Noobie Question About Public Vaping

[Shel]

Just started vaping this morning (well, actually, at 3am this morning!)

I'm wondering if and where you guys vap in public? Restaurants? Movie theaters?

I'm in L.A., and have seen exactly ZERO people vaping! Is it that uncommon, or do people simply not vap in public?

Can those with more experience (then my, um, four hours!) tell me where they've vaped, what city/town you're in, and what the reception of other people has been?

Thanks in advance!

Shel

[keenan]

Shel, thats a great question ! People here have MANY stories about vaping in public ! For me, I vape EVERYWHERE. My wife was in the hospital 2 weeks ago, and I vaped right there in the room with her. The nurses and Drs didnt say a WORD to me. The only time Ive been approached was at Wal Mart, an employee thought I was smoking, and when I showed him, he was cool and asked a bunch of questions. Remember, we need to be polite about it, as we are the "ambassadors" of vaping to people not in the know. As for the laws, technically you can vape anywhere, as these are NOT tobacco products and have no combustion. But, If someone asks you NOT to, out of ignorance, its best to appease them. You can try to explain to them how it works, and in MOST cases youll find they understand and want to know more. But, there are some ignorant people out there who just associate it with analogs and dont want to be near them. Let us know your experiences, thats one thing we LOVE to hear about on VT !!

Im in Floriduh, by the way.

Edited December 22, 2009 by keenan

[Christopher]

Trust me there are Vapers out there you just don't always see them It's still a fairly new product so it will take time to really take off. (E smoking/Vaping has already been around a couple of years and it's just now gaining traction)

Vapor Talk is based out of Riverside (no you can't party at my house ) and we vape in public with no problem. Do we recommend you vape in restaurants and stores? Well it depends. You should ask the owner of the establishment first to prevent any issues. Usually I tell people if you couldn't smoke in the building before you vaped you probably shouldn't vape in there without asking someone first.

For the most part people are very open to vaping/e smoking. Most of the time they are intrigued about the product. Learn what you can here because in no time you'll become an embarrassed. Welcome to the forums

[nana]

I don't vape in public, but then I didn't smoke in public either. Well, not since all the restrictions on it. I used to. A long time ago. A very long time ago. I probably don't vape in public because I'm just not the type of person who would handle the confrontation that came with it very well. But I've also never seen anyone else vaping either. I didn't even hear about ecigs until the day before I starting vaping the beginning of October.

If you want to see some interesting stories about other people's experiences with vaping in public, read some of the past posts on here. Some of them are just hiliarious! I wish I could come up with some of the responses the others have, then I might start vaping in public.

Welcome to the forums.

[Travis798]

I stealth vape everywhere. If you vape in public, as Chris said you should get permission first, and you should do it every time. You never know when a new manager is on duty or something. What you do not want to do is walk around and flaunt it, and succeed in getting e-cigs banned in establishments before they have a real chance to take off.

You don't see any vapors out there because I think most of us don't go around flaunting our e-cigs and way around the ban while sticking our noses up at the non smokers. We simply get our nicotine when we want, without creating hostilities towards the e-cig. Hopefully in time there will be more tests to show the safety of these devices and change the perception of the general public, but until then, please act accordingly. If someone has a problem with you vaping, you can try to explain that you are not smoking, but if they just won't have any of it, be the bigger person and let it go.

[NeRo9k]

I only vape outside by people that smoke when I go to the bar or poker room, something where other people are smoking outside. I haven't smoked inside at casino, restaurant, etc yet. Sometimes I'm in that mind set where I don't want to explain the product to random people while I'm trying to enjoy myself.

[keenan]

Christopher said

"Learn what you can here because in no time you'll become an embarrassed. Welcome to the forums "

I THINK he meant to say "Ambassador" instead of "embarrassed". The typo King strikes again ! (jk, sir )

[nana]

LMAO @ Keenan

It's good to have you back!

[MintGum]

I heard somewhere that vaping in Jersey is now considered "smoking" so it is now illegal to do it indoors and places with "no smoking" signs. I still do it outdoors but I feel silly because I'm using my 801.

I recently used my volcano/blus indoors (to prove a point in my public speaking class) after the bill was passed in Jersey and no one reported me XD

I guess the law is on the downlow for now.

[Christopher]

I heard somewhere that vaping in Jersey is now considered "smoking" so it is now illegal to do it indoors and places with "no smoking" signs. I still do it outdoors but I feel silly because I'm using my 801.

I recently used my volcano/blus indoors (to prove a point in my public speaking class) after the bill was passed in Jersey and no one reported me XD

I guess the law is on the downlow for now.

That is correct and so far only in New Jersey. If others don't want this happening in their home town they had better start writing letters. At least it wasn't an all out ban like they almost did in California.

[Jeffb]

Welcome Shel. I live in SoCal also and I haven't seen other people vaping either. But then again I don't have a life, other than going to work then coming home and sitting in front of the comp posting on VT and playing Farmville on Facebook with Chris.

[StevenP]

I've vaped in public, usually at my local Starbucks, outside. I don't want to hassle anyone thinking it's a cigarette and put a negative perspective on ecigs. So for now, I treat vaping like smoking. Even though I don't see the two as the same. Even after I explained a whole slew of information, there are just too many negative people out there trying to bring anything seen unhealthy down - even to a point threatening violence.

I remember when I used to smoke, someone got in my face and started yelling at me cause he can smell my smoke from off my clothes! Even when I picked up vaping, I was told smoking that wasn't any different then cigarettes. "It looks like smoke, that obviously isn't healthy." It was ridicules how some people try to force they're opinion on you without any valid points.

[ddavelarsen]

I'll just add my position, which is somewhat counter to others given here. One reason I feel comfortable doing this is that VT is a very open and informed/informative place; the best I've found.

My approach to vaping in public is to just do it. I do not flaunt it. I try to be discrete; not let any vapor float away or escape when I exhale. That means no primer puff, and smaller drags.

I vape at my desk at work. I've never asked anyone, because I know that HR would outright ban it without doing any due diligence. So I carry a CD around with all the papers and articles I've collected - pro and con - to give to HR whenever the topic comes up, as it surely will. My coworkers have seen the effect of my primer puff and asked about it. They were all very interested and supportive when I explained what was going on. They know how many times I've tried to quit smoking. My boss is a bit uneasy about it, but supports my decision. Afterall, I'm at my desk working about 20% more time now that I'm vaping rather than going to the car to smoke. And I don't stink anymore. I have not vaped in any meetings! Even I have limits.

All that being said, I will add that my commitment is to not-vape if the owner of any establishment requests me not to. In such a case I'll whip out my info CD and put my unit away, thanking them for their interest. Hopefully we can be good ambassadors for vaping and help to create a positive view of e-cigs in public. Remember - we do no harm.

[Shel]

My approach to vaping in public is to just do it. I do not flaunt it. I try to be discrete; not let any vapor float away or escape when I exhale. That means no primer puff, and smaller drags.

ddave

This does seem, to me, like the wisest choice, but I could be wrong.

Some people are saying they don't want to vap in public, because of the public's lack of knowledge about vaping.

Seems that until people start to see other people vaping, more routinely, that there will continue to be a lack of understanding, and a tenancy to equate vaping with smoking... (hey, it LOOKS like a cig, it produces clouds of smoke/vap like a cig, it must be a cig!) Perhaps vaping in public, not in an obnoxious way, but explaining what it is when people ask, and certainly stopping of you're asked to put it away, might help gain acceptance faster?

Certainly asking the managers of an establishment is a good idea.

Thanks for everyone's feedback... it's all very interesting!

[Brian]

Being a bit of an introvert and non-confrontational, I'll keep myself confinded to designated smoking area and stealth vaping in my office. Not much of an issue though as I don't go out much. Work, home, work, home.

[MintGum]

So yeah. Basically a lot of people say they don't do public vaping but where smoking is legal, they vape. Hell, I had a friend in my room where he saw my passthrough and they thought it was the sickest thing ever XD

I'm not saying that it is categorized with smoking but if you think you shouldn't be vaping, don't. If you feel like you need permission, then get it before you vape. Sorry to use an old saying but better safe than sorry.

[seaspine]

I vape in public all the time,it usually goes unnoticed.Most of the people that do notice me are intrested and have a positive reaction.Only have run into 2 people that had a problem with it once I told them it was an E-cig.One was a lady that thought I was going to blow up a gas station with it,and a woman I work with that complains about second hand nicotine,I now tell her I'm using 0 nic juice.

[mcquinn]

I play to the audience but mostly try to cut a low profile.