In many respects, vaping has become the modern-day equivalent of traditional smoking. While a fair number of cigarette smokers are still out there, vaping has captivated smoking enthusiasts of all ages and is quickly turning into people’s preferred way to smoke. However, due to the various differences between vaping and cigarette smoking, many vape enthusiasts have come to believe that this pastime isn’t governed by any rules of etiquette. In reality, this is far from the case, and if your vaping has drawn the ire of the people around you, there’s a good chance you’re guilty of one of the following missteps.
Vaping in Workplace Settings
Vaping in the workplace is a bad idea for a number of reasons. For starters, it’s practically guaranteed to draw the ire of your coworkers and facilitate complaints to higher-ups. Secondly, vaping at work stands to land you in hot water with your boss. Unfortunately, some vaping enthusiasts genuinely don’t see vaping at work – or at business functions, for that matter – as a big deal. To these individuals, taking a puff off a vape pen during a meeting is the same thing as chewing on a hard candy.
To avoid earning the scorn of your bosses and fellow workers, limit workday vaping to your place of business’s designated smoking and/or vaping area. If your workplace lacks such an area, you should at least vape outdoors instead of puffing away inside. Additionally, to get the most out of your vaping experience, make a point of having fresh vape tanks on hand.
Not Seeking Clarity
Although many stores, restaurants and other businesses have clear rules against vaping on the premises, some places are rather vague when it comes to their vaping policies. In the absence of clarity, some vaping enthusiasts won’t hesitate to pull out their vape pens and get their puff on. Even if a business forbids vaping, some people will take ready advantage of “no vaping” policies not being visibly posted.
As a general rule of thumb, you should assume that most businesses don’t allow vaping. However, if you’re genuinely unclear on the rules, make sure to ask for confirmation from the relevant parties before proceeding to take out your vape pen.
Stealth Vaping
Some people opt to ignore “no vaping” policies and puff away in public places. Many of these individuals attempt to engage in stealth vaping – i.e., vaping while actively trying to conceal what they’re doing. In many cases, these individuals aren’t nearly as stealthy as they think. Furthermore, breaking the rules while trying to hide the fact that you’re doing so doesn’t make your actions any more acceptable.
In addition to being outright rude, stealth vaping stands to get you thrown out of your favorite businesses and possibly even land you in legal trouble. If you absolutely must vape during a shopping excursion or night out, do so outside.
Assuming Everyone You Meet is Okay with Vaping
Assuming that every person you come across is okay with vaping is pure folly. Just because someone doesn’t ask you to put away your vape pen doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re fine with you vaping in their immediate presence. In instances like these, the other party is liable to feel as if they’ve been placed in an awkward situation. Even though you created the situation, the onus of requesting that you stop vaping has been put on them.
To help avoid such scenarios, never assume that people you’re just meeting have no problem with you vaping in front of them. If you feel the need to have a puff, simply ask if the people around you are okay with this. Furthermore, make it very clear that there’s no pressure for them to answer in the affirmative.
Politeness and common courtesy can serve you well in many areas – and vaping is no exception. No matter how much you enjoy vaping, it’s important to understand and respect that the people around you may not be as keen on it as you. As such, you should make a point of practicing proper vaping etiquette whenever you feel the urge to have a puff in front of others. To this end, take care to avoid the missteps discussed above.
