Come on - people don’t understand e-cigarettes yet. I know this. Half the members of our team know this. It’s about time you knew this too.

Electronic cigarettes are a relatively new concept. Although they’ve actually been around since the sixties, it’s only been in the last couple of years that they have really hit off, and you’ll be amazed by how many people still aren’t aware that these things exist. Every day that I have my e-cig on me and I use it out and about, I have people asking me what I’m doing, or what it is I’m smoking? Most of them are seemingly fascinated by the gadget or new toy that I have in my hands that has given me the power to finally kick the habit of actually smoking real cigarettes. Some of them have bought products based on my recommendations, and in fact, that’s why half the guys in the team decided to start this website.

Some of them, however, don't understand that this device will help me...

It’s unbelievable how many smokers don’t realize that they have this tool right at their fingertips. A few moments spent online and your e-cig starter kit could be on it’s way to your doorstep. It really could be and is that simple!

The problem with this relatively new concept however, is that many people are surprised at the gadget you have in your hands. They don’t know or possibly understand that you aren’t actually smoking anything that's actually burning, and to them it just looks as if you are happily walking around in public places, smoking regular cigarettes and putting everyone at risk of getting cancer with your nasty second-hand smoke.

Think about it this way - if you had never seen an e-cig before, what would you think if you saw someone inhaling on something that gave off an orange glow with smoke from the mouth?

The trick to managing your new habit is to keep things discreet. As much as you are a vaper and proud, not everyone shares the same love for your newfound power, and as well as learning how to be discreet, you’ll also need to learn how to be patient.

Of course, there are some handy tips and tricks that we can share from our office to make your e-cig life a lot easier…

Are you sitting comfortably?

1 - Don’t go with an orange glow

You know the ends of the e-cigs you’re looking at? What color do they glow when you inhale on them? Halo G6, for example, has a blue glowing tip and this can help to avoid any confusion.

If you have an orange glowing tip, your electronic cigarette could easily be confused for a real cigarette. By avoiding this, you are avoiding anyone accusing you of smoking where you shouldn’t be!

2 - Don’t go for the traditional look

Sticking with the appearance of your electronic cigarette, it might be tempting to go with the traditional look - white battery with the orange filter-looking cartridge to keep things as realistic as possible but actually, there are so many cool and funky designs out there now that there is no need to stick with the plain and boring old design.

Vapor Couture, for example, has a beautiful range of e-cigs that have clearly been designed for women. Halo Triton Tanks have a beautiful range of colors to suit everyone, and from bright pink to jet black, they are built with both men and women in mind.

If your e-cigarette doesn’t look like a regular cigarette, people won’t think you are smoking in a public place. They will be more inclined to say “Hey, what’s that?” rather than just calling management to have you escorted from the premises.

3 - Keep your membership card on you

You know those little cards that come with the e-cig starter kits that usually say that they are an electronic cigarette and not a regular cigarette or tobacco product? (The ones that you normally throw away)

Well - keep them. If someone asks you what you are doing, rather than trying to explain things, show them the little card. If the e-cig company offers a referral system, you could even write your details on the card and earn yourself some money out of it if they are interested in giving it a shot too.

It is easy to get irate with people when they accuse you of smoking in a public place, and rather than jumping to anger right from the beginning, why not try to educate people instead? Explain that it is an electronic cigarette and has helped you to stop smoking regular cigarettes. If you’re cool, calm and collected, it’ll make it much harder for them to keep being irate at you.

4 - Be respectful

If management ask you to put the e-cigarette away because it is upsetting other patrons, just do it. Causing a scene is not going to result in you getting away with smoking it wherever you like. Instead, you are likely to be thrown out by security. There are some battles you need to let go in life and the e-cigarette battle is just one of them.

Think about it - when you go a nice restaurant, you wouldn’t light up a cigarette at the table anyway. Waiting for half an hour longer to use your e-cig won’t harm you. You would normally go that long between cigarettes anyway, and in a lot of cases, much longer than this.

5 - If you’re not sure, ask

Some states are changing their stance on e-cigarettes and some places have even banned them as they have done with normal cigarettes. If you don’t know whether or not you’re allowed to use your e-cigarette where you are, just ask someone in management or that works there. It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry!

6 - Go with a discreet e-cigarette

Of course, the more discreet your e-cigarette is, the less chance you’ll have of being harassed about it. With brands like Vapor Couture, you have the slimline design on your side. The only downside is that they give off a fair bit of vapor, so that might catch attention if using it doesn’t.

One of the best tank-style e-cigarettes I’ve found for discreet smoking is the Halo Triton Tank. The G6 two-piece model gives off a fair bit of vapor but the Triton Tank actually doesn’t.

Don’t get us wrong, you don’t lose out on anything. It is still a very satisfying smoke with plenty of throat hit and vapor, but the vapor is on a much more discreet level so you don’t end up drawing unwanted attention to yourself.

At the end of the day, there are always going to be people that don’t understand e-cigs, or have never seen or heard of them before. The trick is to be pleasant to these people. Having a fight in a coffee shop one morning is not going to help your quitting-smoking progress. In fact, it’s just going to have you running back to regular cigarettes again where you can smoke outside in the cold and rain in peace…

Just remember to be patient! And educate! Don’t get irate.