E-Cigarette Etiquette: Be an Ambassador for Vaping

It’s not tobacco so anything goes, right? Not quite.

Smoking cigarettes as we know it has been re-invented with the release in the last few years of a product known as electronic cigarettes. These new types of cigarettes do not produce any smoke at all, yet can deliver both the nicotine requirements and the physical sensation of smoking. The fact that they produce no smoke is the reason that they are not classified as a smoking product. Hence, it is possible to beat the smoking bans that are so prevalent in our society today.

Essentially, because electronic cigarettes are not classified as smoking products, this means that you can now smoke indoors or in any place where smoking has been legally banned.

It is important to remember, however, that an electronic cigarette in use can look very close to the real thing. If you are going to start using one in a place that smoking has been banned in, you might first want to let the people around you know that it is not a smoke producing cigarette. Once people understand how they work, they are usually very accepting of the product being used around them.

It’s true, some vapers only vape indoors at home, where they are never seen, but a growing number of e-cigarette users can be seen out on the town these days, vaping away on their favorite e-juice flavors. If you are one of these public vapers, then face it: you are an e-cigarette ambassador.

The vaping culture is at a crucial point in its growth right now. Few non-vapers know much about electronic cigarettes and the ones who do confuse vapor with smoke more often than not. When you choose to vape in public, then, you open yourself up to scrutiny and criticism. If you’re looking to help the cause and educate the public as e-smoking becomes more mainstream, there are a few things you can do.

If you don’t smoke inside your own home because of the smell and the staining to paintwork that can occur, then the electronic cigarette can change all of that. You will be able to start smoking inside your home without affecting other members of your family. You also won’t have to continue ducking outside for a cigarette into extreme weather conditions anymore.

Educate people on e-cigarettes, and do it respectfully

If you’ve vaped for any amount of time, the concepts behind e-cigarettes probably seem pretty simple to you. For the uninitiated, though, the idea that what looks like smoke is actually a vaporized liquid isn’t exactly intuitive. You may need to explain.

When this happens, be careful not to talk down to the person you are speaking with. When we are enthusiastic about something, it’s easy to get into that “know-it-all” mode, but you want to avoid coming across as condescending.

Secondly, make sure to simplify your explanation. If the person you are addressing is not currently a smoker, then they are not a prospective vaper, so there’s no need to go into the intricacies of atomizers versus cartomizers. Just explain that one end of your e-cig holds nicotine vape juice and a heating element, and the other end holds the battery that powers the heating element.

You can also explain that the ingredients used to create liquid nicotine are approved for ingestion by the FDA, and commonly found in things like asthma inhalers and fog machines.

Don’t use electronic cigarettes where they are not welcome

Your workplace can be one of the most frustrating places to be able to have a traditional cigarette. Often designated areas are prescribed for smokers, which are a long way from your initial work area. With an electric cigarette, you won’t have to walk for miles just to have a cigarette, as you can have a quick puff in your office or staff room and simply place the electric cigarette back into your pocket. No one will be the wiser.

Yes, e-cigs give you the freedom to vape in many places where you cannot smoke, and this is certainly one of the many positive aspects of these devices, but realize that people may still prefer not to breathe in vapor, and that’s their choice.
When you go into an establishment without posted signs regarding whether vaping is welcome, ask, and be ready to respect the business’s policies if the answer is no. You may explain the differences between best vape juice and bad vape juices and ask that the establishment reconsiders their policy, but do so politely.

Smokers got a worse reputation than even necessary for years because of rude types who would blow smoke in other people’s faces or throw cigarette butts onto the ground. Vaping is still in its early stages, and we have an opportunity to shape the public view of this particular culture. We can do that by being seen as polite, respectful, positive ambassadors for electronic cigarettes.

Five Rules a vaper should never forget:

1.  Vaping in public? Use common sense.
2. Stealth vaping: You should never stealth vape somewhere
3. Don’t Blow clouds of vapor in people’s face’s
4. Avoid aggression, Approach frustration
5. Inform and Educate

Bars and restaurants are other places where smoking is being completely banned. Again, with just a little notification and explanation to the people around you and possibly the wait staff, you will be able to use your electronic cigarette.

Nonsmoking hotel rooms can be the most frustrating thing for people who smoke. If you don’t have a balcony with your room, often you have to traipse through endless corridors, down lifts or stairs and find a spot outside in the elements just to have a cigarette. This is where the electric cigarette comes in very handy. Now you can stay in your hotel room and use your electric cigarette.