Use of Vapo or Electronic Cigarettes on Amtrak?

[CNW]

It interesting to say the least, for some of us who grew up in the 50's when people smoked everywhere; grocery stores, doctor's offices, school functions, some church basements to think that the sight of someone with an unlit cigarette in his mouth would no doubt cause mass hysteria. I'm not saying it hasn't been a good change just a bit amusing to me....

 

[Guest]

It interesting to say the least, for some of us who grew up in the 50's when people smoked everywhere; grocery stores, doctor's offices, school functions, some church basements to think that the sight of someone with an unlit cigarette in his mouth would no doubt cause mass hysteria. I'm not saying it hasn't been a good change just a bit amusing to me....

I agree. Especially when those who'd go into hysterics are happily breathing diesel fumes for hours or days.

 

[MattW]

Actually cigars, cigarettes and pipes are allowed on Amtrak, as long as they are not lit. Same for an electric cigarette with the battery removed.

I think having a cigarette in your mouth, even if unlit, will attract the attention of the conductor.

I think he was just clarifying that they aren't outright banned, just their use is banned, I don't see that he advocated holding any of those in one's mouth unlit.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It interesting to say the least, for some of us who grew up in the 50's when people smoked everywhere; grocery stores, doctor's offices, school functions, some church basements to think that the sight of someone with an unlit cigarette in his mouth would no doubt cause mass hysteria. I'm not saying it hasn't been a good change just a bit amusing to me....

I agree. Especially when those who'd go into hysterics are happily breathing diesel fumes for hours or days.

I don't know anybody who happily inhales diesel fumes for hours or days. But I know plenty of smokers who can't manage to speak of their concerns in reasonable terms.

 

[CNW]

Can you give an example of how a smoker would speak of his concerns in a reasonable way.? This could be useful information for smokers.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Can you give an example of how a smoker would speak of his concerns in a reasonable way.? This could be useful information for smokers.

I would suggest that reasonable smokers avoid using terms like "mass hysteria" to describe the reactions of non-smokers or claiming that non-smokers are "happy" to inhale diesel fumes. So smokers aren't as coddled as they used to be and non-smokers are no longer afraid to speak up for themselves. Big whoop. Needlessly exaggerating such a minor plight won't win over any converts. I've enjoyed many vices of my own over the years, including smoking tobacco, but you won't see me complaining about how difficult it is for folks to puff away whenever and wherever they please at the expense of everyone else. If I wanted to smoke I either went where it was allowed or I didn't smoke. We all have our vices, and while they may be nothing to be ashamed of, neither are they anything to be proud about. That's my view anyway.

 

[CNW]

Hyperbole is often used when expressing a point and I believe that is what was being done when "mass hysteria" and "happy" were used. I don't believe anyone was defending smoking since it really can't be defended and any converts won would be useless to the "cause". My expressed thoughts were observations as to the changing attitudes over the years.

 

[mark delmonte]

I've had enough of the e cigarettes are bad mentality. They do not burn and they do not pollute the air around other people. To the OP one way around Amtraks ignorant ban on these devices is smoke em in the Bathroom. Nobody will ever notice because guess what they don't smell and it is not smoke. This works on Aircraft to. Also to everyone else as an E cig user I don't like the smell of smoke either and never in my life would I smoke a traditional cigarette in a bathroom but an E cig yes.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Amtraks "ignorant" ban? Seriously?! There are things called smoke stops for a reason. Also, especially on LD trains, the air is recirculated, and the last thing you want to smell for days on end is recirculating smoke. A bit of common courtesy goes a long way.

Guess what, whether the E Cigarette smokes or smells or not, its still considered a cigarette under the terms and conditions. If someone is caught doing that on board, the conductor wont care one inch if its an E Cig or not, the penalties will still be enforced, which could include you being put off of the train and watching it leave without you. If a little device is worth being stranded over, then do what you want. Otherwise, wait for a smoke stop, and use the e cig then and there.

Just a bit of friendly advice.

 

[Old man vagabond]

As a two pack a day smoker who quit 'cold turkey' twenty years ago ...I'll forego my usual lecture.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Cold turkey, that must have been tough man, but congrats nonetheless.

 

[leemell]

As a two pack a day smoker who quit 'cold turkey' twenty years ago ...I'll forego my usual lecture.

I was a two pack a day as well and quit 35 years ago with out help. Do us all and you a favor and follow the rules.

 

[Henry Kisor]

I smoked my last coffin nail on August 4, 1975, after a 20-year two-pack-a-day habit, and cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can start smoking these days. But I have great sympathy for those who have tried and tried to quit. It took me three tries, and the third came during a hospital stay in which my roommate was the same age (37) and suffering from terminal lung cancer. Watching him hack his life out in flecks of blood did the trick.

 

[SP&S]

Do yourself a favor and get rid of the electronic cigs. Nicotine in and of itself is bad for you. But the makers say they're harmless. Yeah, and RJ Reynolds said more doctors smoke Camels than any other brand. Do you really trust the folks selling you the drug to which you're addicted?

Believe it or not, cold turkey is actually the easiest way to quit (and it ain't easy). An anti-depressant can help, change your routine, avoid other smokers for a while, and motivate yourself. Personally, besides the fact that I knew what tobacco was doing to me, I drew motivation by being embarassed by my habit. I got tired of looking stupid, sucking on a cancer stick.

 

[grandma from Iowa]

We traveled on the CS(#14) yesterday, getting off at Tacoma. Somewhere south of Eugene (I think), the train was stopped and a male passenger was kicked off for smoking in his room. If you are a smoker, don't test them.

 

[Shortline]

Now if we can just get them to move away from the door at every stop. It sucks having to walk through a herd of people hotboxing marlboros into a thick cloud, to get on or off the train. I don't care if people smoke-Knock yourself out, I sometimes smoke one or two when having a beer out camping, etc-I'm not a rabid anti-smoker. But I am averse to having to wade through the cloud at every station stop they let the smokers off at. As for the vapor electronic ones, I guess I really don't care too much, though to say they're harmless is, in my opinion, a misconception. The vapor still contains some (though admittedly much less) harmful chemicals. I have more imporant things to worry about than them, however, but I can see why they prohibit them, trains are essentially a fairly enclosed area, allowing known chemical producers into them, just opens Amtrak up to lawsuits form someone claiming "damages" from their policy. I don't think I'd want to be around someone using one of them, and certainly don't want my kid around it.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

As a person against smoking, I think that smokers should stay 15 feet from the door.

 

[EB_OBS]

As a person against smoking, I think that smokers should stay 15 feet from the door.

There are no less than 12 ( NO Smoking ) signs around the building on the platform in Spokane. Still, almost every single night I have to tell people to move away from the doors and the building. Often they are leaning against the wall with the sign right behind them. I'm ready for the smoking to just be completely banned on the Amtrak platforms. I'm tired of it and I typically have an enormous amount of patience.

 

[JayPea]

As a person against smoking, I think that smokers should stay 15 feet from the door.

There are no less than 12 ( NO Smoking ) signs around the building on the platform in Spokane. Still, almost every single night I have to tell people to move away from the doors and the building. Often they are leaning against the wall with the sign right behind them. I'm ready for the smoking to just be completely banned on the Amtrak platforms. I'm tired of it and I typically have an enormous amount of patience.

EB_OBS, you have my sympathy. Spokane is my "home" station and I see what you're describing happen all the time there. It never ceases to amaze me to see passengers detrain at Spokane and light up the second they get off and puff their way right up to the doors of the station.

 

[Shortline]

Almost makes me wish for the days when they (we, back in the day) had their own little "fishbowl" to smoke in on the trains. It was on the lower level of the SSL, and on the single level trains, there was a separate "smokeing lounge" walled off in the trains, behing glass walls. We called it the fishbowl, because that's what it looked like. At least then, they stayed in there without having to foul the platform at every stop longer than 2 minutes! (and, don't get upset with me, I spent plenty of time IN the fishbowl, when i smoked. Spent many a deadhead between Savannah and Jax in the smoking lounge area of the Silver trains, when I was younger. Again, I have no problem with smoking, I just hate having them all crowd the doors at stops!

 

[AlanB]

Almost makes me wish for the days when they (we, back in the day) had their own little "fishbowl" to smoke in on the trains. It was on the lower level of the SSL, and on the single level trains, there was a separate "smokeing lounge" walled off in the trains, behing glass walls.

Actually, except for the Auto Train lounge cars most of which are not Sightseer Lounges, the smoker's penalty box was on the lower level of a coach car. That was part of the reason;for their demise, too many people upstairs complained about the smell of smoke in the entire car.

On the single level trains you are correct, they built the box in half of the lounge car.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Almost makes me wish for the days when they (we, back in the day) had their own little "fishbowl" to smoke in on the trains. It was on the lower level of the SSL, and on the single level trains, there was a separate "smokeing lounge" walled off in the trains, behing glass walls.

Actually, except for the Auto Train lounge cars most of which are not Sightseer Lounges, the smoker's penalty box was on the lower level of a coach car. That was part of the reason;for their demise, too many people upstairs complained about the smell of smoke in the entire car.

On the single level trains you are correct, they built the box in half of the lounge car.

I agree, the smoke was bad when it leaked out.

 

[Shortline]

Almost makes me wish for the days when they (we, back in the day) had their own little "fishbowl" to smoke in on the trains. It was on the lower level of the SSL, and on the single level trains, there was a separate "smokeing lounge" walled off in the trains, behing glass walls.

Actually, except for the Auto Train lounge cars most of which are not Sightseer Lounges, the smoker's penalty box was on the lower level of a coach car. That was part of the reason;for their demise, too many people upstairs complained about the smell of smoke in the entire car.

On the single level trains you are correct, they built the box in half of the lounge car.

I guess I'm dating myself-last time I rode as a smoker, the lower level of the SSL was the smoking area. Wasn't even sectioned off just had ashtrays on the lower level tables. Was that way on the EB in 92 for sure, and on the Sunsest Limited when I took it from Yuma to St Louis in 2002 as I recall. I remember it specifically, because it was just like being in a bar, beer just a few feet away, and full of smoke. Back then, I liked that sort of thing...... Maybe they moved it to strictly in a room on the lower level coach sometime after that? I do recall that one of the coaches also had a smoking area in the lower part, but I spent my time in the "bar car". I do remember deadheading on the Silvers in the early 2000's and they had a glass room in the cafe. Also remember you could smoke in your roomette / bedroom back then. Can't imagine 2 smokers in a roomette lighting up at the same time, don't know how even a die hard smoker could enjoy that!

 

[Nathanael]

I think we all understand that it is not a healthy thing to do and others should not be subjected to it

That's new! And not really as common as you think!

In the 1980s smokers felt that it was their "right" to fill enclosed, recirculated-air airplanes with clouds of toxic smoke. In South Carolina they still think it's their right to let clouds of smoke drift across restaurants.

This is why many non-smokers, especially those of us who are extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke (it's one of the additives, I'm sure of it) are very pushy about this. Smokers, for decades, have *not* understood that "others should not be subjected to it".

If you're addicted to nicotine, get the patches or the gum, please. They're legal on trains.