Vapouround magazine Special Issue 01 | Page 26

USA VAPING MAGAZINE MOCKS PEOPLE TRYING TO QUIT CIGARETTES by Stephen Tarpey We've seen one of our competitors trying to deride our magazine on social media recently. Posting a picture taken in November where one of our staff (not the staff member pictured), who still smoked had a packet of cigarettes on the desk during the production of the magazine. Normally we don't respond to petty comments or rumblings from our competitors, we normally let our magazine speak for itself. For some reason this felt different, like they were saying that our magazine was less fit to represent this industry because we have an employee (who worked with us before the magazine started) who smokes. It actually made me angry, the thought that someone would think that a designer with many years experience, shouldn't be part of our organisation anymore just because she hadn't managed to quit one of the most ad dictive chemicals. This got me thinking, because as the owners of Vapouround Magazine both Paul and myself who are exsmokers,now vapers, wanted to start the magazine to support the industry. The thing is we don't just own Vapouround magazine, this is a part of a bigger organisation where we have approximately 40 staff, as we grow we always employ new staff and we don't discriminate because people are 24 VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE USA smokers, why? Because surely these are the people who need our help the most! When we started the magazine, we made a decision, we wouldn't punish people because they smoked, instead we wanted to support, so anyone who expresses an interest in wanting to quit Smoking at our businesses is provided with a free mod and tank, we also set them up with their first liquids and ensure they get guidance and support about using the devices correctly, correct nicotine strength etc. We have even given devices to family members of our employees, so it really annoyed me that someone would try and bad mouth us, without even knowing what a difference we make. To me this is the height of ignorance, in this industry we shouldn't be looking to ridicule smokers, most of us were one once, in fact we should be thinking of them as future vapers. It annoys me that people get snobbish and turn there noses up at smokers, rather than thinking what they can do to help. The moment we forget this industry exists to help people get off cigarettes is the moment we've lost our way, so it's time the people doing this changed their state of mind. If all you care about is reaching experienced vapers and mocking smokers, you need an attitude adjustment. This industry is about getting to people wanting to quit smoking just as much as it is for experienced vapers. Another thing is, the persons whose cigarettes were in the picture is now off the cigarettes and is Vaping, we're so proud of this person, and your shoddy attempt to embarrass our organisation actually highlights the reason why we know we're making a difference.