Now is the Time To Act! I am Serious! **updated**

[esmok-e]

As of 4-25-09

As everyone is aware, this is a very critical time for the electronic cigarette industry. It is time to stand up and have our voices heard! As many know, the Waxman Bill (summary http://energycommerce.house.gov/Pres...56_summary.pdf ) is looking likely to pass with Ted Kennedy’s support. If this happens, the bill has the potential to deter smoking alternatives from entering the market at all. With everyone’s support, we have the ability to amend this bill for the betterment of the electronic cigarette industry!

The ECA is in the final stages of official formation. We have obtained the services of Matt Salmon, a former congressman who will serve as association president (sitting in equal power with the rest of the board). He is currently working with Policy Impact (www.policyimpact.com ) and has been the president of several other major trade organizations. Matt, with the power of Policy Impact, his love of the e-cig cause, and his contacts and experience, will be a formidable proponent in the BATTLE the ECA is about to begin in the press and on the Hill!

The ECA has also gained the support and endorsement from Bill Godshall. Bill Godshall founded SmokeFree Pennsylvania in 1990, and has been its executive director since. SmokeFree Pennsylvania has successfully advocated policies for smokefree air, reducing tobacco marketing to youth, increasing tobacco taxes, and expanding nicotine addiction treatment services. SmokeFree Pennsylvania has exposed and opposed numerous tobacco industry protection policies, programs, front groups, coalitions, lobbyists and politicians. Originally a statewide grass roots organization, SmokeFree Pennsylvania has also been involved in numerous national level activities. Bill Godshall maintains an e-mail list (via Smokescreen.org) with 8,000 health advocates, as well as an interactive listserve that includes more than 100 of the nation's leading activists. Bill has pledged to use all his resources to lobby for the ECA on the Hill and with other tobacco harm reduction agencies.

The ECA Mission:
The Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) is comprised of international manufactures, suppliers, resellers and consumers who are dedicated to the advancement of electronic smoking technology. The ECA strives to educate the public on electronic smoking devices and tobacco harm reduction. The ECA strongly believes and enforces that any form of smoking is an adult action, and adults who engage in this behavior should have the freedom to choose smoking alternatives.


What can I expect to get out of my membership?
·The full court press on the media from a professional and highly experienced PR company; press releases, interviews etc… enlightening them to the true potential and course of the e-cig as well as the Mission of the ECA.
·The full court press on Capitol Hill, 24 hour a day lobbying of the ECA and our mission.
·Outreach to gain further support from tobacco harm reduction agencies.
·Possibly In the coming months an FDA law firm on staff to handle intermittent issues with importation and support of the ECA mission.
·An official ECA seal for your website, marketing materials and products.
·A link on the ECA and consumer social activist website www.DoYouVape.comand the official ECA websitewww.ECAssoc.org


What will the ECA ask of me?
·Adhere to the industry standards set by the ECA: i.e. child proofs bottle caps, warnings, limitation in marketing slogans such as “cessation, Quit smoking, Healthy” etc. This will all be laid out clearly on the application.
·Payment of dues on time.
·Participation if you choose and are accepted on a committee or possible board seat.
·Sending ECA materials with your products to consumers.
·If you choose an ECA link on your website (which can be the seal)
·To let the officials of the ECA be the ones to make the public statements regarding the ECA.

The bi laws of the ECA will be voted into effect this coming week and the official non-profit trade association papers will be filled and completed within the next two weeks. We except at that time dues to be a $500 application fee with a $300 monthly payment. If you are a new supplier or your market share is not up to that cost please contact Chad Green chad@ecigsupply.com as he will work out a payment arrangement with your company that can meet your budget. If your company can afford more every dollar will be needed to win this war so extra contributions will be welcomed! One supplier has already pledged 10k a month to meet the many fees we are going to incur. When strides have been made in the industry ECA dues will be reconsidered.

[LuckyCharm]

I nominate "Letzin Hale" (Alan) as official copy writer for press releases!

~~Cheryl

[bizzyb0t]

When/where was this posted?

nycsublimegirl
As everyone is aware, this is a very critical time for the electronic cigarette industry. It is time to stand up and have our voices heard! As many know, the Waxman Bill (summary http://energycommerce.house.gov/Pres...56_summary.pdf ) is looking likely to pass with Ted Kennedy’s support. If this happens, the bill has the potential to deter smoking alternatives from entering the market at all. With everyone’s support, we have the ability to amend this bill for the betterment of the electronic cigarette industry!

The ECA is in the final stages of official formation. We have obtained the services of Matt Salmon, a former congressman who will serve as association president (sitting in equal power with the rest of the board). He is currently working with Policy Impact (www.policyimpact.com ) and has been the president of several other major trade organizations. Matt, with the power of Policy Impact, his love of the e-cig cause, and his contacts and experience, will be a formidable proponent in the BATTLE the ECA is about to begin in the press and on the Hill!

The ECA has also gained the support and endorsement from Bill Godshall. Bill Godshall founded SmokeFree Pennsylvania in 1990, and has been its executive director since. SmokeFree Pennsylvania has successfully advocated policies for smokefree air, reducing tobacco marketing to youth, increasing tobacco taxes, and expanding nicotine addiction treatment services. SmokeFree Pennsylvania has exposed and opposed numerous tobacco industry protection policies, programs, front groups, coalitions, lobbyists and politicians. Originally a statewide grass roots organization, SmokeFree Pennsylvania has also been involved in numerous national level activities. Bill Godshall maintains an e-mail list (via Smokescreen.org) with 8,000 health advocates, as well as an interactive listserve that includes more than 100 of the nation's leading activists. Bill has pledged to use all his resources to lobby for the ECA on the Hill and with other tobacco harm reduction agencies.

The ECA Mission:
The Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) is comprised of international manufactures, suppliers, resellers and consumers who are dedicated to the advancement of electronic smoking technology. The ECA strives to educate the public on electronic smoking devices and tobacco harm reduction. The ECA strongly believes and enforces that any form of smoking is an adult action, and adults who engage in this behavior should have the freedom to choose smoking alternatives.


What can I expect to get out of my membership?
·The full court press on the media from a professional and highly experienced PR company; press releases, interviews etc… enlightening them to the true potential and course of the e-cig as well as the Mission of the ECA.
·The full court press on Capitol Hill, 24 hour a day lobbying of the ECA and our mission.
·Outreach to gain further support from tobacco harm reduction agencies.
·Possibly In the coming months an FDA law firm on staff to handle intermittent issues with importation and support of the ECA mission.
·An official ECA seal for your website, marketing materials and products.
·A link on the ECA and consumer social activist website www.DoYouVape.com and the official ECA website Electronic Cigarette Association


What will the ECA ask of me?
·Adhere to the industry standards set by the ECA: i.e. child proofs bottle caps, warnings, limitation in marketing slogans such as “cessation, Quit smoking, Healthy” etc. This will all be laid out clearly on the application.
·Payment of dues on time.
·Participation if you choose and are accepted on a committee or possible board seat.
·Sending ECA materials with your products to consumers.
·If you choose an ECA link on your website (which can be the seal)
·To let the officials of the ECA be the ones to make the public statements regarding the ECA.

The bi laws of the ECA will be voted into effect this coming week and the official non-profit trade association papers will be filled and completed within the next two weeks. We except at that time dues to be a $500 application fee with a $300 monthly payment. If you are a new supplier or your market share is not up to that cost please contact Chad Green chad@ecigsupply.com as he will work out a payment arrangement with your company that can meet your budget. If your company can afford more every dollar will be needed to win this war so extra contributions will be welcomed! One supplier has already pledged 10k a month to meet the many fees we are going to incur. When strides have been made in the industry ECA dues will be reconsidered.

[esmok-e]

That was a PM, I assume to all suppliers. I don't see anything private about it.
I think everyone here is looking for full disclosure and this message looks official with new information that everyone here should be aware of. I'm not passing judgment, just posting info. I do not post PMs but in this case, after some consideration and reading all the posts about ECA, I made the call to post this. I may get banned, I don't know - but at least disclosure and transparency will get served. I think that's part of the ECA mission anyway.

[LuckyCharm]

Interesting article I happened upon while searching for the actual text of the Waxman bill: "Waxman’s anti-smoking bill may do more harm than good." From the article: "Perhaps the notion that members don’t read the legislation they vote on is an outside-the-Beltway myth. But if you were asked to vote on tobacco legislation without having the opportunity to read it — knowing only that the bill was supported by Altria (Philip Morris) and opposed by the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), how would you vote?" (The bill is supported by Altria and opposed by the FDA.)

Good ammo to use in contacting our legislators!

Vape on,

~~Cheryl

[igetcha]

This was the 'update' Scott - http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/for...disclosed.html

thank you kate,

i didnt realise that was the explanation of the "ECA" urgent rally for help!

[Kate]

There seems to be a bit of a disconnect between what they are, what they think they are, what they're saying and what is possible from their perspective.

I hope they get sorted out, I'd really like to see traders co-operate to encourage (not enforce) good standards.

[Bill Godshall]

Following is the latest news on the FDA tobacco legislative situation in the US Senate. Not sure if the full Senate will consider Waxman's bill or if the Senate will act on Kennedy's not-yet-introduced bill (which likely would have to go through the HELP Cmte before reaching the full Senate).

Although I gave Jim Carroll the heads up and urged him to write this article, he chose not to even mention our opposition to the Waxman/Kennedy legislation and our efforts to amend it in the Senate (with smokefree tobacco/nicotine product provisions).

- -

Senate set to speed up tobacco measure
Bill would allow federal regulation of all products

By James R. Carroll
jcarroll@courier-journal.com
Louisville Courier-Journal
April 26, 2009
Senate set to speed up tobacco measure | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

WASHINGTON -- The Senate plans to expedite legislation that would give the federal government the power to regulate tobacco products.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has told supporters of the legislation, which passed the House on April 2 on a 298-112 vote, that the matter will be taken up before the end of May.

Bipartisan backing for the bill is strong in the Senate, so the measure is likely to pass and be signed into law by President Barack Obama, who also supports it.

The legislation would give the federal Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sales of tobacco products. Congressional deliberations are being closely watched in tobacco-growing states such as Kentucky, the second-leading producer of the leaf.

Reid met with representatives of the American Heart Association in his Capitol office last week.

"He was quite straightforward in saying that he knew, of course, the bill had passed the House and he hoped to do it in the next five weeks," said Derek Scholes, a lobbyist with the association.

Jim Manley, spokesman for Reid, confirmed that Senate action is slated for next month.

Bill ready for vote

The only question is whether the House-passed bill, sponsored by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., will be taken up by the Senate or whether a separate and basically identical Senate measure will be voted on instead.

Reid has invoked a Senate rule that allows the Waxman bill to be considered on the Senate floor without first being approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, whose chairman is Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.

Kennedy spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner said last week that the senator still intends to introduce his own measure, as he did last year.

It was essentially the same as Waxman's plan.

While the House approved Waxman's bill last year, the Senate ran out of time and never took up Kennedy's bill.

Manley said no final decision has been made on the legislative procedures in the Senate for considering the tobacco bill.

Scholes said his association and Reid "didn't get too much into the weeds on that." But he added that "we're very excited we may finally see the bill go through this Senate."

Stepping up pressure

As a sign of intensifying lobbying for the measure, supporters have begun running ads in Washington-based publications to urge senators to act.

In one ad, a girl looks into the camera, standing next to these words: "You have the power to protect me from America's #1 cause of preventable death. Senators, it's time for FDA regulation of tobacco."

The ad is sponsored by the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Cancer Action Network of the American Cancer Society and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Another ad shows rows of schoolhouses and says: "7,000 kids have smoked their first cigarette since yesterday."

Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said that the bill has been debated in the Senate for years and that now is the time to act.

"Congress has a lot on its plate this year," Myers said. "The goal of our advertising campaign is to ensure that the tobacco bill gets the attention it deserves."

How it would work

If passed, the legislation would empower the FDA to restrict tobacco advertising and marketing -- particularly any that it determines to be targeting children.

The FDA also would have the authority to require larger and more graphic warnings on cigarette packs and demand disclosure of tobacco product ingredients.

The agency would not regulate tobacco farmers and would not be allowed to ban tobacco.

The cost of the regulation would be covered by fees imposed on the tobacco manufacturers and importers.

Reporter James R. Carroll can be reached at (202) 906-8141

[skex]

I've posted a diary on Dailykos and ask anyone who might have accounts there to feel free to come over and support.

Daily Kos: Waxman’s gift to Marlboro

Bear in mind this is a liberal blog so ideally we'll want people to comment in a liberal frame of reference. I'm looking to gain support from liberals not turn them against e-cigs.

I don't see this as a left/right issue obviously there are supporters of E-cigs on both sides of the political spectrum and there are arguments to be made from either political stance against them. Just remember arguments that are effective when discussing the issue with Republican's or Libertarians will not be effective when dealing with Democrats and other liberals who are automatically suspicious of certain right wing framing.

My suggestion when dealing with us liberals is to point out the big tobacco/big pharma angle we tend to be very distrustful of large corporations, Also bear in mind that many of us have high oppinions of people like Waxman and attacking him is likely to produce a negative reaction.

Sourcing matters. No liberal takes anything from sources like NewsCorp (Fox News) or CATO on face value we have a long experience with these organizations distorting issues we're familiar with.

Also if you happen to be of a more liberal mindset please join the Progressive Vapors social group I've created here on ECF as a place to coordinate campaining from a more liberal perspective.

[rock]

Please read this article about the banning of the e-cig Safe E-Cigarette to Be Banned in Favour of Regular Cigarettes - Associated Content