A few days ago we posted a story about how anti-smoking lobbies were shouting down e-cigarettes. Despite the negative press, e-cigarettes are coming on strong, unabated by the efforts of corporate-sponsored anti e-cigarette protests, and a recent development in NY has seen a the construction of a sprawling e-cigarette bar in the heart of the city.

Think cigar lounge – but then think again. The owners of the “Henley Vaporium” have ditched the leather armchairs and polished brass, and substituted them with recycled furniture (plans are also in the pipeline to start selling fresh juices). The bar has over 80-different vapours available, not one of them coming from big tobacco companies (which is probably why e-cigarettes are getting so much stick).

Goldman Sachs named e-cigarettes as one of eight industry disruptions to watch in the coming years,and their prediction is proving as reliable as ever. The industry is off to a flying start so far, this being the second vapour bar in New York already, after “VapeNY” opened a few months back.

The trend is worrying though, in the sense that smoking (or “vaping”) can now be compatible with the fresh-juice-goji-berry-yoga-lifestyle. The only thing non-smokers had over smokers was the social capital of being perceived as considerably healthier – now what?

[Source : Quartz]