Do you think we are perceived any different than Smokers? Honestly..

[RubenAlonzo]

I'm curious as to y'alls opinions.

I am new to vaping, only 3 weeks or so and started to quit smoking. BUT, I have seen kinda the same thing happen as what I experience being a motorcyclist.

In your face type of behaviour that makes me self aware when I vape around others. As you all know, the majority, vast majority of the general public is very uninformed when it comes to vaping. When I observe others vape in an obnoxious manner, especially around little kids with parents nearby, just blowing the biggest clouds they possibly can, knowing full well that likely the parents of those little kids are going to say something, anything, because they do not understand what vaping is, like a vaping bully or something.

Its almost like some vapers are trying on purpose to push the buttons of the uninformed just to prove a point. Vaping where it may be permitted, like some restaurants, but then going to the extreme of puffing these monster clouds around people who are just trying to enjoy a meal, and not need a whiff of your "Kotton Kandy" or whatever cartoon show named juice you happen to be enjoying that day.

Look i'm all for freedom of choice and all that, hell I put on a uniform for years in defense of our very right to do so. And maybe its just me because im getting on in years, soon to be 47, but, and this is for all you "I do what I want, when I want, because I can" type of cloud chasers:

Please consider the image you are promoting when you vape. Be courteous and considerate around others and be aware that though the general public MAY know that you are vaping, they really do not know anything else other than what they read on FaceBook or Yahoo! News, and those are really NOT the places you want to see the general public being educated.

In closing, do you think, honestly, we are perceived any different than your average smoker?

I personally think the public at large puts us in the same category, or worse if you can believe it, because smoking has been around forever, but vaping is in its infancy. Just ask your average Joe what they know and think of vaping, it might surprise you. They don't know much to be honest.

What do you all think?

 

[midknight420]

First of all, thank you for your service. I work at a military installation myself and you would be amazed how many vapers there are there. I love that.

Now on to the topic at hand. Yes I agree that we are clumped into the same category as smokers in the public eye. Sometimes even more scrutinized because, as you said, the general public knows very little about vaping. I have educated my co-workers about the benefits of vaping over smoking and they have seen a big difference in my health as well as my energy level. All of them (save for one woman, who thinks that she knows everything, and thinks apparently the news is never wrong) is completely supportive of my choice. They even love coming with me outside with me because they are enamored when I chuck clouds. But, at the same time, I don't go nuts in general public with my cloud chucking.

Those type of vapers really tick me off. Thank you for posting this and giving us a place to express ourselves on this issue. You'd be amazed how many vapers are completely unaware of it.

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[Carambrda]

Perceived worse just because bigger clouds and bad stereotyping/stigmatization. It doesn't matter that scientists have been unable to prove second hand vape is toxic or harmful... they just see the cloud and that's it, you're gone... meanwhile it's still perfectly okay to use a gargantuan dose of cheap chemical perfume including in household cleaning solutions, air fresheners, douche gels and shampoos, lotions, etc. despite that some people are allergic to the fumes from these products and that usually keep being evaporated or keep lingering for hours, often days after someone has used them.

 

[KingPin!]

Agree with all of your points obnoxious vaping is a no no ...if I travel I try to take a single coil atty with me ...thing is it still gives off more vapour than a ciggy would smoke ....although I'm concious of this fact and try to pick an area that isn't heavy in foot traffic to vape or a designated smoking area. And in all honesty I haven't come across anyone being obnoxious in urban areas yet ...

When I'm at the smoking area at work tucked out of the way as we are at my place all bets are off ...only vapers and smokers there anyway ...converted loads of smokers to vapers at my place now it's great to see especially the older guys that have been smoking for 20+ years

Way I see it if all of us can convert just 1 or 2 other people to vaping and they do the same we are doing a great thing for our smoking colleagues/friends/family the word will spread by word of mouth this way more into the general public

 

[HondaDavidson]

I think vapers are perceived as smoking and as being rude smokers.

A smoker will avoid blowing smoke in others faces. Vaper not so much.

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[Khassy]

I think vapers are perceived as smoking and as being rude smokers.

A smoker will avoid blowing smoke in others faces. Vaper not so much.

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[veltos]

Everywhere I've gone in public since I switched to vaping, I've made a point to keep the same courtesy habits I used when I was smoking. But I've noticed that some people have taken double takes, because of the amount of vapor, even though I'm not going out of my way to cloud up the area. However, the only concerns I've received are from a couple of people about "not exploding".

Everyone else who doesn't smoke seems to think vaping is just like smoking and expects the same level of courtesy, i.e. go outside, stand away from doorways or crowds. I don't think that's a problem. If any asks, and some have, then I do explain the difference b/w smoking and vaping. I have a couple of friends who join me outside now that never did when I was smoking because they hated the smell of cigs but totally don't mind or even like the smell of my vapor. And I've even managed to talk a friend into converting over to vaping.

 

[SnapDragon NY]

I get the people that tell me " if it looks like smoke it is smoke! Those things are full of chemicals! You will blow yourself up , Those ecigs are more dangerous than cigarettes, you will get popcorn lung" and so on and so forth!
I don't vape in public- actually I have never seen another vaper in the out in the wild! I am just amazed on all the negativity when I started vaping from family and friends- the news tells them that ecigs are evil and more dangerous than cigarettes or at least the news they pay attention to, they do not listen to the other side! Mostly cigarette smokers trying to rationalize their smoking habit!
I don't like being forced to vape in a smoking area either- I don't want to smell crappy cigarette smoke! I just wait till I get home!

 

[Khassy]

I have to sort of stealth vape even at home because I'm tired of trying to explaining to my mother-in-law (who has zero short term memory) why I can vape in the house but she can't smoke in the house. So I sit on one corner of the sofa and she sits on the other and I blow over the arm on my side toward the floor, and I keep a fan going to help dissipate the vapor as much as possible. She still gets pissy about it but at least it's not as obvious to her.

 

[AndriaD]

Hmm... first off, I completely agree about the huge obnoxious clouds, which makes me really glad my body forbids me from vaping that way.

I haven't seen a lot of vapers around here, outside of vape shops, but they do seem to fall into 2 distinct categories: "kids" (16-20yrs old), blowing the most monstrous obnoxious clouds they possibly can; and then of course, others anywhere from kids to 60s or 70s, just vaping along as they go about their ordinary lives, not blowing monstrous clouds at all; they might be thicker clouds than my own, but they're not making spectacles of themselves with it, and mostly seem to exhale them straight up, not towards other people at all.

People seem mostly to just be curious about it, not fearful or hateful for the most part -- though I've experienced someone moving away from me outside a store entrance, probably one of those ANTZy folks who hate it just because it looks like smoke, but that hasn't been the norm. I get asked a lot of questions about it, does it work (for quitting smoking), does it taste good, is it expensive, etc... and I've had a lot of positive comments from non-vapers about how good it smells, how good *I* smell. I've encountered other vapers "in the wild" a few times and at times it seems a bit like the "Group W bench," (hafta be an old hippy to understand that reference ).

I have not encountered anyone vaping indoors anywhere except vape shops, though AFAIK, there are no laws against it here, other than maybe in gov't bldgs in some localities, but this is GA... *most* people are polite, they learned it from their mama, granny, etc. I've asked at a few places if it's ok if I vape; when there were no others present, then it was ok, but if there were others present, then the proprietors always defer to the other customers, and I don't press it, I take it outside. I don't go to bars, personally, but here in GA, anywhere that requires you to be 18 just to enter (such as bars), smoking is permitted, so I wouldn't wanna go there even if I drank. Since smoking is permitted there, I imagine vaping is also, and that people do vape there, but I have no way of knowing for sure.

Andria

 

[TrackDay]

We're not recognized as any different in my experience. I was at a train station ( smoking is banned at train stations in Australia ) and I was standing at least 50 meters from the station and was approached by police and asked to leave.

 

[Khassy]

When we had to go buy a car a few months ago, I was stealth vaping in the show room a bit. Then our salesman saw me and started asking questions about it. I even let him try it out. He wanted to quit smoking and had heard about vaping but didn't know much about it. After we talked (and he tried it), he said he was going to the vape shop I recommended after work that evening to get one himself. That's pretty much the only time I vaped in public (outside of a vehicle), but then I don't leave the house much.

 

[Deucesjack]

To the ignorant we are classified as smokers. To the educated we are not. I've had good and bad public experiences. So far more good than bad. One bad experience was when I was walking down my block. An old man comes up to me and says have you no shame? I said excuse me? He said smoking that dope out in public and in broad daylight. Don't you have any morals or shame? I said Sir, contrary to what you may believe this is not dope. I am not smoking I am vaping and there's a big difference. He looked confused but I was on my way to work so I just kept walking. I was already late and I just didn't have the time to explain it to him. Till this day I still feel bad that I didn't get to fully explain things to him.

Another time I was at the bus stop with my cloud chucking Cigpet Eco 12 tank. I had my mod set at 165 watts and I was blowing some massive clouds. I walked pretty far away from the other people waiting for the same bus. This guy walks up to me and stands right by me. So I walk a little further away so I don't blast him with a cloud. He follows and says to me dude what are you doing that shit smells great. Lmao.

Other times I have been asked about vaping and I have referred them here. I know of at least 5 members here that I converted on the street just from talking to them. The main thing is if people are ignorant about vaping it's up to vapers like us to educate them

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour.

-William Cowper

 

[gbalkam]

Around here, most people do know there is a difference. When I vape outside, I do stand apart from others, and make a point to blow vape up and away. A couple people have mentioned how good it smelled when they caught a wiff of it, like if they came up behind me. Only 1 person said it was anti-freeze. Then... you have the total idiots, that see a cloud and start waving their arms like they are shaking off imaginary bugs, from 50 feet away. GOD! I felt like saying "Sir, are you ok? Do you need your meds?" It seems like vaping is over taking smoking here. In my building, on my floor there are 4 apartments, and vapers in 3 of them. I know there is a vaper in the next building as well. I use him as a guinea pig when I mix juice.

Now perfume and cologne.. OMG.. you sit on the bus and some student gets on. Nobody ever told them about SOAP and WATER... Then figure pour on the perfume and that is ok. I mean, when your eyes water and your chest get irritated, they are wearing to damn much. I think the damn bus drivers should refuse them admission.

 

[pulsevape]

I think the public previeves us exatclly how the talking heads on the idiot box tells them to precieve us.

 

[Khassy]

GOD! I felt like saying "Sir, are you ok? Do you need your meds?"

 

[ggvaper]

people that don't vape are increasingly confused by the media as to all the "harm" of ecigs and the vaper we emit. I know we are being judged as some sort of evil beings by some, and others; thank God are curious and we begin to talk about it.. the rest are vapers.

 

[eSMOKA]

I get dirty looks from other people in my area, including smokers. And I'm not even a cloud chaser. In fact, most vapers would consider me a "tootle-puffer".

I live in an area where "new is bad", but there are a lot of reason why people, including smokers, hate vapers. Too numerous to go into in this post.

However, what I would like to know is, why do so many people hate smoking so much that they want there to be a tobacco prohibition, yet those same people don't like alcohol prohibition. Alcohol kills way more people than tobacco ever did.

 

[AndriaD]

I get dirty looks from other people in my area, including smokers. And I'm not even a cloud chaser. In fact, most vapers would consider me a "tootle-puffer".

I live in an area where "new is bad", but there are a lot of reason why people, including smokers, hate vapers. Too numerous to go into in this post.

However, what I would like to know is, why do so many people hate smoking so much that they want there to be a tobacco prohibition, yet those same people don't like alcohol prohibition. Alcohol kills way more people than tobacco ever did.

Because they're idiots, as well as being intolerant asswipes. Which accounts for approx. 98% of the global population.

Andria

 

[gakudzu]

I get dirty looks from other people in my area, including smokers. And I'm not even a cloud chaser. In fact, most vapers would consider me a "tootle-puffer".

I live in an area where "new is bad", but there are a lot of reason why people, including smokers, hate vapers. Too numerous to go into in this post.

However, what I would like to know is, why do so many people hate smoking so much that they want there to be a tobacco prohibition, yet those same people don't like alcohol prohibition. Alcohol kills way more people than tobacco ever did.

As well as being self-righteous and holier than thou. It's also fine for them not to wash their asses for weeks because their shit don't stink.

 

[AndriaD]

As well as being self-righteous and holier than thou. It's also fine for them not to wash their asses for weeks because their shit don't stink.

Apparently. I really can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke anymore myself, that shit really does stink. But I don't go around trying to make smokers feel like fucking pariahs just because they have an unpleasant habit -- I'm sure that a lot of them probably would like to quit, but don't yet realize there's an easy way to do it -- maybe because they're listening to that ignorant drivel on TV! But pretty much every smoker who's seen me vaping has asked me "does it really, really work?" And I assure them that it really, really does... and also doesn't cost NEARLY as much as smoking... and they seem to get seriously motivated to go get themselves something to vape!

Andria

 

[gakudzu]

Apparently. I really can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke anymore myself, that shit really does stink. But I don't go around trying to make smokers feel like fucking pariahs just because they have an unpleasant habit -- I'm sure that a lot of them probably would like to quit, but don't yet realize there's an easy way to do it -- maybe because they're listening to that ignorant drivel on TV! But pretty much every smoker who's seen me vaping has asked me "does it really, really work?" And I assure them that it really, really does... and also doesn't cost NEARLY as much as smoking... and they seem to get seriously motivated to go get themselves something to vape!

Andria

Same here. I was just addressing her last paragraph. Apologies, if that was unclear. People whose personal vices are acceptable, but who think they have the right to control others, really piss me off.

Cig smoke stinks to high heaven to me now, too. It also still trips my craving trigger. Not enough to make me actually want to smoke, but it makes that little spot in my brain itch, if you know what I mean.

I haven't managed to convert anyone, yet. All my smoker friends are backwoods redneck types who think vaping is some conspiracy to take away their right to die of lung cancer. They all expect me to keel over any day now from poisonous ejuice. It truly boggles the mind.

 

[MrScaryZ]

no we are not in some cases worse

 

[Carambrda]

In fact, most vapers would consider me a "tootle-puffer".

Most vapers would consider me a "wheel-head".

 

[Khassy]

Apparently. I really can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke anymore myself, that shit really does stink.

I have to sit next to that shit on the sofa every damn day.

 

[freemind]

The masses see vaping in the same light as smoking. That's just what it is.

I blow clouds, but that is what keeps me off the cigs. I don't care how it appears to people. I don't blow it in their faces, and I am as courteous as a vaper as I was a smoker.

I can't blame people from not wanting to breath my clouds. I would feel no different. Those same people who blow clouds or smoke in others faces, are the same kind of people who think farting next to people/in crowds is funny. No one wants to breathe your shit, asshole.

 

[veltos]

Cig smoke stinks to high heaven to me now, too. It also still trips my craving trigger. Not enough to make me actually want to smoke, but it makes that little spot in my brain itch, if you know what I mean.

Sometimes, the thought of a cigarette makes me want one, until I smell it. And that's with stopping smoking and switching to vaping only about two months ago. I'm glad though that the smell keeps me from going back.

 

[AndriaD]

I have to sit next to that shit on the sofa every damn day.

Sympathies!!!! I'm finally able to know, truly KNOW that my husband loves me, has always loved me apparently past the point of good sense, because he put up with that nastiness for TWENTY SEVEN YEARS! So you can just imagine how DELIGHTED he is that not only did I find a way to quit and make it stick, but with very little psychosis.

Andria

 

[Canadian Vaper]

Smear campaigns by ANTZ, otherwise we'd be going stronger...

 

[AndriaD]

Smear campaigns by ANTZ, otherwise we'd be going stronger...

Yep. They're mad as hell that we finally found a way to quit without having to suffer. They WANT us to suffer!!! Otherwise their reason for existence is just GONE!

Andria

 

[Canadian Vaper]

Yep. They're mad as hell that we finally found a way to quit without having to suffer. They WANT us to suffer!!! Otherwise their reason for existence is just GONE!

Andria

Yeah not getting shamed and actually enjoy quitting smoking.... Oh the HORROR!!!

 

[AndriaD]

Yeah not getting shamed and actually enjoy quitting smoking.... Oh the HORROR!!!

My attitude to them is.. they wanted us to quit for DECADES... so now we have, and they can just SUCK IT! HOW we do it is NONE OF THEIR FUCKING BUSYBODY BUSINESS!

Andria

 

[eSMOKA]

Smear campaigns by ANTZ, otherwise we'd be going stronger...

I'm not sure about that. Most people need the govt to tell them what to do, think and like. So unless the govt told them it's OK to like vaping/vapers, they would still hate vapers simply because it looks like smoke.

I also think that people hate vaping because they think you might be smoking or vaping illegal drugs for all they know.

 

[dcarpentier]

I think a part of the problem is the naming .. "e-cigarette".
Without doing any research (why would they), non-vapers probably think that these are just cigs but with some electronic option like ignition or such.
Otherwise, they are just like cigs.. "look, there's the smoke" even.
I wonder if e-hookahs might have been a better choice ? But the market needed the smokers, didnt want to confuse them.

Eventually, there needs to be a high profile court case where someone is defending vaping in a public space so that actual health studies and chem tests are all laid out properly for the public to see.

One thing we really gotta get rid of is the battery issue. Yes, it's due to morons in 99% of cases, but these need to be made moron proof to be an acceptable consumer item.

 

[eSMOKA]

Yeah, it's too late now. They will always be forever called e-cigs by the media.

The problem is, I understand why they called them e-cigs to begin with. No one knew what "vape" meant. And if they were marketed as vaporizers, most smokers would have been like...huh? whatever, I need a smoke. LOL.

The media would have coined the term e-cig themselves so as to demonize them so in the end I wonder if it really would have made any difference.

 

[forza]

On the one hand, my family and friends have seen the huge difference between me smoking and me vaping. My mother usually asks me what her house is going to smell like today so she can put out her scentzy candles.

So far, everyone close to me had been ecstatic about me vaping.

And then my husband and I go to a casino and I get scowls from ppl gambling next to me even though they are SMOKING a nasty cancer stick. Smh. I usually take two mods the the casino. One is a small cloud box I would normally use. The other is a cloud chucker. If they get rude or start waving their hands around because of my tiny clouds I bring out the BIG CLOUDS to demonstrate that it could be SO MUCH WORSE.

That shuts people down in a hurry I find.

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[AndriaD]

On the one hand, my family and friends have seen the huge difference between me smoking and me vaping. My mother usually asks me what her house is going to smell like today so she can put out her scentzy candles.

So far, everyone close to me had been ecstatic about me vaping.

And then my husband and I go to a casino and I get scowls from ppl gambling next to me even though they are SMOKING a nasty cancer stick. Smh. I usually take two mods the the casino. One is a small cloud box I would normally use. The other is a cloud chucker. If they get rude or start waving their hands around because of my tiny clouds I bring out the BIG CLOUDS to demonstrate that it could be SO MUCH WORSE.

That shuts people down in a hurry I find.

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Andria

 

[Angrygod50]

Generally people are dumb and ill-informed... so..no.
When someone says ..well it looks like smoke, I say.... and you look intelligent so I guess were both wrong.

 

[Jayh0855]

I have to sort of stealth vape even at home because I'm tired of trying to explaining to my mother-in-law (who has zero short term memory) why I can vape in the house but she can't smoke in the house. So I sit on one corner of the sofa and she sits on the other and I blow over the arm on my side toward the floor, and I keep a fan going to help dissipate the vapor as much as possible. She still gets pissy about it but at least it's not as obvious to her.

You are alot nicer than me. I tell them my house my rules don't like it get out. I tell that to my mother-in-law all the time when she starts in about something I'm doing.

 

[Khassy]

You are alot nicer than me. I tell them my house my rules don't like it get out. I tell that to my mother-in-law all the time when she starts in about something I'm doing.

She's got dementia so I try to be as nice as I can be.

 

[Jayh0855]

She's got dementia so I try to be as nice as I can be.

Oh ok. I get you on that one.