I love hearing stuff like this. It would be nice to see this level of understanding take hold on a systematic level.
I think in some instances, it is necessary to stand up for one's rights to individuality... ...to be who you are without fear of retaliation, but I also believe that this is largely a fight we will need to win through understanding and compliance.
It has been my experience that if you make reasonable, considerate requests, you get reasonable accommodations as a vaper in the workplace. It's a simple matter of principle. It is your responsibility to facilitate discussion and understanding in order to work out an agreement that is favorable to all parties. How this all shakes down varies greatly depending on where you work and who works there.
Sometimes it sucks, but that's just how it is. It is important to be receptive and considerate of others' feelings and grievances. Complaints must be heard and dealt with on a case-by-case basis. There needs to be a balance between tolerance and understanding. Things can get dicey if you don't make a reasonable effort to stay in your lane.
The workplace is a space shared by everyone working in it. It is important to understand what is and is not acceptable... ...what behaviors that you, as an individual carry out, are inconsequential to others (and should be allowed) as well as behaviors that may cause the people around you distress. You have to ask yourself, "Is this discrimination? Or is my behavior legitimately impeding the sanctity of someone else's workspace or person?" Everyone should have the right to a workplace environment that is not hostile or offensive to them. And by the same token, everyone should have the right to not be invalidated because of habits or practices that do not directly infringe on their coworkers' rights to a safe, comfortable work environment.
If something you are doing makes someone else uncomfortable, then it's not acceptable for you to do it and continuing to do so could be considered harassment. However if somebody simply does not approve of something you're doing or some belief of yours, but it does not pertain to them or their ability to operate in any way, then it is discrimination on their part. Tolerance and respect is a two-way street.
For instance, if someone would rather not be exposed to the vapor, then vaping near them or in a space that you both share would be creating a hostile work environment for them. Regardless of what you think, the bottom line is that they are being made to feel unsafe at work by your actions and you have to acknowledge that.
On the other hand, if everyone else around you has no problems with it, then you should still be allowed to vape when you are not working in the same space as that individual. That's a reasonable compromise. To disallow vaping at work entirely because of such a grievance would be a measure of discrimination against you, while vaping in the direct vicinity of that person while knowing full well that it causes them discomfort would be an act of deliberate harassment towards them.
As someone who's job it is to ensure that everyone is reasonably accommodated and getting along well, that's my obligatory MO. I think that Elliot is doing his job well to have come to the conclusions that he has.
Right now, I work in retail management, so I tend not to vape out on the sales floor just for professionalism's sake, but my boss has told me many times when I've stepped away for a few quick puffs that I don't have to step away every time that I want to vape and actively encourages the smokers on our staff to follow suit. She'd rather they vape in the store without having to drop everything than have to step out every hour for a square.
But that is to say that nobody in the building has a problem with it. People don't find the smell objectionable and don't believe it presents a hazard to their health. If problems arise or customers complain, then we will have to take that into consideration and act accordingly. It's the way of the working world.
I like to make little jabs at my smoker subordinates about how nice it is to just vape and go and how it allows me to get more done. I do still allow them to have their little smoke breaks, though. Can't really hold it against them, yanno? And besides, any smoker knows that it's hard to be productive when all you can think about is lighting up.