E-Cigs Banned On Us Flights ?!?!

[joe2003]

I rarely fly but this still SUX!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/11/electronic-cigarettes-ban_n_821828.html

[NeRo9k]

Stealth vaping in the bathroom, holding in hits, or blowing into your jacket/sweatshirt.

P.S. I do not support or condone breaking the law or rules of flying.

[Christopher]

Well I suppose I knew it was a matter of time before this happened.

[ripple]

And there you have it - the tobacco and pharma lobbies have picked up their efforts and fear over fact has won.

[Beans]

Just a bunch of garbage but not shocking.

I have been practicing my stealth moves all week for my up coming trip. Anyways I hear ninjas are invisible on planes.

[Sharon]

Yep, It seems that all good things must come to an end.

I got a kick out of reading the posts following the article. Some of them are just too funny, some are just down right stupid, and some of them are spot on. If you don't have anything better to do, give them ago!

[ripple]

So I think this paragraph is my favorite!

Many airlines already have begun informing passengers that the devices are not allowed on flights, but Lautenberg said there had been confusion over their use and wanted to make sure officials were solidly opposed to opening the door to e-smoking on planes. Some e-cigarette distributors have touted their convenience because they can be "smoked" anywhere traditional cigarettes are not allowed.

Lets break it down, shall we!

Many airlines already have begun informing passengers that the devices are not allowed on flights

False, only American airlines has a stated policy (to the best of my knowledge)

but Lautenberg said there had been confusion over their use and wanted to make sure officials were solidly opposed to opening the door to e-smoking on planes.

I'm sorry - what? Lautenberg wanted to make sure officials oppose this - is that your job - to make sure others follow your will?

Some e-cigarette distributors have touted their convenience because they can be "smoked" anywhere traditional cigarettes are not allowed.

Correct, because smoking rules apply to the burning of tobacco, not the vaporization of e-juice.

The basis of this will be we do not know if they cause a threat, so rather than determine that before you ban it. Wouldnt that be the appropriate course of action?

lets face it once its banned it is not coming back, and there will be no attempt to prove or disprove the risk factors.

[Erika]

I guess I am not sure what the big deal is. When we smoked analogs we couldn't smoke on the plane either. I personally won't Vape where smoking is not allowed. Do I think ecigs are dangerous? Probably not. I do agree that until this has been proven, they should not be allowed publicly. I am sure I will get flames for this post but I'm pretty tough. Flame away.

Erika

[Christopher]

I honestly think this is probably more a social thing than big pharma action. While there are no laws against vaping in doors etc I have seen quite a few people vape in doors purely for a response from other people. While this might seem like a good idea it ends up pissing everyone else off. Of course living in a politically correct bubble I have no doubt people started complaining.

[ripple]

I guess I am not sure what the big deal is. When we smoked analogs we couldn't smoke on the plane either. I personally won't Vape where smoking is not allowed. Do I think ecigs are dangerous? Probably not. I do agree that until this has been proven, they should not be allowed publicly. I am sure I will get flames for this post but I'm pretty tough. Flame away.

Erika

Nope, not from me. I personally agree with you. But I do take exception with government action that lacks foundational basis. If the position they were taking were to say a temporary ban while we examine this issue to determine the correct answer I would have no issue with it. But to ask the Dept. of Transportation to issue a ban based on existing smoking laws is a reach and a knee jerk reaction rather than a thoughtful one.

I honestly think this is probably more a social thing than big pharma action. While there are no laws against vaping in doors etc I have seen quite a few people vape in doors purely for a response from other people. While this might seem like a good idea it ends up pissing everyone else off. Of course living in a politically correct bubble I have no doubt people started complaining.

I am going to have to disagree with you big guy (doesn't take long for us noobs to spread our wings does it! )

Lautenberg just happens to be from NJ. Most of the major pharmas are Headquartered in Northern Jersey or NY. The Pharma cos have got to be getting very concerned about the rapid increase in vaping as a potential profit hit to their ineffective recurring profit streams from Chantix, the patches and the gums. Add to that the successful blocking of the FDA and they have to be getting concerned and speaking through their lobbyists to the lawmakers.

While it is anecdotal of course, just last night I went to see a band play locally. (Dark Star Orchestra for anyone wondering - great show) anyway, upon entry you had to empty your pockets and get patted down. The dude saw my eGO and asked - hey is that one of those e-cigs. I told him yes. He said hes really thinking about one and that it's okay to use it inside the venue which is non-smoking. Just the same I mostly stepped outside to the smoker patio to use it (okay I did take a few scattered hits inside - but I had the ok to do so) and let me tell you at least 15 people asked me about it, wanted to understand it and have been really thinking about it but where not sure if they should believe it. I personally couldn't believe how many questions I got about and the number of people who asked.

I have no doubt in my mind that the usage of e-cigs is taking off at this point - not that I have to tell you. I am sure you see the growth here. This has to be of great concern to the pharma and tobacco companies. I would be shocked if they were not working behind the curtains to raise doubt about the safety of vaping, and working to get lawmakers to extend smoking laws to e-cigs in as many cases as possible. With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake to big pharma I have little doubt that they are indeed working very hard behind the scenes to quickly extend as many bans as possible. But of course I have no proof - just my own gut feeling and years of research back in the late 1990's on the overstatement of the risks of smoking on smokers and by-standers - all largely funded by pharma industry, who just happen to have been introducing all kinds of NRT's.

P.S. But I totally agree that vaping while not illegal is still an activity that should be done with respect and concern for those around you. Just as I would hope the would be respectful and take the time to understand what it is before they object.

Edited February 11, 2011 by ripple

[Erika]

I do agree that there are always those attention seekers that will vape in public for the attention.

Ripple- we love love love darkstar! Never been patted don at a concert though.

[ripple]

I do agree that there are always those attention seekers that will vape in public for the attention.

Ripple- we love love love darkstar! Never been patted don at a concert though.

Glad to hear you like DSO. I Have know rob the keyboard player for more than 20 years it was great to see hime last night and go have a few drinks after the show with him. It should help you understand my forum name !

Okay sorry don't mean to get off topic here.

[Burn]

I first noticed in the Continental Airline magazine last June that the use of e-cigs was prohibited. I fly at least 3 times a month and pretty much weekly and I have never had a problem with taking them on the plane in my pockets. For me, this article is nothing new and probably the main reason they are prohibited is that it freaks people out. So glad that I don't smoke anymore, not vaping for a few hours is hardly a concern.

[juliery]

I just stealth vape wherever I don't feel comfortable using my e cig, for whatever reason. I just swallow the vapor since I don't NEED to exhale it. And I use a device I can easily conceal in my hand, like my 808 riva-ish battery. The only light on it is the LED on the button that you really can't see when it is positioned down and I push it with my thumb. It is short so it easily fits in my hand. No one would know if I was using some type of medical inhaler or what the heck it was since I swallow the vaper. Usually I vape in public and don't go out of my way to hide it, but I NEVER blow like clouds of vapor out in the open or anything. I understand I can't smoke in pubic and never even tried to smoke in public. Vaping isn't smoking.

This comment is idiotic......"Some e-cigarette distributors have touted their convenience because they can be "smoked" anywhere traditional cigarettes are not allowed"

They shouldn't even use the word SMOKED....It should have been worded that "some e cig distributors have touted their convenience because they can be USED where traditional cigarettes are not allowed"

Anyway, we should each do what we are comfortable doing and if told not to do it, or even asked not to do it, then don't do it. I have total respect for rules, and other people determining what is permitted on or in their property. Personally I don't allow people to have shoes on my furniture. My parents make EVERYONE remove shoes when they come into their home, even repair people, OR they have to put shoe covers on, which my parents provide....so I have no problem with rules on property that doesn't belong to me. I mean, many stores don't allow you to eat or drink in them, nobody has a fit about that, at least not that I have seen. When you come down to it, a restaurant, store, mall, hospital, dr's office, etc is PRIVATE property....it is not public just because other people are there. An airplane or airport for that matter is also private property and if they say no smoking or no vaping, oh well. I wouldn't really have a problem with no vaping in places where no smoking is allowed. I do think it is silly, but if it makes the zealots feel better, fine. When I smoked I had to follow those rules as well.....at least with this we CAN sneak into a washroom or stealth vape since it doesn't smell. I didn't start vaping with the idea that I could do it anywhere. I just don't want them to ban it, that's all. Just my opinion.

[Nanna]

I don't personally vape in restaurants, etc., at this point. Not beccause I can't, and certainly not because I am the kind of person that is afraid of controversy or "teachable moments". I guess I want to be gentle with our little vaping world right now. When I go to the bathroom I take a few nice long hits to give me the nic I am craving and come back out to the table content. I would be inclined to do the same thing on a long airline flight, I guess.

[Prouddad]

I posted something similar a month ago about people vaping just because there was no law against it. What a backlash I got from my vaping community ! People where telling me that they will vape whenever and wherever they want and to me thats disrespectful. Like I said before stop and think and change your ways because what some of us are doing is just pushing the limit. I have been vaping now for about three months now and my family is so happy I stop analogs but my wife wont let me vape with my kids in the car or in the house. For that I respect her request not to. It just don't make sense why bring bad judgment on our selfs we don't need it ! How the government drilled into everyones heads how analogs will kill you and the people around you no wounder when people see smoke "vaper" that they get scared. I for one will not vape where I feel it is not appropriate to do so. The more attention we get from people who don't vape or just don't know about it will just not help us move forward in the right direction. There is always someone out there who wants the attention and be the one to put a stop to something they don't do.

[elDuderino]

I posted something similar a month ago about people vaping just because there was no law against it. What a backlash I got from my vaping community ! People where telling me that they will vape whenever and wherever they want and to me thats disrespectful. Like I said before stop and think and change your ways because what some of us are doing is just pushing the limit. I have been vaping now for about three months now and my family is so happy I stop analogs but my wife wont let me vape with my kids in the car or in the house. For that I respect her request not to. It just don't make sense why bring bad judgment on our selfs we don't need it ! How the government drilled into everyones heads how analogs will kill you and the people around you no wounder when people see smoke "vaper" that they get scared. I for one will not vape where I feel it is not appropriate to do so. The more attention we get from people who don't vape or just don't know about it will just not help us move forward in the right direction. There is always someone out there who wants the attention and be the one to put a stop to something they don't do.

I think you are wrong, and I'm not even going to touch erika's bold comment. We all have opinions but to be so bold on day 4.?...

Fact is, vaping is not smoke. Best course of action - inform/get permission from those in charge where you'd like to vape. Why not? It's VAPOR, not some harmful particles. PG IS FDA APPROVED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

Here are your choices : 1. keep hiding and you'll find that the gov will continue to lead the sheep into whatever they say and ultimately making you a criminal, or 2, educate and recruit everywhere you go and you'll build an army that will stand beside you in the fight against tyranny. Dont forget how many people out there smoke. They dont want to smoke but they dont know that they have options. Youre lucky to have found the answer and it's YOUR responsibility to show others the way out.

Fact is, the american public is ignorant about vaping. The ****ty scandalous radio commercials trying to trap consumers into contract vaping isn't helping either. So if you want to keep vaping and you want to continue buying ejuice without massive tobacco-like taxes then gtfo of the closet already and inform the world.

Dude.

Edited February 15, 2011 by elDuderino

[juliery]

That is why I stealth vape. I never started in order to get around no smoking laws. BUT companies like Smoking Anywhere MARKET their products that way....to be used anywhere and everywhere. We vape around our kids, and if I was worried about what is exhaled I would just swallow it. There is no need to exhale vapor or to antagonize people. People are generally opposed to things they don't understand, and are unfamiliar with. However, my husband is a professional musician and plays in clubs, and in the clubs they have NO problem with vaping. I can't tell you how many smokers come up asking about the e cig and then i am writing down a dozen url's and websites for them. I have even run into the same people again when they play at the same clubs where the people now have their own e cig. They wouldn't have had I not been vaping. Mind you that normally when he plays I am sitting right near the stage, which is normally in the vicinity of the bar. The owners have never cared, not in a single club. So I don't consider it inappropriate and especially not when it ends up helping other people. Even non smokers who have sat right next to me have remarked how cool it is. Maybe it is the setting, that people in a club are in a more relaxed state of mind. Prior to non smoking laws they sat there surrounded by smoke whether they smoked or not, so perhaps they are just glad it isn't stinky smoke. But to me it totally depends on the setting. Another example is the beach....you aren't allowed to smoke on Chicago beaches now, but I sit there vaping and no one cares at all....it is the open air, there is NO WAY anyone is sitting close enough to me to inhale ANYTHING. We have neighbors that barbecue all the time, like almost every single day, even now when it is just above freezing, well I always have a window at least cracked, and when it is below 80, they are open....we have had OUR indoor smoke detectors set off because of the smoke from their smokers and grills going as well as outdoor fireplace....>THAT is TONS of toxins, and do you think they would stop using their smokers and grills and fireplaces???? One time, very casually I mentioned that our smoke detector had gone off, and they thought it was funny. I wasn't complaining it was just a casual conversation about how much they love grilling. And these houses are NOT close together at all.....but if the wind is blowing from a certain direction, it all blows right into our house. Anyway, other people should have HALF the consideration as smokers do for other people. So I am not going to be overly worried about vaping. On the other hand I don't try to aggravate or antagonize other people either. So it just depends a lot on the setting and place. My parents don't mind at all if I vape in their home, but smoking was never permitted. But again, just depends. But I NEVER blow clouds of vapor in a public place, I either exhale that it can't be seen or I swallow it.

Edited February 15, 2011 by juliery

[egoluvr]

I'm just so tried of fighting for my RIGHTS! I think, nose and azz picking should be banned. I think eating onions in the office should be banned. I think eating stinky chinese food in the office should be banned. Loud music hurts my ears so it should be banned. You know what if non vapers are so damned concerned about it, they have the right to stay in their own homes and make their own rules there. haha there I said it

[mastiffmom]

I ask permission to vape in bars or eateries. I have never been told no but I am discreet. On a plus note I had doctor's appt. last week, my Np kept listening to my lungs shocked. Said my early stage COPD seemed resolved, asked how I quit smoking. All I said was electonic cig and she knew what I was talking about. She has researched them but hadn't run across anyone who used them. She is going to recommend this to others, we don't have to be pushy about this issue, the results speak for themself.

[juliery]

I'm just so tried of fighting for my RIGHTS! I think, nose and azz picking should be banned. I think eating onions in the office should be banned. I think eating stinky chinese food in the office should be banned. Loud music hurts my ears so it should be banned. You know what if non vapers are so damned concerned about it, they have the right to stay in their own homes and make their own rules there. haha there I said it

HAHA....so true. It is ridiculous, it really is. Let's just demand bans on everything that bothers or offends us. Or let's all just stay in our homes, no one go anywhere and then no one will bother us except our family members...oh, then we can all get divorced and live by ourselves. Let's just go completely nuts and ban everything. The only food that will be sold are vegetables and fruit, nothing else. It is all so stupid. It was bad enough with smoking not to offend anyone. But really, if I offend anyone now they ARE free to just walk away. I have sat next to couples in restaurants where the man has verbally abused the woman, THAT offends me....can I get it banned you think????? I don't like my neighbor who grills and gets smoke in my house every day...can I get it banned???? Oh, I bet not they will tell me to just close my windows.....I don't have the right to breathe clean air, because HE has the right to fill it with all kinds of toxins with his constant burning of charcoal and wood. But they want to ban vaping, BRILLIANT, JUT BRILLIANT!

[juliery]

I ask permission to vape in bars or eateries. I have never been told no but I am discreet. On a plus note I had doctor's appt. last week, my Np kept listening to my lungs shocked. Said my early stage COPD seemed resolved, asked how I quit smoking. All I said was electonic cig and she knew what I was talking about. She has researched them but hadn't run across anyone who used them. She is going to recommend this to others, we don't have to be pushy about this issue, the results speak for themself.

THAT is great news Lisa!!!! I haven't had any respiratory issues from smoking. HOWEVER because of all my other problems my doctors have been ragging me forever to stop smoking. My two main doctors know I use the e cig and they TOTALLY support it. ANYONE with half a brain cell knows it has to be safer than smoking....there are few things more dangerous than smoking. I am SO happy to hear that your COPD is doing better, that is excellent news! Amazing what happens when we are no longer filling our airways with smoke!!! I am very happy for you!

[Roscoe]

I guess I am not sure what the big deal is. When we smoked analogs we couldn't smoke on the plane either. I personally won't Vape where smoking is not allowed. Do I think ecigs are dangerous? Probably not. I do agree that until this has been proven, they should not be allowed publicly. I am sure I will get flames for this post but I'm pretty tough. Flame away.

Erika

I agree I'll just wait till I get of the plane that was the whole reason for quitting smoking so I don't have to be dependent on smoking. I vape because I like to I smoked because I had to.

[Emile]

Is there any scientific evidence that second-hand vapor is harmful or not harmful? Do we even have any reliable scientific evidence on first-hand vaping? I think until we get the facts, we should respect other people's right to not have to inhale or be around our residual vapor.

[TheVaporShoppe]

My two cents:

I have been vaping for almost 3 years and during that time I have been on several different airlines. I try to think about it vaping from someone else's perspective because I don't enjoy conflict. So for example, say you're a passenger on a flight who has no idea what an ecig is (many people still have no clue) and you see what looks like a huge plume of smoke 5 rows up. In our current state of "terrorism" high alerts that can freak someone out. They may think you're the next "shoe-bomber!!"

I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's the current state of Mainstream Media and whatever MSM projects the general public ingests.

So you and I know you are blowing essentially harmless vapor, but Grandma 4 rows back thinks you're BinLaden reincarnated (side note-he died years ago IMO) and freaks out. Do you really want to deal with all that drama???

Of course not.

If you're like me, you stealth vape a lot in planes and typically non-smoking areas....simply to avoid hassle and misunderstandings.