Vaping is an adult activity. It’s been legislated, enforced, and is general industry knowledge across the board. Manufacturers have a legal obligation to manufacture and label their products appropriately, given the specific health risks of their use. Retailers and even vaping websites are required to ID their visitors one way or another. The industry and the community have a mutual responsibility to take seriously our product, our activity. The better we’re all able to discuss vaping and its many intricacies, the better off the whole of us will be in the eyes of an increasingly scrutinizing public.
Learning more about vapes than how to “blow fat clouds” or whatever helps with speaking more confidently and deeply about a subject that you obviously care about. Plenty of us take the time to learn the right PG/VG mixture to get the best throat hit and the best cloud linger. We should spend a little time understanding propylene glycol allergies and talking to potential or new vape users about the importance of finding out what kinds of adverse effects they may see in using different e-juices. Yes, some taste better than others. Some might also cause a bad reaction in certain people. It helps with the positive image of the vaping community to know enough to at least get a smart conversation started.
Knowing the best mods for travel, or for getting the best wattage adjustments may be great to enthusiasts or users who are looking to learn the technical ins and outs of using their mods. It’s also important to know generally how to handle what is ultimately a battery capable of causing destructive damage if misused. Taking the time to explain to another vape users how best to store their mod, or knowing why not to leave the mod in the car are important baseline pieces of information.
Legislation, basic care, ingredients, and brand politics are all integral aspects of the vaping industry and its community. Stay informed, share information, and keep the vaping community knowledgeable and conversant to help counteract some of the media stigma about vapes and our ilk. Be supportive and friendly with new vape users about the reality of the potential effects of owning and using a vape to spread a positive image and keep the community from appearing to have our heads in the clouds, so to speak. The adult aspect of vaping shouldn’t just be in the ingredients, it should also be in the level of maturity we are able to exhibit to the world writ large.