Snakes On A Plane? How About Cigs?

With hundreds of people now using the revolutionary e-cigarette, we are now able to smoke anywhere, apparently. There is just one area where people are not quite sure where they stand and this is on aeroplanes. Nicotine inhalers have been proven to cause no risks on a plane with there being no harmful smoke and no chance of fire or ash, so where is the problem?
There is always the issue of the people surrounding you. Although e-cigarettes are becoming very popular, some people just don’t understand them and don’t realise they are not the same as a cigarette. There is no passive smoke, no harmful chemicals and the vapour is just vapour, not smoke.
Here are some helpful tips when you are smoking in a plane, so you can keep everyone nice and calm and in the know.

  1. E-smokers, as they are now called, have been finding that simply explaining the e-cigarette and how it works will set cabin crew and passengers at ease. Use the term ‘nicotine inhaler’ or ‘vapour stick’ so you don’t find yourself subject to the associations attached to the word ‘cigarette’. Also give a demonstration, but keep the vapour to a minimum. Let’s just introduce them gently, shall we.
  2. If you are new to this product, you may not feel comfortable smoking it in a public area yet, so why not nip to the rest room for a sneaky puff and to stretch your legs. You aren’t doing anything wrong. There is no harmful smoke and no spark or fire, so no danger.
  3. When you do decide to speak to the cabin crew, make sure to speak slightly louder and more clearly so people in close proximity can hear what you are saying and will not be alarmed when they see vapour in the air as they could quite easily think it was smoke.

Do watch out for some US airlines though, as any form of e-cigarette has been banned. If you ask the question, people are unlikely to say no, but if you just startle someone with a puff of vapour drifting past they may not understand or think you are rude. After all, you wouldn’t smoke a normal cigarette that closely to a non-smoker would you?
We should take care when smoking e-cigarettes in different areas. The smoking ban has changed public perception about the risks and social acceptability of cigarettes, even when there is no real risk.
Dean Fletcher is writing on behalf of, suppliers of E Cigarettes.