FEATURE
TO
ADVOCATE
IS TO
EDUCATE
Some People Still Struggle to Define the word ‘Vaping’
BY TONY OTTOMANELLI II
W
hen people ask me who I write for, whenever
I mention the word “vape” or “vaping,” they
often glare at me with a blank stare which is
followed by a series of questions suggesting I
just spoke to them in a foreign dialect.
While the phenomenon of the “vape-clueless” is prevalent in the
U.S., I’m assuming it is much less commoWn in the U.K. — after
all, the United Kingdom is seen as the global capital for supporting
vapers. Then again, we all know vape haters are ubiquitous, so
hopefully nothing threatens our vape-friendly safe-haven while
we witness the rest of the world continue to demonise a solution
to the smoking epidemic.
Nowadays, we are more connected online than we are in the
physical world of actual life. What remains as probably the best
outlet and opportunity for one-on-one social interaction is the
barbershop or beauty salon.
Everyone can most likely relate to the concept of small talk during
a visit to a barbershop or hair salon, especially when it is your
first trip with a new barber or hair stylist where we are all routinely
asked about what our occupations or plans for the weekend.
While recently getting my haircut I was asked what I did for a
living but this is such an exhausting question to answer because
the majority of the general public in America have no idea what
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the word vaping even means. When I say I am a vaping journalist
people often reply “What is that?” I then go on to explain what
this profession entails: researching, networking, interviewing,
reviewing products and a lot of advocating for harm reduction
from tobacco abuse.
After explaining my passion for the efficiency, realness and
the truth of these vapor products, every person who never
understands that e-cigs and vaping are products of the same
harm reduction tool, always replies, “once there is more research
done on those things, people will figure out they’re probably just
as bad as cigarettes?”
At this time during the discussion, I typically reply by stating,
“Remember when I said I smoked for 15 years and dipped
tobacco for 10 years but as soon as I began vaping, I quit all
those dangerous products and now I’m very much a loyal vaping
advocate, embracing the vapor movement?”
Not to mention, at this same moment, this is when you reach for
your secret weapon: a series of facts that provide evidence to
how “vaping is safer.” Most vapers tend to keep their “vaping is
safer” arsenal stocked with up-to-date research studies in order to
support fellow vapers when our lifestyles are questioned.
The first and most important statement to make is about the Royal
College of Physicians research study that provided