Jump to full article: KELOLAND TV (Sioux Falls, SD), 2010-02-17
Author: Perry Groten
Intro: South Dakota voters will decide the fate of a statewide smoking ban in November. But a smoke-free mindset has already infused many businesses that don't allow their customers to light up. Now, technology is paving the way for patrons to puff away even in smoke-free zones. We find out what kind of reception electronic cigarettes are receiving among the non-smoking crowd. . . .
So we introduced Parker to this electronic device called an e-cigarette that allows people to puff without the smell or the smoke.
"Oh, that's just too weird," Parker said. . . .
The e-cigarette looks so much like the real thing, it draws immediate attention in a smoke-free business.
Customer: I don't like smoke. It bothers me. Parker: Really, that's too bad. Customer: I thought your door said no smoking. Customer: It is no smoking. Parker: Yeah.
These customers weren't at all impressed even after Parker explained how the e-cigarette works.
Parker: Don't you think it's kind of cool? Customer: No. Parker: You don't? Customer: Not at all. . . .
E-cigarettes haven't surfaced yet among the clients at Dean-O's. But Parker expects customers will eventually warm to these surrogate smokes as technology redefines what it means to light up.
Some other smoke-free businesses we checked with discourage the use of e-cigarettes because they believe the cigarettes may give customers the mistaken impression that smoking is allowed.
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