Stealth Vaping

Manufacturers of electronic cigarettes designed and made these devices to appeal to us as smokers. Vaping is intended to mimic the effect and experience of smoking. Its ability to replicate that in how it feels, taste and indeed looks has been what has appealed to so many successful users. 

However, the downside of this replication is that what made it so popular and so extraordinarily successful is that as vapers we are often looked on in the same way as smokers. For those without knowledge, although a vaper is no longer smoking, it looks like they are doing just that. People are concerned and worried that our vaping could be damaging their health or that we are breaking the law. Whilst we can hope that vaping will be accepted, whilst we can try to educate, and until they can be scientifically proved to be harmless, we are a way from that as yet.

It is the ability of the e-cig to replicate all the sensations of smoking, to appear in shape and often in size like a cigarette, to look like one is smoking that is now becoming a bit of a problem. And vapers are becoming excluded and being banished. 

• The vapour that is exhaled is harmless. There has been no evidence that anything contained in the vapour inhaled or exhaled will cause any harm to the vaper or to those around them. Doctors agree that vaping is a much healthier than smoking.
• Vaping will not set off any smoke detectors (because there is no smoke) and depending on the flavour being vaped there is hardly, if any, smell to it. Occasionally a sweet or fruity scent is detected but nothing else.
• There is no flame or spark because there is no fire or ignition by fire that has taken place. Only the LED light is lit.

How do we get away from the fact that these electronic cigarettes look and behave like cigarettes? Do we want or need to?

The first kinds of electronic cigarette batteries had an orange or red LED light in the tip which was intended to look like a lit cigarette however, this was soon was replaced by blue or green lights so that people around us could easily see that it was not in fact a lit cigarette at all. 

Then, as we demanded more power, the resulting larger batteries did away with the LED in the tip and located it in the power button on the side. Then, along came box/square shaped batteries which moved the devices further away from looking like an actual cigarette. 

In a further effort to shed the association to being a cigarette people began referring to them as PV's (Personal Vapourisers). But still, the name electronic cigarette persists and is most frequently used when talking about them. 

It is a difficult conundrum. We choose to vape as an alternative to smoking. We become proud of the fact we made this choice and have been successful at it. We want in our celebration to be free and not to hide or be shut out. Yet, it for it to be successful in the first place the device needed to appeal to us as smokers first.

So, what is it that worries people? How do vapers 'Stealth-Vape'?

Its the 'smoke' effect of the vapour that worries people. We have long been taught the danger of passive smoking and second hand smoke. Who wouldn't be worried?

I wondered a while ago about whether vaping would be more readily accepted if there was no 'smoke' to see. 

The heavy smoke like effect is largely created by the ingredient VG (vegetable glycerine) in the eliquid blend. It is added in order to replicate the smoking experience. That said, there is a small vapour cloud produced when vaping with a PG (Propyl Glycol) only liquid if it is not inhaled into the lungs during the vape (i.e. a mouth vape, where the vapour is not inhaled into the lungs).

Therefore, you can then, if you are someone who likes to custom bend your own liquids, produce liquid for yourself that contains no VG and in this way your vaping would be less noticeable. 

Most eliquid contains a blend of PG and VG, to which liquid nicotine and flavourings are added though some liquids are made without any nicotine at all.

But what about those of us who do not want to get involved in custom blending or like our blended eliquids? Well, there is another way to reduce or eliminate the vapour cloud.  It is done simply by holding the inhaled vapour in the lungs for a little longer and then exhaling very slowly and gently. By holding your device unobtrusively covered in your hand where the light emitted from the power button goes unseen it is possible to vape stealthily or in 'stealth-mode' getting your fix of nicotine without attracting unwanted attention.

Is it wrong or unlawful to vape in public places?

At the current time it is not against the law to vape in a public space. Electronic cigarettes are not covered by or included as part of the Health Act ban introduced in 2006. Despite this, bans on vaping are becoming widespread. Perhaps it is the shear numbers of us now vaping that has forced this to become such an issue? 

Thankfully many public places have embraced vaping and will allow people to vape within their spaces. Some pubs and workplaces do but, there are places where you will be asked not to, or asked to go outside. 

For some people these bans are met with sadness having been accepted vaping at work in their offices, now many employers, rather than taking perhaps a more supportive role, are banning their employees from vaping in the work place. The difficulty here is that by taking this stance they might insist that the vapers go to the designated smoking area in order to vape. This places the vaper at risk in an environment where they have the potential to be around harmful tobacco smoke, which is unlawful. Perhaps a more forward thinking and accommodating employer will provide a designated vaping zone?

I anticipate that all the research that is being carried out by various organisations will underline the harmlessness of vaping and will continue to show that this is something that is life changing & life saving. I hope that through education vaping will be accepted and welcomed and that the studies will prove that this is not just safer but is a safe alternative for us.