Last fact-checked 27 February 2024 | Report a content error
We all know what good table manners look like, or how to be a considerate driver ... but what about vaping? When it comes to e-cigarettes, what does 'good manners' look like? How can we vape in a polite way and show respect for the people around us?
In this guide, we share tried and true rules to follow when vaping in public. We'll cover everything from recharging etiquette to cloud control. If you're a new vaper and you need a steer on vaping etiquette, then this is the article for you.
1: Keep your distance from non-vapers
Non-vapers don't bite, but you should still take an extra few steps away from them before you fire up. If a non-vaper can smell your cloud, they’ll know they’re breathing in air that you’ve just breathed out. This feeling of ‘old air’ isn’t good for anyone’s nerves in a squeamish post-Covid world. Keep your second-hand vapour to yourself by staying around 2 metres away from people when you vape. It will make them feel much more comfortable (which is, ultimately, what good etiquette is all about).
2: Want to vape indoors? Ask first
Always ask before you vape indoors. Even if you’re in your own home, it’s polite to at least warn non-vapers that you’re about to start puffing. When you’re in an enclosed space, smells and vapour of any kind can feel very intrusive. It’s only fair to warn non-vapers first.
Try to keep the airflow on your vape respectfully tight. Try to exhale away from others, and if you’re going to be indoors for a while, take a seat by a window.
3: Vaping in the garden? Follow BBQ rules
Don’t let e-cigarette vapour invade your neighbour’s garden. Treat vape clouds like barbecue smoke, and seat vaping guests away from boundary fences.
If your neighbour has just hung a load of laundry on the line, be especially careful. E-cigarette vapour is unlikely to leave a smell on your neighbour’s freshly washed bedsheets, but they don’t know that. The polite thing to do is to avoid annoying or worrying neighbours in the first place.
4: Vaping on the move? Check behind you
If you’ve ever walked behind a smoker on a busy street, you’ll know what it’s like to get an unexpected lungful of tobacco fumes.
E-liquid vapour doesn’t contain the harmful toxins of a cigarette (source: nhs.uk), but for non-vaping pedestrians, it can be just as offensive as tobacco smoke. If you’re on a busy street, consider waiting to vape until you’ve reached a quieter area.
5: Vaping with smokers? Don’t oversell it
We can’t always stop ourselves from telling our smoker friends how good vaping is. Just remember that nobody wants a lecture when they’re on their puff break.
As a rule, try to wait for someone to ask you about vaping before you tell them all about it. Give an honest account of your own experience, but try not to tell friends how they will feel when they give vaping a go. Any smoker who is trying to quit is in a vulnerable state; if they start vaping with high expectations and it takes them a little longer to find their feet, it could perhaps put them off.
If your friends want some advice, then feel free to recommend our beginner guides:
6: Need to recharge your mod? Ask first!
Most people wouldn’t think twice if you asked them to charge your vape device … but you should still ask. Ask to use a plug socket out of reach of small children. Kitchen countertop plugs are usually a good choice.
You might want to reassure any non-vapers that the vape kit you’ve brought into their home is safe to charge. Your host may have heard horror stories about e-cigarette batteries, and they’ll thank you for a little reassurance before you plug in.
7: Hosting a vaper? Make them comfortable
Having a vaper round to your house? As soon as they arrive, show them the areas of your house where it’s OK to use e-cigarettes. It takes a lot of the pressure off your guests when they know there's a space for them to vape guilt-free.
If a vaper stays with you overnight, try to make their bedroom as vape-friendly as you can. Give them a level surface where they can fill and charge their device easily. A small dresser or desk, ideally near a plug socket, is perfect.
8: Hitting the beach? Keep the cloud small
The UK’s beaches are always tightly packed, even in the colder months. If you’re on a busy beach, try not to vape at all if you can avoid it. If cravings are too much to bear, try walking down to a quiet part of the shoreline.
Most people visit the coastline for fresh, unadulterated sea air. There isn't a vape juice on the planet that can compete with a lovely coastal breeze, so do what you can to keep clouds small and discreet.
9: Living with a non-vaper? Thank them!
If you cohabit with someone who doesn’t vape, then that person deserves your full praise. Few non-vapers appreciate having their indoor spaces filled with flavoured air, but it's much healthier than the alternative.
If you’ve been able to successfully swap cigarettes for vaping, then some of that will be down to the support of the people you live with. You’ve got some special non-vapers in your household — make sure you thank them for their patience and understanding!
Stay safe and happy vaping!
John Boughey