Cigarette smoke
When I was a smoker, nothing bothered me more than someone blowing cigarette smoke in my face. I found it very rude. Even though I was a smoker myself, other people's smoke still irritated me, my eyes would sting and water, my nose would itch and I would cough. I can only imagine how much more annoying and frustrating it would be for a non-smoker.
Common courtesy
Before all the smoking laws, I was always mindful of who was around me. Outside of a store, I never stood in front of the door, and if I saw a customer or someone approaching with a child, I would try to stay as far away as possible. I thought it was common courtesy.
Overconfident?
Now I am a vaper and proud of it, however, that courtesy must also come into play. I have read some examples of vapers behaving in a way that I consider rude, like vaping in a restaurant after being told off by staff and customers. Or sitting in the stands at an indoor game vaping constantly and claiming that they don’t smoke and breaking the law. While we are confident that our new hobby is safer than cigarettes, there are still many people who don’t think so and don’t know much about e-cigarettes .
Education is necessary for acceptance
Rude smokers have made it easier for laws to be passed that restrict where one can smoke. No one wants to have to walk through a cloud of smoke to get into a store or a seat in a restaurant. I don’t think I blame them. From the stories I’ve heard, I fear that vapers are following in the footsteps of cigarettes. We can’t force others to accept us. Where there is pressure, there is strong resistance. I think if we want to be seen differently, we have to act differently. Practice basic courtesy and learn as much as we can. Be mindful and always be polite, even to those who are prejudiced or unfamiliar with vaping.
