A Gawker Guide to Vaping at Your Party Convention
As next week’s Republican National Convention approaches, officials in Cleveland continue to field questions about what firearms attendees can openly carry (only real ones) and where they can carry them (only outside the convention hall), but, so far, the liberal media has failed to grill the powers that be about a much purer symbol American liberty: the humble e-cigarette.
To rectify this, Gawker asked organizers of the Republican and Democratic conventions to clarify their events’ vaping policies. Here is what we found.
The Republican National Convention in Cleveland
When is it? July 18–21
Can I carry? Yes! While lasers, grappling hooks, tennis balls, nunchucks, water guns, umbrellas with metal tips and “containers of bodily fluids” are prohibited in the event zone, city spokesperson Dan Williams assured Gawker that e-cigarettes were not on the list and thus permitted.
Can I vape? Unfortunately, it appears not. According to the Quicken Loans Arena’s website, the venue is “a smoke-free facility” with smoking defined as including “any and all electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes.”
The Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia
When is it? July 25–28
Can I carry? No. Along with selfie sticks, drones, explosives, backpacks and balloons, the DNC has banned e-cigarette devices. When asked to explain the restriction, Secret Service spokesperson Robert Hoback told Gawker they “will not be offering a comment regarding the prohibited items list.”
Can I vape? Kinda hard without your rig, bub.
BONUS: The Libertarian National Convention in Orlando
When was it? May 26–30
Could I vape? Yes, apparently. According to The New York Times, delegates “puffed on e-cigarettes between chants of ‘freedom!’” Unfortunately, you missed it.
Asked to respond to the convention policies, Gregory Conley, president of the industry-funded American Vaping Association, said that banning possession of vapor products “is a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who have quit smoking by vaping.”
“Democrat leaders like Debbie Wasserman Schultz have already alienated many vapers by spewing misinformation about these lifesaving products,” added Conley. “This is just yet another example of Washington elites being out of touch and outright hostile to technology products that are literally saving lives.”
