The 6 Biggest Mistakes Made by New Vapers

6 Biggest Mistakes Made by New Vapers

Writing about vaping is broken into three parts:

1. Reviewing new vape products.

2. Rallying vapers to promote positive legislation.

3. Explaining away constant misunderstandings about vaping, vapers and vape culture.

Let’s talk about that last one for a few minutes. In my seven years of writing in this industry, and the hundreds of reviews I’ve done for Spinfuel VAPE, I feel like I’ve spent the most time and effort on the same issues. Debunking vape myths, quashing salacious vaping rumors, and destroying stupid claims about this industry.

(No, once and for all, e-liquid doesn’t contain formaldehyde.)

We feel a lot of this can be chalked up to a lack of education about vape products and practices. But some of the onus DOES have to be placed on vapers themselves. Because, for every responsible, respectful vaper in the crowd, there’s a ton of newcomers who get caught up in the idea of blowing “yuuuuge clowds, brah” and firing up their mods wherever they want.

And that’s simply not how to do this right.

So, since it’s been a while, let’s address some of the more egregious mistakes made by new vapers… along with a few ideas on how to do things better, so people don’t start pointing fingers and giving you more grief than anyone deserves. Vaping may never be universally accepted, but the blame isn’t on the finger pointers alone. Let’s take a look.

Personal space is important, whether you vape, smoke, chew cinnamon gum or can’t get enough Altoids in your diet. No one should ever feel uncomfortable with things going in (and out) of your mouths, and that’s where vapers are perhaps the worst offenders.

In other words, STOP BLOWING CLOUDS IN PEOPLE’S FACES.

Look, we love that vaping is often acceptable indoors. My local bar lets me vape inside, as long as no one complains. But do you know how I ensure no one complains? I still go outside.

Why give up that level of freedom? Because it’s the right thing to do. There’s no doubt that my vanilla custard smells way better than lit tobacco, but that doesn’t mean the guy nursing his bourbon needs to smell it, too. The same goes for those in your office, subway platform, group Lyft or panic room. To many people, vaping is just another form of smoking – and that’s something people don’t always want to be around.

More importantly, the more you fog up a space with vape clouds, the less likely you’ll be to have those freedoms before long. We’re already seeing a rush of “no vaping” signs outside venues, and as long as you’re blowing clouds that linger for days, we expect it to continue. Don’t be a part of the problem, kids – be discreet and respectful.

On a similar note…

Though it’s not quite the same “wild west” atmosphere as five years ago, in 2018, there are still more places that allow vaping than smoking. (Or at least don’t yet prohibit it.) But that doesn’t mean you SHOULD take advantage of these undefined freedoms.

If you work in a factory, and the foreman would rather allow you to take a few puffs rather than waste time outside on a vape break, then by all means, do it (as long as it doesn’t bother those around you). Same goes for those who work outdoors, in well-ventilated spaces, etc.

But let’s get real – there are some places you shouldn’t ever break out your vape devices, no matter how small and discreet they may be. Schools, hospitals, board meetings, job interviews, funerals, kids’ birthday parties – all OFF LIMITS. Don’t try and ask for a loophole, just don’t do it.

Again, judgment is your friend – use it.

Chances are, your shiny new vape mod is going to garner attention. Especially if it’s a cloud-chucking, 300-watt beast with a touchscreen, resin panel and authentic moose-hide grip. So, if people ask about your new prized device, feel free to answer their questions.

But if they don’t ask about your mod, or vaping in general, keep your discussions focused on the weather. We know vaping is a significant boost for your well-being, but that new vape kit doesn’t come with a bullhorn and a dais. In other words, stop preaching a gospel no one asked for!

If someone asks, stick to the “tl;dr” version of your vape story. Show them how it works, and what it can do. Pepper your story with some anecdotes about feeling better and stinking less. Then wrap it up (unless they ask for more clarification).

Don’t feel the need to explain salt nic juices, squonk mechanics, battery wraps or coil art – chances are, they don’t care. And if you’re babbling about these things to an uninterested audience, you’re only going to make our hobby more misunderstood than it already is.

On that note…

On a page like ours, readers can feel free to trash tobacco and smoking behavior. Go ahead – you’re among friends and like-minded people.

But for the love of everything good and holy, stop talking down to cigarette smokers! Don’t condemn them for having an addiction. Don’t scoff when they ignite another cig. Don’t comment on the burning odor and stale smelling clothes. They either already know and feel bad, or simply don’t care.

And they definitely don’t need some cloud-pumping vape bro criticizing them while refilling a giant tank of candy-flavored liquid.

While we wish more people would quit smoking, these are all adult practices, done by adults who make their own decisions. Unless a smoker asks for your help and information, don’t assume they want it. Because they probably don’t. Unsolicited advice will fall on deaf ears until they’re ready to use it.

Failure to do this will probably ensure you sit alone at the bar before long… and will all but guarantee you’re not invited over for the big game the following week.

Vapor is a big part of vaping (hence the name, right?)… but it’s really not important at all. Think about when you were a cigarette smoker – did you ever compare cloud size? Did you ever take pride in fogging a room full of tobacco smoke? Were you really spending time filming cigarette smoke tricks?

No… no you weren’t.

So why are vapers flooding YouTube with clips of vape tricks? Huge rings, cloud comps, weird jellyfish effects – all of it coming from guys in flat-brimmed caps and street logo t-shirts. It might look cool, but does nothing to improve vaping’s legitimacy as an alternative to smoking.

Look, I like the feeling of a huge cloud, and often comment on vapor production in my reviews. But never at the expense of flavor and satisfaction. If you’re only vaping to make massive clouds that take over a confined space, you might want to think about stopping. Because that’s not what prompted e-cigarettes and vape devices to come about, and it’s doing nothing to make sure they stay.

Can we talk truth for a second? Vaping can be really messy if you’re not careful. And with messes comes accidents. With more vapers starting each day, this potential problem is only getting worse.

Vaping is an adult practice, and these products can be dangerous and unwanted in certain environments. Looking beyond the obvious – kids should never have access to bottles, mods, tanks or even stray droplets of e-liquid on a countertop – these indiscretions can become a real problem in any surroundings.

Pets should be especially protected, since consuming e-liquid could have tragic consequences. In other words, if your coffee table has some drops of juice that escaped your Chubby Gorilla bottle, be sure to wipe them up, and clean the surface with a disinfectant.

If you’re changing coils or have leaky bottles, don’t leave the old ones lying around – a poorly wrapped tissue isn’t going to deter kids and animals from checking them out.

Also, with vape devices getting more powerful, and control screens looking like interactive toys, what’s to stop kids, pets and others from checking them out? Nothing – and in the wrong hands, these products can lead to potential disasters.

Since we’ve already established that vaping is an adult practice, it’s only right that you keep and store your vape products like an adult – safely out of reach of unwanted hands, with clean surfaces free of residual vape product. Be clean, be safe, vape happy.

Look, vaping is fun. I think we can all agree on that. But more importantly, vaping is not for everyone. And if people don’t want to be around vaping, they shouldn’t have to be. By adhering to basic common sense and courtesy, you can avoid being part of the problem, and help work toward improved appreciation and recognition of vaping as a better alternative to smoking.

We’re sure we missed a few obvious ones, so get in touch and let us know how we can expand this list!