F E AT U R E
and friends in the Vaping community
have primarily been a result of positive
relationships built via the World Wide
Web, thus the Vape community is a
virtual community in a sense.
VaporVanity’s co-founder goes onto to
share instances where other vaping
advocates have highlighted similar
circumstances, by sharing, “Gregory
Conley from the American Vaping
Association recently wrote an interesting
article in ‘The Hill’ that details the
steps that Big Tobacco companies
are taking to stifle competition in the
extremely popular vaporizer market
(Reynoldson 2015:VaporVanity).” There
are numerous, seemingly often endless
amounts of sites with information
suggesting similar claims all over the
Internet. What’s more, however, is the
opposite end of the spectrum, that is,
the actual anti-vaping campaigns being
launched out there. California launched a
campaign featuring this image:
E-CIGARETTES POSE RISKS TO HEALTH,
TURN KIDS INTO ADDICTS, AND GIVE
BIG TOBACCO BIG OPPORTUNITIES.
WAKE UP.
96 ISSUE 03 VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE
Following this, the Vaping community
immediately responded in a number of
ways, much like an article titled
“California’s New Anti-Vaping
Propaganda is More Dangerous than
Truthful” written by Amber Whaley.
Amber has a rebuttal to this campaign,
she responds, “The fear campaign from
the California Department of Public
Health is only just one example of how
misinformation could kill the benefits of
e-cigarettes before they have a
chance to do any good. Critics of
e-cigarettes seem determined to get rid
of these devices, and will make
ridiculous claims to make vaping seem
dangerous and harmful to people”
(Whaley 2015).
Due to the fact that we are experiencing
such a severe saturation of
propagandized information, these
concluding statements are essentially to
be continued, as this is merely Part One
of the story in its Sociological entirety
and there will be a Part Two for you to
follow in the next issue. Vaping may not
be 100 percent healthy and risk-free,
but it certainly is no equivalency to the
act of smoking. As a part of the vaping
The fear campaign
from the California
Department of
Public Health
is only just one
example of how
misinformation could
kill the benefits of
e-cigarettes before
they have a
chance to do any
good. Critics of
e-cigarettes seem
determined to get
rid of these devices,
and will make
ridiculous claims to
make vaping seem
dangerous and
harmful to people
community you must question all the
nonsensical information which needs
correction and even more attention. Not
to mention, be proud to boldly question
the anti-vape affiliates who try to control
our perception. Question these false
ideas at their very inception, in order
to halt any type of fictitious agenda
progression. We’re the ones Vaping so
we must always defend it. It is imperative
to ask more than a single question, for it
is only one weapon when we have many
in our possession, that is, if the vape
community chooses the preference to
express a solid defense.
Then the answer is that our citizens will
finally learn valuable lessons, by simply
ask more and more valid questions.
SHORT-BIO : Tony Ottomanelli
graduated with a Master of Arts in
Sociology from DePaul University
in Chicago. Ottomanelli also taught
Sociology at Owens Community College
as well as coached Boy’s High School
Basketball. Currently, Tony lives in
Denver, Colorado, where he pursues
opportunities in Sociology, writing and
of course vaping, testing new vaping
devices and e-liquids on a daily basis.
Vaporleaf off of Colfax Ave. in Denver
is his favorite go-to shop. since the staff
focuses on customer care through
educating with vaping facts.