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Vaping in theme parks

F

flyingguitar

TS Member
Team edit (Sazzle)

⚠ Content Warning: Adult theme - vaping, smoking, and illegal substance use.

This thread contains discussions including vaping (e-cigarettes), smoking, and illegal substance use.

You may wish to refrain from reading on, if you have concerns that this discussion may cause you distress.

Support resources: NHS - Quit Smoking | NHS Better Health (vaping to quite smoking) | NHS - Substance Misuse Help


I was wondering on peoples opinions on vaping, specifically in theme parks.
in the past couple years there has been an explosion in people I have seen vaping in queue lines or in crowded areas with no regard for anyone else, acting as though there are no negative health effects to vaping or those arround the vapers.
I feel like every queue I get in now I see and smell like 2 or 3 people just puffing smoke in front of peoples faces, even after staff announcements of no vaping they just continue and stink they queue line with the fakest "strawberry" smell or some other stuff, I have also seen storied about people vaping ON RIDES!

I feel like the entire vaping at a park has gotten quite out of hand, currently a lot of the people just ignore the signs, staff and people asking them not to
I was starting this to discuss the problem and discus ways that could fix or reduce the problem,
I don't think banning vapes from the park is the best option, because people could legitimately be using them to get off cigarettes and banning vapes would discourage that.
 
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Send 'em off into the bushes with the skunkers...there is still some space, just.
 
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flyingguitar said:
I don't think banning vapes from the park is the best option, because people could legitimately be using them to get off cigarettes and banning vapes would discourage that.
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Disagree on this bit. If you’re that desperate you can leave the park, that’s your choice. If you’re so addicted you can’t get through a day at a theme park then don’t go. People get through 14 hour flights etc. Plus a day at AT is often only 6 hours 🤡

Accommodating bad habits that infringe on other people isn’t a solution.

Of course banning them is likely to have little effect if people are already flouting the rules unless you enforce expulsion from the park which is a little draconian and not realistic. Needs to be another cultural shift as with smoking.
 
I think that some people that vape don't actually realise what they are doing. I was on a Metro train carriage the other week at 9:30am that had a class of primary school kids going on an outing, yet some numpty sitting opposite me kept pulling out a vape and taking a hit despite there being 8 year old kids around him. I also saw a woman vaping whilst browsing in a charity shop as well. I genuinely think that these kind of people are almost pulling it out for a puff subconsciously out of habit rather than actually thinking about what they are doing. Perhaps as well with a hit on a vape being a very instant thing (compared to smoking a cigarette which takes a couple of minutes) it leads people to think it's acceptable to have a quick puff. I agree though that we need a cultural shift to see public vaping as somewhat anti-social.
 
The problem is that vapes are perceived to be more discrete and non intrusive, when compared to smoking.

Bowser said:
If you’re that desperate you can leave the park, that’s your choice. If you’re so addicted you can’t get through a day at a theme park then don’t go. People get through 14 hour flights etc. Plus a day at AT is often only 6 hours 🤡
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The nicotine content, in a typical disposable vape, is between 20-40 cigarettes (up to two packs). Due to the portable nature, and flavours, they can become highly addictive, more so than cigarettes. Very few people who smoke are able to chain smoke, it's incredibly easy to chain vape and you're not even aware.

You can also bet your caboose people are vaping in the toilets on planes.

Aside from the chemical addiction, vaping becomes habit forming. It's a pacifier, it's a comfort blanket, it's sucking your thumb in public. A cheeky puff here or there, sneakily blow it out. Who's to notice and who is it going to bother? Is mostly the thinking or inner self reasoning. They're not smoking, smoking's the bad one, so it must be ok, right?

My favourite observation is watching people who are in a queue line, or walking around a park, vaping. Before they take a puff they'll look around, ever so quickly, then they'll 'discretely' take out their vape. Make sure that their hand is covering it completely, put it to their mouth, take a quick puff and then slowly breathe out through their nose, or mouth, hoping that the vapor won't materialise. They know it's bad form, but hope and pray they can get away with it.

The enforcement of vaping in designated smoking areas is going to be difficult to police. As it is, a fair amount of people ignore the smoking in a designated zone. Quite often these aren't signposted enough, so people will smoke wherever or as they walk from point a to point b in the park.

I'm an ex smoker, but I don't vape. My other half, on the other hand, does vape. I've caught him doing it in queues, he gets a loud honking and a hiss. His worst vaping habit is when he's driving though. Window down, every few minutes a few drags on the vape, carries on, rinse and repeat. Out of the car he can go for hours without vaping, but when driving it's near constant. I hate it. Interestingly, he's never smoked in his car.

Blackpool is a law unto itself however. My first time riding The Big One was preceded with at least 5 people smoking spliffs in the queue line, which in fairness probably made the ride half decent.

Ultimately I'm in two minds on the prohibition of smoking and vaping in parks. I do think it's very much a case of use the designated areas, and only the designated areas, or be prepared to have the privilege of smoking/vaping removed from within the park completely. Similar to how, if behaviour is out of control, the parks shut down alcohol sales for the day.
 
It isn't people smoking spliffs in the big one queue, the traditional spots are the chinese maze, close enough by to hit the stink, and if you are discrete enough to go off park, the prom is the usual spot, a slow walk round the sandcastle takes just the required amount of time.
Allegedly/apparently/so naughty people tell me.
 
I vape and they're far more addictive than cigarettes ever were. I'll always do it away from people at theme parks or crowded places.

Honestly makes me cringe when people do it whilst in ride queues. It's disgusting forcing people around you to breathe in the fruity exhale of your lungs. More often than not it's fully grown men as well.
 
Quite simple really, use them on the smoking benches...just follow the guidance of the park, no law is being broken when outdoors, sorry.
It is just bad manners.
No need to throw people out of the park, people with addictions live in an accepting society.
I remember when the Towers was pretty much booze free, year round.
Shall we shoot all the drinkers as well, costs the nation far more than smoking overall nowadays you know...
Ban the bars.
#Shut the Tavern Down.
 
rob666 said:
no law is being broken when outdoors
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No law is being broken when vaping indoors either, just each premises' own policy.

The Health Act 2006 (the legal statute for the smoking ban) states:
In this Chapter—
(a)“smoking” refers to smoking tobacco or anything which contains tobacco, or smoking any other substance, and
(b)smoking includes being in possession of lit tobacco or of anything lit which contains tobacco, or being in possession of any other lit substance in a form in which it could be smoked.
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Health Act 2006

An Act to make provision for the prohibition of smoking in certain premises, places and vehicles and for amending the minimum age of persons to whom tobacco may be sold; to make provision in relation to the prevention and control of health care associated infections; to make provision in...
www.legislation.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk

We have yet to pass legislation on the restriction of vaping anywhere, and leave it to the discretion of each premises holder.
 
I think WDW has the right idea in making smokers basically leave the park, but I don't think it would work here - the mad lads and rule breakers are part of our cultshurul DNA. I like parks where smoking areas are off the beaten track and not basically a layby along the main pathways. As I said in the other thread, I use medical cannabis via a vape and go out of my way to medicate away from people full stop, no matter where I am. I'm also quitting tobacco (never start, kids) and have always done the same re smoking away from people. When I'm in a park I medicate as needed and generally don't smoke at all or just have the one. Probably helps that I've always been a guilt ridden smoker and very much feel the stigma of medical cannabis too. :sweatsmile: I've never understood the entitlement people have over forcing others to breathe in their lung expulsions.
 
Bowser said:
I hope people are as accepting when i'm injecting methadone on the bench next to them vaping.
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Point of order, you drink methadone you don't inject it. Aside from that, it's given out in controlled measures from pharmacies and is a clinically proven method / alternative to people injecting street heroin.

If you've ever met, or worked with, anyone who uses opioids you'd also know they're incredibly private about their vice. No one shoots up in public.

The stigmatisation of addicts, and recovering addicts, seeking help needs to stop. The difference between their choice of drug/vice and yours boils down to legality. If alcohol were introduced today, you can guarantee that The Daily Mail & Co would be up in arms trying to ban it.
 
Bowser said:
I hope people are as accepting when i'm injecting methadone on the bench next to them vaping.
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I was referring to alcohol really, but whatever floats your boat mate, as long as you offer it round on the bench.
And if you were going to the Towers, you would surely take a drink pack with you, no need for a needle.
But I was really just trying to do a bit of comparative discussion on the relative tolerance for different drugs in theme parks generally.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
Point of order, you drink methadone you don't inject it. Aside from that, it's given out in controlled measures from pharmacies and is a clinically proven method / alternative to people injecting street heroin.

If you've ever met, or worked with, anyone who uses opioids you'd also know they're incredibly private about their vice. No one shoots up in public.

The stigmatisation of addicts, and recovering addicts, seeking help needs to stop. The difference between their choice of drug/vice and yours boils down to legality. If alcohol were introduced today, you can guarantee that The Daily Mail & Co would be up in arms trying to ban it.
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Point of order on your point of order.
You can get methadone for injection, though it is usually administered as a drink.
It is also about in pill form, often abused by solution and injection.
Old work images of pre teen injecting users coming back to haunt me, and my very secretive ex relative, who managed to hide a full habit from his wife for a decade, by shooting up neatly and quietly in the bathroom, hiding the works behind the bath screen.

Sorry, just noticed, double post whip me...I won't feel the pain.
 
I vape, and always ensure I don’t vape in and around non smokers/vapers. I also only have a small thing that is quite unnoticeable. Vaping in enclosed spaces and queues is just plain rude, there is a growing issue with vaping being thrown aside from the usual smoking rules, a lot of pubs in my local area still tolerate it indoors.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
Point of order, you drink methadone you don't inject it. Aside from that, it's given out in controlled measures from pharmacies and is a clinically proven method / alternative to people injecting street heroin.

If you've ever met, or worked with, anyone who uses opioids you'd also know they're incredibly private about their vice. No one shoots up in public.

The stigmatisation of addicts, and recovering addicts, seeking help needs to stop. The difference between their choice of drug/vice and yours boils down to legality. If alcohol were introduced today, you can guarantee that The Daily Mail & Co would be up in arms trying to ban it.
Click to expand...

I think you missed the point or i made it badly, i was implying that people would be less than accepting of somebody doing that in public (which can indeed be injected), despite it having no impact on them compared to vaping. Most people are only accepting of the addictions they're told to accept, so both attitudes and legislation need to change in regards to vaping if we want people to behave differently in theme parks.
 
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