What is vaping like in the military?

StyleunoLiquid · Jul 6, 2015

Forgive me for my lack of any knowledge on the subject, but I'm curious how vaping is perceived in the armed forces? Is it more convenient to vape? possible? allowed? encouraged?

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

vandurith40 · Jul 9, 2015

In my experience it's typically treated the same as smoking.

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Lambogojo · Jul 12, 2015

At our base. we have 6x6 squares that you can smoke in. Being on a flightline, the rules are "bent" a little. But when you have to smoke in the box, the second hand smoke can get to you.

as vandurith said, its perceived the same as smoking cigarettes, but its more convenient to vape sometimes because we will do it in the hangars with the fire suppression off. My higher ups don't care and many vape too!

However, Working on the b2 can have some issues with vaping, since we are in a secure area, i have heard that QA has taken some of the isticks because they have usb ports, but i think they are getting lax on that.

ryan_crable · Jul 24, 2015

Still forced to go outdoors. Will vape in the welding and machine shop, depending on who is around. My civilian employer does not care at all, I vape all day everyday. As long as the machine is running, I can damn near get away with murder.

StyleunoLiquid · Aug 1, 2015

Lambogojo said:
At our base. we have 6x6 squares that you can smoke in. Being on a flightline, the rules are "bent" a little. But when you have to smoke in the box, the second hand smoke can get to you.

as vandurith said, its perceived the same as smoking cigarettes, but its more convenient to vape sometimes because we will do it in the hangars with the fire suppression off. My higher ups don't care and many vape too!

However, Working on the b2 can have some issues with vaping, since we are in a secure area, i have heard that QA has taken some of the isticks because they have usb ports, but i think they are getting lax on that.

ryan_crable said:
Still forced to go outdoors. Will vape in the welding and machine shop, depending on who is around. My civilian employer does not care at all, I vape all day everyday. As long as the machine is running, I can damn near get away with murder.

Thanks for all the great info! Basically I'm asking because I had the idea of starting an e juice company with the "buy one give one" business model and was wondering if it would work with people serving in the armed forces. I'd like to give away a bottle of e juice to a soldier for every bottle that is purchased, if not an actual bottle than to donate that money to the soldiers.

Does this sound like it would be possible and does anyone know who I could contact about donating juice to the soldiers? I don't want it to be looked at like I'm trying to encourage vaping in the armed forces I just know that they spend money on it already and I think it'd be great to donate it to them instead.

jbog88 · Aug 23, 2015

At my unit, it is treaded the same as smoking. We have to stay at the smoking spots unless youre sitting in your car, which is what i do because the AZ heat is killer.

StyleunoLiquid · Aug 24, 2015

jbog88 said:
At my unit, it is treaded the same as smoking. We have to stay at the smoking spots unless youre sitting in your car, which is what i do because the AZ heat is killer.

So if I tried to start this company and partner with someone in the military do you think this would be accepted? Or I wouldn't have to partner with anyone high-ranking official and could just partner with the soldiers directly and send juice to them?

jbog88 · Aug 24, 2015

StyleunoLiquid said:
So if I tried to start this company and partner with someone in the military do you think this would be accepted? Or I wouldn't have to partner with anyone high-ranking official and could just partner with the soldiers directly and send juice to them?

what exactly are you trying to start?

StyleunoLiquid · Aug 24, 2015

jbog88 said:
what exactly are you trying to start?

Sorry, so I'd like to start an e juice company that uses the buy 1 give 1 business model so that every time we sell a bottle of e juice we donate one to someone serving in the armed forces.

StyleunoLiquid · Aug 29, 2015

I guess selling and giving them out free in post exhanges would be one way. Does anyone know if they currently sell e juice in post exchanges?

Not Sure · Sep 25, 2015

god i must be old...
as i remember it it was smoke'em if you got'em.
unless you were in formation of course. lol
i smoked in towers, on range, in field (of course) etc
you guys got it hard now i see

kd4kfr01 · Oct 4, 2015

I am currently in a partnership with the local VFW and we donate to vets, as I am an Afghanistan Vet myself. Many are trying to quit smoking and some just can't afford the premiums people are tacking on juice and hardware these days. So I basically collect donations and with the help of the Post, find people in need and donate it to them. It usually costs me a few bucks in gas and my time since I am also disabled. This is my way of giving back...

rickycal78 · Oct 16, 2015

Not Sure said:
god i must be old...
as i remember it it was smoke'em if you got'em.
unless you were in formation of course. lol
i smoked in towers, on range, in field (of course) etc
you guys got it hard now i see

Hehe, I can't speak for the other branches but when I was in the Army back in 96-05 you couldn't smoke in basic as they confiscated any smokes and lighters you may have had on your person when you reported for boot. It was still banned in AIT (your job training) as well. Once you were assigned to your regular unit you could smoke, but it was restricted to your room, your vehicle or a designated area at the motor pool gates, and God help you if they found butts on the ground or caught you smoking while you were walking somewhere. Nowadays I'm told that you can't even smoke in your barracks room anymore, you have to go to a designated area outside the barracks.

joeyboy · Oct 21, 2015

[QUOTE="Lambogojo, post: 562290, member: 27239"
However, Working on the b2 can have some issues with vaping, since we are in a secure area, i have heard that QA has taken some of the isticks because they have usb ports, but i think they are getting lax on that.[/QUOTE]
That is a bunch of crap. It's on thing to plug a usb in to computer but to confiscate because it had a usb port is ridiculous. Don't bring your laptop or it will go too.

HAIL SATAN! · Oct 23, 2015

depends on where youre at. we can smoke inside as long as no one like my CO is walking around. but we usually go to the smoke pit to avoid work lol.

BigNasty · Oct 23, 2015

rickycal78 said:
Hehe, I can't speak for the other branches but when I was in the Army back in 96-05 you couldn't smoke in basic as they confiscated any smokes and lighters you may have had on your person when you reported for boot. It was still banned in AIT (your job training) as well. Once you were assigned to your regular unit you could smoke, but it was restricted to your room, your vehicle or a designated area at the motor pool gates, and God help you if they found butts on the ground or caught you smoking while you were walking somewhere. Nowadays I'm told that you can't even smoke in your barracks room anymore, you have to go to a designated area outside the barracks.

NOW?
That has been more than twenty years yo.
Back in school it was across a giant parking area through the ghetto berthing area to get to the smoking deck. Not bad but when it is -40 outside it is the motherfucking suck.

DevilDogDoc · Dec 17, 2015

20 years ago when I was at Navy Corps school at Balboa Naval hospital we had a smoking lounge up on the 3rd deck. Big room with a bunch of couches and a big screen tv. Smelled like ass but you could sit in there and smoke your free time away. Shortly after I checked in the law banning smoking indoors on Federal grounds was passed and we were booted outside. Was good while it lasted.

BigNasty · Dec 17, 2015

DevilDogDoc said:
20 years ago when I was at Navy Corps school at Balboa Naval hospital we had a smoking lounge up on the 3rd deck. Big room with a bunch of couches and a big screen tv. Smelled like ass but you could sit in there and smoke your free time away. Shortly after I checked in the law banning smoking indoors on Federal grounds was passed and we were booted outside. Was good while it lasted.

Funny was in Great Mistakes and had just ENOUGH time to run my ass outside -35 in shirt sleeves to grab a smoke prior to graduation... I turned in the passage way and knocked the Surgeon General of the navy flat on his ass.

DevilDogDoc · Dec 17, 2015

I went there to boot and was supposed to go to A school there too but last minute they sent me to San Diego instead. Being from LA I was not mad. Spent May and June of 94 there. Fuck it was hot.

CgS_Drone · Dec 18, 2015

Wow, things have changed. When I went to Great Mistakes (1985) we had the Coke and Smoke rooms between the barracks where we could smoke once the CC's left and for a few hours on Sunday. When I went to A-School in Phili. we could smoke in our rooms and the break room, or outside anywhere when not in formation.

About the only limits they gave us in Phili. was don't ride the Subway, don't go to Roosevelt Park and don't go to Sullivan's Bar. So we would ride the Subway to the Roosevelt park where there was always guys buying booze for us then on to Sullivan's bar until we where broke with the exception of enough to ride the Subway back to just outside the base.

Thatbombtech · Jan 4, 2016

Vaping is becoming very popular in the Army.
I've been stationed at Fort Hood, and there are probably a dozen or so vape shops around there, and none of them struggle for business.
My unit has 10 people out of 44 that vape.

James · Jan 4, 2016

Thatbombtech said:
Vaping is becoming very popular in the Army.
I've been stationed at Fort Hood, and there are probably a dozen or so vape shops around there, and none of them struggle for business.
My unit has 10 people out of 44 that vape.

Do you know of anyone that VapeAVet have helped ?

Thatbombtech · Jan 5, 2016

James said:
Do you know of anyone that VapeAVet have helped ?

I think that's one of the places I emailed, and never received a response.

ROOR · Jan 9, 2016

We used to be able to smoke on board submarines, then big navy stopped that. Vaping isn't allowed on board. Its easier to get away with if you blow your plume into an ventilation intake, you'd be fine. But I hear that some commands allow vaping in designated areas.

FAsoldier85 · Jan 12, 2016

My unit didn't really mind the vaping indoor was tolerated as long as no higher ups came in and it smelled good, not to sugary and what not, the "Diamondback" (1st SGT) was borderline diabetic so he hated anyone that had anything over a certain sweetness level, he legit had a chart for it.

ccoop45 · Feb 5, 2016

I know this post is a bit old, but if you are still interested in info, the exchange on base in Charleston, SC sells a very small selection of juices and the small pen style vapes. I am relatively new to all of this so not sure what those are called exactly. In all honesty, setting up just off base would probably save you a bunch of hassle. I retired from the Coast Guard and base commanders can make things difficult at times. Especially if it is something that they don't approve of.

sclobernocker47 · Feb 5, 2016

The CG, from what I have seen, has had a lot of smokers shift to vape. Navy too. Good for them. While vaping is tolerated, its still treated as smoking. Has to be done at a designated smoking area. You may be able to get away with it at some commands, but as a service (USCG), its not permitted. The clinics (both CG and Navy) are pretty big in saying vaping is not a cessation tool. I call them liars. Anything that helps you stop, is by definition, a cessation tool. It may not be a nicotine cessation, but that's totally different. I didn't start vaping to get off nicotine, I love that shit.

SubVapeITguy · Feb 8, 2016

I am currently on a submarine, and vaping is allowed while out to sea. Obviously blowing huge clouds in crews mess or control is frowned upon, but none the less it is 100% allowable.

2crazydogs · Feb 17, 2016

At Naval Sub Base Kings Bay A LOT of sailors quit smoking and picked up vaping when smoking was banned on submarines. Even the guys/gals on shore duty were making the switch. As a ship yard worker I had to vape at the "smoke pit" which was about 100 yards from my office. At the time it made it hard to quit. I was trying to distance myself from the smokers.

What is vaping like in the military?

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