Unfortunately, my Father In-Law has taken a huge slump in health lately. While visiting him in the hospital yesterday, he finally decided to get out of that depressing room and enjoy the fall weather. So, I take him for a spin in some ancient wheel chair, which we all weren’t too fond of. As we exited the sliding doors to the front of the building, we pulled off to the side to let him sit and breathe some fresh air. While we were waiting, I pulled out my eVic for a few pulls to last me another hour in this visit.
After my few pulls, the hospital security guard comes rushing out of a side entrance that has tinted windows. This entrance must be where he waits until someone jaywalks or spits on the sidewalk. In particular case, he spotted me using my electronic cigarette.
Security Guard: “Sir, there is a designated smoking area on the side of the building>”
Me: “I wasn’t smoking sir.”
Security Guard: “Excuse me? I sat here and watching you smoke your electronic cigarette through the window.”
This is where I would have told him it’s not a tobacco cigarette and instead, an electronic cigarette. But, I couldn’t since he included it in his reply.
Me: “I wasn’t smoking though. I was using an electronic cigarette that produces vapor, not smoke.”
Security Guard: “You were smoking, so use the designated smoking area.”
See, I’m not really one for confrontation, but it’s erks me when people fail in wanting to understand the difference between vapor and smoke. I tried explaining to him, but he wasn’t having it. I endured the initial struggles of trying to remove myself from the ‘smoke’, and since I have, I’m still being labeled as a smoker? No, not having it.
/rant
I hear ya, Blake, and I know that it’s frustrating, but the thing is, there is no perceivable benefit to a non-smoker/vaoer to learn about these things. I’ve been over this a lot in my relatively short 4 months vaping (yay for me though!), and try as I might, I just haven’t been able to explain it to someone who doesn’t want to listen, especially someone who thinks you’re doing something wrong, and more so to someone who thinks you’re doing something wrong to them.
This is yet another reason why we need the media to portray these products in a more positive light. If there’s anything that will get the general public to turn the corner on them, it’s the information force-feeding machine that is mass media.
Jeff, I couldn’t agree with you more. My goodness is it frustrating, but I believe in the long-run everyone will find out just how prominent electronic cigarettes are. That’ll become my justice.
I am surprised they even allow smoking on the grounds. Here you can not be on hospital property to smoke. Most allow vaping though.
This might sound silly, but I hand pamphlets I made to people unaware. I prey on the fact no one wants to look ignorant. The key is education, and that doesn’t require confrontation. In my area there’s no laws against vaping, but still I refrain from doing it in restraunts etc. Not because I can’t, but because I’m polite. I’m 1 year and 2 months smoke free, and that’s a real blessing in my book. Congratulations on kicking the habit! It’s nice to not smell horrid isn’t it?!
I think this is more an example of why brain surgeons don’t start there career as hospital security guards…. I AM one for confrontation when facing off against idiocy… and in this case all I’d see is the rather large settlement his employers would have to fork out after a court case…and this twits removal from his current career path to something more janitorial… in which case I’d be delighted to continue the conversation.
I think some folks think that all vapers are the same, they will simply do as they are told by someone in a uniform. Not a chance.