Like any niche hobby, there are online communities and in-person groups that bring together vapers to share stories and tips. Check out your local vape shop or an online forum to find out more about joining a community.
Research in Europe has explored e-cigarette users’ motivations for use, reinforcing influences and association with vaping subcultures. Specifically, it identifies two dominant identities: cloud chaser and substitute.
Trade Shows & Conventions
Conventions are large-scale events where people from the same industry gather to showcase their products and services. They usually feature exhibits, seminars, lectures, and parties. In addition, they may also include networking opportunities and product launches. Conventions are an important marketing tool for companies because they allow them to reach a targeted audience of potential customers.
Vaping has become more than a replacement for smoking cigarettes, and it has spawned its own culture that includes trade shows, fairs, and conventions/expos. These events provide an array of products, vendors, social interactions with other attendees, gifts and vaping contests.
Most convention Websites promote a variety of features to attract visitors, including access to e-cigarette product vendors and parties. Some conventions offer vapor-filled rooms that can be indistinguishable from those filled with smoke, allowing participants to use electronic cigarette vapor without concern for state or local smoke-free laws. Future research should focus on how attending these conventions affects attendees’ attitudes and behaviors, especially their perception of risks associated with e-cigarettes.
Vape Bars & Vape Tricks
If you’ve been to a vape bar, you may have seen vapers blowing cool smoke rings and shapes. It’s a great way to show off your skills and impress friends. These tricks require a little practice, but once you get them down, they’re sure to turn heads at all your next social gatherings.
The easiest trick is the sphere, which involves creating a ball of vapor that you can easily blow out. For this, you’ll need a small disposable vape or e-cigarette and a cupped hand.
Another popular trick is the tornado, which requires a more powerful device. This involves releasing a pool of thick and dense vapor, then chopping at it with your hands and raising your arm by flicking your wrist. For best results, try this in a quiet room without any fans or air conditioners running. It’s also easier to see how well you’re doing if you’re wearing dark glasses. This will keep your vision clear while performing the trick.
Vape Shops
Vape shops, also called smoke or tobacco shops, are a staple of the vaping community. They often sell the latest vaping devices, e-liquids and accessories and offer an excellent customer service. Many are staffed with knowledgeable employees that can provide great advice. Some also host local meet-ups for vapers to gather in person.
This research builds on previous work by using a combination of search terms and data sources to identify vape shops in six MSAs with varying tobacco control contexts. Searches were conducted for “vaporizer store” and “vape shop” on Google Maps and Yelp, and results were verified by telephone (Dai et al., 2017).
The resulting lists were then merged to create one list of likely vape shops. This list was then analyzed by SES to examine patterns in specialty vape shop incidence. The lowest SES quintiles experienced nearly twice the rate of vape shop presence as compared to the highest SES quintile.
Social Media
Social media is a key platform for vapers to share content and stay updated on new trends. They can also access tutorials, guides and other information that help them improve their vaping experience and keep them safe.
While social media platforms can be used to educate and inform, they can also be a source of misinformation and anti-vape propaganda. This can be particularly troubling for adolescents, whose developing brains are more vulnerable to harm from nicotine-containing products.
In one study, researchers looked at Instagram accounts belonging to vaping influencers. They found that the majority of posts explicitly promoted branded vape products, even after Instagram’s 2019 policy change to ban e-cigarette promotion on the platform. The authors urged for greater monitoring and enforcement of social media guidelines, including age restriction on vape-related content. They also recommend public health messaging that emphasizes the positive benefits of switching from smoking to vaping. Having support is proven to be a key component of quitting success, and this can come from friends, family, peers and online communities like TikTok vaping groups.
