Being a vaping newbie means learning how to choose the best e-liquids for your palate and also knowing how to maintain your hardware setup to keep it in good working order. It can be intimidating finding the right vape shop online, or eLiquid depot that offers quality but cheap vape juice and gear, and even learning how to clean your device comes with a learning curve.
But, there’s something else that’s important, which often gets ignored as beginners get started with their new hobby: basic vaping etiquette.
Why Should I Know Proper Vaping Etiquette?
The fact that vapor doesn’t smell as much as cigarette smoke, or leave behind as lingering of a cloud, means that people are generally more tolerant of being around vapers than they are smokers. But still, at the end of the day, there’s some basic courtesy that you should stick to avoid offending others, including those who vape and those who do not. So, without further ado, here’s some basic vaping etiquette.
Rule 1: Don’t Blow Clouds in People’s Faces
Most people don’t appreciate a big cloud of vapor in their faces, clouding their vision. In fact, even most vapers themselves don’t enjoy someone else blowing a massive cloud in their direction. Always aim to vape in the opposite direction of another person because even though the vapor doesn’t linger long, it’s still not a good look to force thick vapor onto a person, potentially interfering with their vision and exposing them to the smell of your vape juice, which may or may not be appealing to them.
Rule 2: Don’t Use Other People’s Vapes without Asking First
This one should go without saying, but it’s never kind to grab someone else’s vape without asking them first. This is a general rule for anyone else’s personal belongings, but even more than that, it’s a hygiene issue. Because we’re constantly putting our vape against our lips, it’s easy to pass germs back and forth if two people are using the same device. And, it’s completely natural that a person may not want you to put your mouth on something that they’ll be putting theirs on shortly – especially given the emphasis on public health safety over the last couple of years.
Rule 3: Ask Before You Start Vaping Indoors
A lot of places actually do permit you to vape indoors, at least legally. But that doesn’t mean that the management wants you to. If you’re in, say, a bar, don’t assume you can vape because there’s no law forbidding it. Ask management before you ever vape inside of a public indoor space, and carry the same courtesy with you to other people’s homes, where they may prefer that you step outside if you wish to hit your vape pen or mod.
Rule 4: Avoid Vaping in Crowded Areas
The bottom line is that it’s rude to vape in a crowded area. If people are close by you, there’s a good chance they won’t appreciate being forced to be exposed to your vapor. If they are uncomfortable with your vaping, they can’t easily get away because of the crowd, so that’s why you should definitely make a point to wait until you’re in a space where you can vape away from others. Basically, if you are in a crowd, then there’s no way you’ll be able to avoid blowing clouds directly onto others – an issue that we already discussed with rule 1.
Rule 5: Don’t Vape Around Babies, Kids, and Pets
Basically, you should never, ever vape if you’re close to babies, kids, or pets. Babies, kids, and pets all lack the ability to consent to be exposed to your vapor, which can even irritate them in terms of the smell and the consistency of clouds surrounding them. This applies not only to babies, kids, and pets that are out in public or at friends’ homes but your own as well. We know that vaping at home is convenient, but please consider waiting until you can go into a private room or simply stepping outside to vape.
Rule 6: Don’t Vape in Areas Where It’s Strictly Banned
This isn’t an etiquette rule as much as a legal one. Simply do not attempt to vape in a place where vaping is strictly not permitted, like inside an airport, on an airplane, in a movie theatre, or a restaurant. Not only will this offend the people around you, but it can leave you stuck with a fine that you’ll have to pay. In fact, vaping on an airplane, in particular, comes with huge penalties that no one wants to risk just because they want to take a couple of puffs of vapor.
Rule 7: Don’t Litter Your Discarded Vape Gear
It’s unacceptable to litter, and that applies to your vape gear as much as anything else. But, many people continue to litter every day, which has negative consequences when it comes to the environment and makes our outdoor spaces look unkempt. The bottom line is, don’t litter with any of your old vaping gear. This includes your old disposable vape pens, empty vape juice bottles, dead coils, and any packaging. Wait until you are at a place where you can discard your gear where it belongs – like a garbage or recycling bin – because littering isn’t just rude, but it’s a crime in many places.