no, at which point I try to make a time to explain and demonstrate it to the manager or owner, especially if it's a small business and won't have cooperate policies to deal with. So far, the issue has been that they simply did not know it didn't smell like smoke, was unlikely to trigger alarms, was not offensive smelling and, dissipated very quickly without leaving a residue on surfaces like smoking does. After making time to meet with them in private, vaping has been allowed on all but 2 occasions for me.
I respect those place and won't vape on the premises but, at least I am not simply giving in to being treated like or, identifying as a smoker when I am not one any longer.
If we don't educate the unaware to the differnces, most are going to go right on assuming it is smoking and, keep treating us like smokers.
Yes, if we vape w/o asking or where it is expressly forbidden, that's going to push for bans, and keeping us being treated like smokers too but, if we can be calm, respectful, honest, not hide it and, politely educate people, maybe, just maybe someday, a non vaper will readily say "Oh, you're a vaper, that's fine here."
