Electronic cigarette veterans are fighting hard to ensure that the ecig industry succeeds. Unfortunately, some rookie vapers have no idea how to use an ecig without offending everyone around them. If you don’t follow some basic rules of ecig etiquette, you will end up making all vapers look like idiots. Don’t give e-cigs a bad rap! Here are nine ways you could potentially damage the vaping movement and what you should do to avoid them.
1. You Treat Your E-Cig Like a Fog Machine
When it comes to ecig vapor, bigger isn’t always better. As electronic cigarette technology advances, we have seen a lot of vapers go crazy with over the top mods. Rookie vapers view the huge vapor clouds as the ultimate ecig experience and they can’t wait to explore the powerful atomizers that create monster clouds. However, the average non-smoker is going to be super annoyed if you are constantly blowing out massive waves of vapor. Don’t treat your e-cig like a fog machine. Use it responsibly and consider how other people might feel when you are vaping in public.
2. You Vape in the Movie Theater
Nothing is more annoying that paying to watch a movie and finding yourself behind an inconsiderate ecig user. Even if nonsmokers are okay with vaping, they will be extremely frustrated when you vapor clouds block the view of the big screen. Plus that small light on the tip of your e-cig will be really noticeable and distracting to other movie watchers once the lights dim. If you must take a vape break at the theater, step out to the lobby or go outside.
3. You Get Called Down for Vaping at Your Kid’s School
When you go for parent teacher conferences or PTA meetings, refuse the urge to pull out your ecig and take a puff, even if things get stressful. Schools have a strict no smoking policy and even though your e-cig is technically smoke-free, it still projects a bad image to children. Vaping on school premises is a recipe for disaster and it’s the kind of dangerous behavior that will get e-cigs totally banned from public areas in your city.
4. You Fake a Bathroom Break and Vape on the Toilet
This is actually a pretty common thing for new e-cig users. When you get that nicotine craving, you don’t want to draw attention by vaping in the office or in front of your family so you duck into the bathroom and vape while you pretend to do your business. There are a couple of problems with this. First of all, if you are in a public restroom and people walk in, they could be alarmed by the huge cloud of vapor hanging in the air. Second, you might raise suspicions when you end up visiting the bathroom way more than usual. Eventually people will catch on. If you need to use your e-cig, just step into another room or walk outside.
5. You Vape Indoors and Smoke Outdoors
When you first start using electronic cigarettes, dual-use is pretty common. As you are making the transition from smoking to vaping, you might slip up and smoke a cigarette once in awhile. That’s totally normal. However, it’s really not a good idea to make a habit of using both e-cigs and cigarettes. Some people end up vaping nonstop indoors and then anytime they walk outside or get in the car, they smoke instead. If you do this, please stop. It gives the appearance that you cannot go for five minutes without nicotine. It makes e-cigarettes look bad and it causes people to think that e-cigs are making nicotine addiction worse instead of better. It’s counterproductive and it really hurts the vaping industry, so please stop.
6. You Are Condescending and Rude to Smokers
Don’t act like you are better than smokers. Remember that you used to be just like them and just because you made the switch to e-cigarettes, you are not superior. While you might passionately disagree with their choice to continue using tobacco, you won’t convert anyone to e-cigs by talking down to them. A little kindness can go a long way in showing people that e-cigs are a good alternative.
7. You Act Like an Ecig Evangelist
It’s awesome that you are pumped about vaping, but don’t act like a walking billboard for your favorite brand. You will quickly become annoying and everyone will avoid you. Feel free to tell your friends about your choice to vape when they ask about it. Share information and be prepared to back your claims with research. However, don’t go over the top and treat your ecig habit like a political campaign. There is no need to constantly bash smokers on social media or to hound your friends night and day to try e-cigs.
8. You Leave E-Cig Cartridges Everywhere
Your family will quickly be annoyed if they find your old e-cig cartridges lying around all over the house. Throw them away when you are done and don’t expect others to clean up after you. Remember that the cartridges contain nicotine and even old cartridges can pose a risk to pets and children. Don’t leave your vaping gear lying around or you could risk a deadly accident.
9. You Blow Vapor in Someone’s Face
Please – for the love of all that is good and tobacco-free – do NOT blow your e-cig vapor in someone’s face. This is giving electronic cigarettes such a bad reputation. We’ve seen it on social media on more than one occasion. People are venting about inconsiderate e-cig users that puff on their ecigs and then blow the vapor right at the person they are talking to. Even though the vapor isn’t dangerous like secondhand smoke, it is still offensive when someone blows it straight in your face. Turn your head and exhale in the other direction so you don’t offend people around you.
What are some other things that ecig users do that make us all look bad? Are there any other etiquette tips that new vapers should know?
(Clive Maria Green)
