Can You Vape Indoors?
Vaping exists in an interesting legal and social status. Generally speaking, there are no specific guidelines as to where one should vape. You can vape anywhere including offices, airports, pubs, restaurants, and most public places, so long as their individual policies allow.
Unlike smoking that discolours and stains the environment, vapor from vaping devices doesn't leave any kind of stain or residue. Still, most public spaces classify vaping in the same category as traditional smoking and don't condone vaping indoors.
You can of course still vape in your home, particularly if the property belongs to you. If it's rented, you should consult with the landlord to be certain that you are not breaching tenant guidelines.
A landlord that understands how vaping works will be less concerned about you vaping on their property, but it’s always best to be sure.
The same goes for workplaces; if there are no clear vaping policies, ask your bosses if it's something they'd accept.
The Difference Between Smoking & Vaping
Smoking causes staining on the walls and a range of other issues if you do it indoors, particularly in buildings with poor ventilation. Most people often attribute this to the nicotine in the cigarettes but that's not the only staining agent in cigarette smoke.
There are many other chemicals that contribute to dis-colouration and a lingering smell in such spaces. These chemicals cling to the surfaces, finding their ways into any crevices and causing a thick layer of scum that's hard to remove.
If you do smoke indoors you’ll have to take some significant extra steps to keep that place in good condition. Apart from cleaning the walls every few days, you'll eventually have to repaint the surfaces entirely to regain their base colour and eliminate that stale smell.
If you allow the stains to remain on your walls they will continue to affect the quality of the air you breathe, leading to respiratory conditions for those who use the space for many years later, even after you quit smoking.
In contrast vaping doesn't tend to easily stain surfaces, even those e-liquids that contain nicotine. There are several reasons for this, but one of the biggest is the content of the e-liquid itself.
The nicotine concentration in e-liquids is far smaller compared to those in cigarettes. Instead of combusting the nicotine in vape devices vaporises, avoiding the range of carcinogenic materials that are produced from combustible tobacco.
A little nicotine does leak out from a vape, which may eventually stain surfaces, but it will generally take longer to build up and won't have the same complications as conventional cigarette stains.
Vaping indoors is a world apart from smoking indoors. As mentioned earlier, it will take a much longer time to develop surface stains after an extended period of intense vaping.
The damage is not nearly as severe as that which comes from cigarette smoke. However, when vapor builds up in the air it will attract dust and dirt more compared to the smoke from cigarettes.
This is due to the moisture content in a vape cloud, compared to a relatively dry smoke cloud. This detritus will be carried by your vape, potentially settling on your walls and in ventilation surfaces.
Though this can be troublesome, dirt and dust don’t create that hard-to-remove discolouration on walls. You can schedule convenient times to wipe away the dirt, not as frequently as you would have to do with traditional smoking.
On top of this, the vapor produced by vape devices does not linger as long in the air due of the fewer chemicals in vape juices. So, the air quality in your room will in general contain fewer unpleasant substances and smells.
To eradicate the possibility of vapor staining your indoor surfaces, the best option would be to use zero-nicotine e-liquid.
Vaping Etiquette
Vaping when you’re by yourself is different from vaping when there are people around you. When you vape in public it’s always preferable to be considerate to those around you.
First off, find out if there's a designated area for vaping where you can vape without worrying about breaking rules or irritating others. Try to avoid vaping products with a high VG e-liquid, as these produce large clouds that can be irritating to others.
The same goes for sub-ohm vape devices that produce big clouds. During your vaping session, try to exhale the vapor upwards so it dissipates into the air above.
Go for smaller vaping devices with enough power for your needs, either a pen or even a pod. Invest in discreet vaping products that produce little to no clouds to avoid irritating those around you.
You may even find fellow vapers joining you for a quiet, more low-key vaping session when this kind of consideration is shown.
When You Just Shouldn’t Vape Indoors
Even if you were allowed to vape indoors by your boss, at the pub, or on private property, you still can't vape all the time. If you have guests, for instance, make sure they are okay with you blowing clouds around the room in their presence.
Also, find out what family members think about vaping before you cloud their rooms with your favourite vape juice smell.
While vaping is not directly outlawed when driving, it’s still a good idea to avoid it for safety reasons. Imagine clouding your vehicle with vapor, or having to adjust your device when you should be paying attention to the road. That's endangering your life and the lives of everyone else on the road.
If the policies of a store, restaurant, private business, or any public space clearly say you shouldn't smoke, consider that to mean you cannot vape as well. If you are in doubt, inquire from the management to clarify if it's okay for you to do it.
Again, even if they allow, you’ll want to vape away from people as an act of kindness.
It's also a good idea to keep an eye out for fire alarms in any indoor place where you vape. Although unlikely, it is still possible for a vape cloud to trigger certain kinds of fire alarms.
This could range from a few moments of unpleasant noise and embarrassment, to potentially soaking a crowded room with fire suppressant, depending on exactly what kind of system you trip. If you spot a fire alarm near where you’re smoking, it’s always best to just find another spot.
Summary
The vast majority of people are still relatively uninformed about vaping and wouldn't approve of its use in any space. Although this can be inconvenient, you’re always better off vaping outside, with fellow vapers or by yourself.
If you have to vape in a public space, ensure you take the time to clear it with those in charge to avoid causing any upset.
Even when they do allow it, be considerate of other people and take any necessary steps, whether that be a smaller vaping device or just lower power settings, to avoid causing any issues.
If you are particularly proactive in the CBD space you could even help formulate CBD vaping policies, ensuring that you and your fellow CBD vapers continue enjoying your CBD vaping experience for as long as possible.
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