Cecilie1200
Diamond Member
So okay, this is a bit of a rant, but also a very current and relevant health and lifestyle topic.
As we've probably all noticed, vaping - inhaling the vapor produced by an elecronic cigarette or similar device - has become extremely popular of late. As you may or may not also have noticed, most people who do not vape themselves know almost nothing about it. And because we live in a society where people increasingly feel entitled to be "outraged" about every damned thing that comes along, AND to get all in other people's faces and demand their own way and try to control the behavior of others, people who do vape increasingly get harassed for no real, substantive reason while minding their own business and obeying all relevant laws.
This is something I've talked about on occasion before. I, obviously, am someone who vapes. I am one of the rare few vapers who has never smoked. I took it up a few years ago as a means of acute stress management, and it's very effective. Most people who vape are either trying to quit smoking, or have quit smoking. But I am constantly having to deal with imbeciles who have their panties all in a ruffle because they assume - in their towering, self-righteous ignorance - that vaping IS smoking.
Vaping is NOT smoking, by definition. It was invented specifically for the purpose of being a smoking alternative, like nicotine gums or patches, but more effective because it has the ability to satisfy the smoker's craving for the ACTIVITY of smoking, as well as for the nicotine itself.
Currently, I'm being harassed by the self-righteous hag who manages the office building I work in for the new owner. She galumphs around the place, making any number of changes and decrees in how things will be done here based on her own personal preferences, and spends a great deal of time complaining to people's bosses.
Her very first order was that people are no longer allowed to bring their small pets to work. Now mind you, this is a small, older office complex full of small businesses. One of the perks a lot of businesses of these types get in exchange for renting in a building like this is precisely the ability to have an "office pet", and have been bringing these animals here for years.
Her second order was that people eating lunch outside HAD to do it only at the outdoor table sets, rather than sitting on the edges of the multiple fountains installed in the building courtyards (all the fountains are built specifically with wide lips intended to serve as benches). Of course, no one wanted to do that, since there were only two tables provided, they were right next to the smoking area, AND they sit in direct sunlight all day long. Everyone started eating lunch in their offices.
Her new kick, though, is to go around to the bosses of all the employees who work here and bitch about how we need to "smoke" only in the smoking area, because that's the law, and "secondhand smoke", and blah blah blah. There are actually a lot of people who vape here besides me, and we're all pissed. One, we resent being called "smokers" and consider it insulting; two, for many of us getting away from cigarette smoke was the whole point of taking up vaping, and as someone who has never smoked, I always resent being forced to be around it; three, Arizona law not only does not include vaping in its regulations on smoking, it specifically EXCLUDES it.
Yes, before anyone starts ranting about "they have a right!" I'm aware that the building owner, and by extension, the building manager, can make any rules they like about their own property. But realistically, if your business is renting to OTHER businesses, there are a whole host of accommodations you need to make, or at least consider, rather than simply issuing edicts based on your personal preferences.
As we've probably all noticed, vaping - inhaling the vapor produced by an elecronic cigarette or similar device - has become extremely popular of late. As you may or may not also have noticed, most people who do not vape themselves know almost nothing about it. And because we live in a society where people increasingly feel entitled to be "outraged" about every damned thing that comes along, AND to get all in other people's faces and demand their own way and try to control the behavior of others, people who do vape increasingly get harassed for no real, substantive reason while minding their own business and obeying all relevant laws.
This is something I've talked about on occasion before. I, obviously, am someone who vapes. I am one of the rare few vapers who has never smoked. I took it up a few years ago as a means of acute stress management, and it's very effective. Most people who vape are either trying to quit smoking, or have quit smoking. But I am constantly having to deal with imbeciles who have their panties all in a ruffle because they assume - in their towering, self-righteous ignorance - that vaping IS smoking.
Vaping is NOT smoking, by definition. It was invented specifically for the purpose of being a smoking alternative, like nicotine gums or patches, but more effective because it has the ability to satisfy the smoker's craving for the ACTIVITY of smoking, as well as for the nicotine itself.
Currently, I'm being harassed by the self-righteous hag who manages the office building I work in for the new owner. She galumphs around the place, making any number of changes and decrees in how things will be done here based on her own personal preferences, and spends a great deal of time complaining to people's bosses.
Her very first order was that people are no longer allowed to bring their small pets to work. Now mind you, this is a small, older office complex full of small businesses. One of the perks a lot of businesses of these types get in exchange for renting in a building like this is precisely the ability to have an "office pet", and have been bringing these animals here for years.
Her second order was that people eating lunch outside HAD to do it only at the outdoor table sets, rather than sitting on the edges of the multiple fountains installed in the building courtyards (all the fountains are built specifically with wide lips intended to serve as benches). Of course, no one wanted to do that, since there were only two tables provided, they were right next to the smoking area, AND they sit in direct sunlight all day long. Everyone started eating lunch in their offices.
Her new kick, though, is to go around to the bosses of all the employees who work here and bitch about how we need to "smoke" only in the smoking area, because that's the law, and "secondhand smoke", and blah blah blah. There are actually a lot of people who vape here besides me, and we're all pissed. One, we resent being called "smokers" and consider it insulting; two, for many of us getting away from cigarette smoke was the whole point of taking up vaping, and as someone who has never smoked, I always resent being forced to be around it; three, Arizona law not only does not include vaping in its regulations on smoking, it specifically EXCLUDES it.
Yes, before anyone starts ranting about "they have a right!" I'm aware that the building owner, and by extension, the building manager, can make any rules they like about their own property. But realistically, if your business is renting to OTHER businesses, there are a whole host of accommodations you need to make, or at least consider, rather than simply issuing edicts based on your personal preferences.
