As humans, we all have to live in this world and try to get along. There are simply too many people in the world for everyone to have no regard for politeness and respect towards their fellow man. Respect and proper etiquette is essential to our modern society, without it the rules and safe guards of our society break down. People can’t just do whatever they want all of the time with no regard for other people – we all have to have a bit of self-control. A lack of etiquette is more than just rudeness, it can mean that we unintentionally hurt the people around us, make poor decisions or hurt our social standing. Poor vape etiquette can hurt your standing at work or with friends or have consequences for your finances.
Good etiquette is essential, so here are a few things to keep in mind.
Don’t vape in a confined space
It’s not polite to use your e-cigarette device in a confined space, if you want to vape then make sure you take it outside. Some people prefer to do it in an enclosed space because it increases the concentration of the vapour, but this is the same reason that’s rude to do it inside or around other people. The smell, and vapour will hang around for longer and it’s not pleasant for other people to inhale the vapour that’s just been in your lungs. People don’t want vapour in their faces, so just like smoking make sure you don’t do it around others. Vaping is covered under the same public smoking rules are tobacco cigarettes in Australia, so using your e-cig in some public spaces could actually get you into trouble.
Vaping at home or in your own private space is much more courteous, but you should also air your place out if you’re planning on having guests over.
You can also do it in your vehicle, but be careful it doesn’t distract you from driving and don’t do it around people under 16, as it’s prohibited to smoke with children in the car in Australia.
Ask permission
Before vaping around others, make sure you ask permission. You never know about the health concerns of others until you ask. E-cigs might be fine for you but the vapour mist could pose a risk to others, or they simply may not appreciate you vaping in their presence.
Be aware that when you’re around people who don’t use e-cigs that they are likely to have some questions, it’s polite to assure them and good for the vaping community to spread knowledge about the practice so don’t get frustrated at curious people.
Don’t do it around pets and kids
Nicotine is dangerous to animals and children, they don’t process it in the same way as adults and are at risk of an overdose and ill effects from nicotine. There is never a time when it’s okay to use an e-cig around a child or pet, as it could have serious consequences for their health. Make sure you are aware of the risk your e-cig poses to others, and protect the health of those around you.
Don’t talk down to smokers
Just as vaping is your personal choice, so is smoking for people who use traditional cigarettes. Whilst it’s perfectly fine to tell them about e-cig’s if they ask, you should never look down on other peoples choices or force your opinions on them.
These are just a few etiquette tips for handing e-cig’s and vaping around others, hopefully they help you to enjoy vaping harmoniously with those around you.
Dan Jones was born and raised in Australia. Dan covers stories related to vaping at Kev’s Vape.
