# Recently I made a difference!



## Alex (10/2/15)

*Have to share this reddit story here.*

Recently I made a difference!
by LukeWho
This is going to be a long post, so I apologize in advance for those who are TL;DR's.

Recently I was asked to not vape during work hours, this was not just inside the building, but anywhere whilst wearing the company logo, this was coming from a director of a multi-billion pound internationally recognisable construction consultantcy. I argued my point and eventually was asked, if I was going to be so adamant about things that I provide "the board" with good reasoning as to why it should be allowed, and so, the story begins.

I took quite unkindly to being asked to stop my habit, based entirely on the fact that the human in question had to ask what I was doing before asking me to stop. No I don't have any problem with the fact he wasn't aware of vaping, or infact that he had no idea about why I had chosen to do it, I was more pissy about the fact that while he stood asking me to "not do that", he was smoking a cigarette. After many emails and passive agression, the request came, provide evidence.

So over the following week or so I have researched, read, double checked and rewritten about vaping, I have contacted physicians both within our companies private healthcare scheme and external corporations from privately funded medical care to public sector health providers, to ask the same question, "what is your take on this vaping craze?" I asked in such a way, that I came across like an uninformed patient, curious about my options. Finally I took what little confirmed evidence I had myself, my reason for vaping, my mothers illness. Recently diagnosed with cancer, my mother, a 30+ year smoker, stopped. After numerous attempts and various replacement therapies, I introduce her to vaping (the doctors recommendation probably helped) and she hasn't smoked a single cigarette in almost 4 months !

I collated all of this evidence, the quotes, the medical journals and the hard evidence provided by my mother, and I walked into a room full of 6 figure earners to try to convince them "this is a good idea." So I began, I pulled up my presentation, I read from my hand scribbled cue cards and I shook like a dog taking a shit in Antarctica.

20 minutes, 20 of the longest minutes of my 25 year life I stood infront of those 7 people, pouring everything I had into the sell. I spoke about everything I could possibly think of, the positives of quitting, the chemicals dodged, the positive effects of nicotine on even none smokers, the ability to lower nicotine levels as and when the person choses to do so. They never said a word, they didn't flinch or flicker, talk amongst themselves, stop me or have a question for the entire time. I finished the presentation and flicked on the lights, I had one final thing to say. I pulled from the folder infront of me a respiratory system report given to my mum, it had 2 dates on, 4th November 2014 & 2nd Feb 2015, It gave read outs, numbers, graphs, digits and all kinds of nonsense, 85% of which I didn't and still don't understand. But it did have one important figure on, Lung age. and in this case I did understand, the two figures, 59, not bad considering my mums near on 50 years of age and as above, a 30+ year smoker, but then, the second number. 51, in just under four months my moms lungs have increased in health by 8 years, and to top it off, the cancer is LOSING !

I stood in silence for a few seconds before asking if anyone had any questions, completely and utterly hoping no-one did, because I hadn't prepared for questions.

Then it happened, one of them, the CEO infact, he started to clap and very quickly the others joined in, it was a very brief clap, and it was a very uncomfortable few seconds but I felt the entire worlds weight fall off of my shoulders. A few questions followed and I for a second was all andrenaline and fast answers wanting out of that room. It ended fairly quickly and I left, unaware as to whether I would be ignored and a blanket vaping ban would be enforced, or whether I had any impact on those people.

4 days passed, I arrived at work at 7.20 and there was very few people around. Just the director who asked me to stop vaping. I smiled politely as I passed his office and nodded the good morning nod, sat down and fired up the worlds shittiest laptop. I had an email from the group board, I had impact, oh sweet baby jesus did I have impact. The director I had nodded at approached my desk, coffee in one hand and ego twist in the other, thanked me for explaining what it was, how it worked, the benefits and everything else and then he asked if i wanted to go outside for a "vape". I obliged, we stood chatting for a while and he explained that after I had left the members of the board had decided that they would see if this vaping thing worked, they have apporached an electronic cigarette producer and brought in bulk, they will be stocking them in the nurses office and for those who want to quit, for a measley 5 quid they will provide you with an ego battery, carto and 10ml of eliquid at your chosen strength.

He then went on to ask about my mech and RDA, at which point I had to escape rather quick as I didnt want to go into rebuildables and battery safety.

I thought I would share this just because everything I ever see about vaping or the community we are a part of is negative, its always doom and gloom and cancer this and formaldehyde that. This ladies and gents of reddit, is the impace we can all have, I am an unimportant, inexperienced, 25 year old and they listened.

TL;DR - Work tried to stop me vaping, presented the shit out of vaping to a group of real important mother fuckers, vaping is now cooler than the other side of the pillow in my work place.

Edit - Some wordy mishaps

Double Edit - To whichever one of you amazing barstewards gave me my first ever gold, YOU ******* RULE ! No but seriously nice one reddit, you are all beautiful beasts !


source: http://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/2vej1q/recently_i_made_a_difference/

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 11


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## stevie g (10/2/15)

I had a similar experience. This weekend I was down in Nelspruit visiting the folks who are confirmed smokers since teenage hood. They did not like me vaping at all and were alarmed at the clouds I was blowing. But after I showed my pops how a rebuild goes and the cotton wicking etc he was totally into it by the end of my stay. Once people understand the wah it works it goes from being witchcraft to practical.

Reactions: Like 3


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## MurderDoll (10/2/15)

What a good read! I enjoyed that very much!
I wish more companies would be willing to take this approach. But at the same time I know it needs more people to push it in the right direction.

Reactions: Like 3


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## rogue zombie (10/2/15)

Ye, what an awesome story that.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## rogue zombie (10/2/15)

My wife works at Edenvale Radio (Internet/community radio) and I have successfully pitched a show to them. I basically just need to find a sponsor (advertiser) for the show.

I will basically be going on air and talking with the DJ, correcting and educating people on eCigs.

So hopefully I can educate a few people. On a bad day, I get very annoyed with the "those are worse than cigs" comments.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 3


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## Jakey (10/2/15)

Very..... Very cool story man, thanks for sharing, I had a similar story, director asked me to stop picking my nose, presented to the board a jar where I collected all my hard earned pickings. Needless to say the next day when I walked in there was no free snoballs for ppl waiting in the nurses room. But well done man. We convert smokers 1 at a time, for u....
Its nations!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## BumbleBee (10/2/15)

Alex said:


> *Have to share this reddit story here.*
> 
> Recently I made a difference!
> by LukeWho
> ...


Thanks for sharing this @Alex, what an awesome read

Reactions: Like 3


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## hands (10/2/15)

fantastic story

Reactions: Like 3


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## annemarievdh (11/2/15)

Now that is how you do it. Thanks @Alex, very inspiring.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Matuka (11/2/15)

A great story - this guy should go on a worldwide crusade! Just watch out for ISIS.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## gripen (11/2/15)

@Alex that is simply fantastic,and standing up for something no one believes in,and showing them that it is in fact a better way to go.truly owesome buddy.you have changed allot of peoples lives with that presentation.you are a hero to all of us ho has chosen the healthier and fun way.you rock buddy

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Arthster (11/2/15)

@Alex You did us all proud brother not did you only convince people of influence, You also made it more accessible to others. Fantastic stuff brother

I salute and applaud you man. We need more people like you

Reactions: Agree 2


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