Vaping sounds like something that a public court would do to vampires in the 1800s on the first full moon of Scorpio rising. Something weird and violent.
Vaping actually is the term for inhaling e-cigarettes, which are cigarette replacements. Powered by an electrical device, they contain nicotine but are legal to smoke indoors. If only everyone at the Hub and Fuma Bella smoked these, I wouldn’t have to wash my hair twice after going to those bars.
The first official World Vaping Day is this Thursday, March 22, and e-cigarette lounges are celebrating, including worldwide brand Totally Wicked’s new lounge in Carrollwood.
Free vaping tutorials will take place at 11 a.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. The lounge, which had their grand opening March 3, also has a coffee bar. Nicotine and caffeine, who could ask for more?
Though the non-profit group CASAA (The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association) endorses e-cigarettes, the American Lung Association does not. It's been met with some controversy (see ABC Action News report here). But if you choose to try vaping, you can try it indoors and a lot other places tobacco cigarettes are not allowed.
For now at least.
I personally would request the lounge to play “Vapors” by Biz Markie, while vaping for the first time. They sort of have to, right?
Totally Wicked Lounge is located at 14449 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa. For more information go to totallywicked-eliquid.com or world-vaping-day.com/Carrollwood.
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2012.