CASAA | Board Nominees & Elections

[Moobyghost]

Big Jim, you just sky-rocketed past me. lol.

[yvilla]

I thought our respective posting histories, which after all were what people relied upon in sending in nominations, would also be what people looked to in making their selections in voting. So I didn't intend to "campaign" in any way.

However, in light of the several posted requests for information from all the potential board members, I decided I should post a bit about my background too.

With psychology and health education being my majors in college, my first employment was as an educator and counselor for Planned Parenthood, and then as a social worker for Catholic Family Center.

But at thirty I went to law school, with the specific goal of doing indigent criminal defense, which after graduation I devoted myself exclusively to for 23 years at my county's Public Defenders office. I did appellate work for 12 of those years, and trial work for 11 years.

At the same time however, I was becoming progressively geekier and geekier - I was the first attorney to bring my own computer into the office in 1986, when secretaries were still using typewriters () - and was happily instrumental in the PD's evolution over time into a technologically adept office.

I absolutely loved my work as a PD, but it is an extremely stressful and terribly high stakes occupation, with a corresponding high risk of burnout, so I retired when I was able to a few years ago.

I had been on the board of directors of a small non-profit civil legal services office the whole time I was a PD, and its executive director offered me a job when he learned I was retiring from the PD's office. That wasn't my plan (I was going to create my own small IT/web support business), but since he was willing to offer me an only part-time and seasonal, grant-funded position, I couldn't say no. So that's what I'm doing now.

My other retirement plan was to live in Venezuela at least 2 or 3 months every winter, and I am doing that. Like Webby, I'm fluent in Spanish (although I understand a bit of Portuguese, I'm not fluent in that though ).

But what I think is most important and most relevant to the issue at hand - CASAA - is that I have had a consistent and logical vision and position on the legal issues confronting us since the very first letters from the FDA surfaced many months ago, revealing the FDA's determination to categorize the e-cigarette as a new drug/drug device combination needing prior approval.

As some no doubt remember, I laid out the arguments why the FDA's position was not necessarily the correct one, why e-cigarettes can and should be considered a smoking alternative and not a drug/drug device, and I predicted the FDA would be challenged in court (and even [one of] the parties ) all well before the currently pending lawsuit was commenced. For example, a snippet of a post from April 19, 2009:

And it is also entirely possible that even if the FDA does decide to attempt enforcement of a claim that all ecigs are subject to its jurisdiction, there will need to be a court determination as to whether ecigs not marketed with health claims or as NRT do, in fact, constitute a "new drug" or "drug delivery device". Because it can certainly be argued that they do not, and I have no doubt that players like NJOY and other big sellers here in the US have their attorneys right on top of this issue.

See, Retracting My Support (?) for ECA and It's All in the Timing, But WHEN?

Beyond just taking a position and expressing it here however, I have also joined in with all the rest of you over these past many months, madly researching, writing to journalists and politicians, posting comments and promoting information in other parts of the internet, and talking to anyone and everyone about the issues we're facing.

[mtndude]

heheh... how much more fun could you have on a Monday morning?

[stevo_tdo]

Big Jim, you just sky-rocketed past me. lol.

Yeah he did, I think i'm just taking a slow and steady approach. Only us insomniacs are up this late.

[Webby]

FYI - to track the current votes, bookmark this link:

Welcome to CASAA.org

[RIMP]

I feel ya That was to steve, not you webby! Need to put quote in my reply, note to self.

RIMP

[Moobyghost]

(watches like an eagle while vaping like a mad man)

[kristin]

Not sure which is more exciting - this or watching my ebay bidding right now. At least that ends tomorrow and not a week from now! LOL

(Anyone else vote for 12 people, not including themselves?? Too many good people here!)

[Webby]

As much as I appreciate having been considered a potential asset to CASAA's board, (and believe in the importance of advocating for safer smoking alternatives), I believe that the most critical need of the moment is to get at least one new ecig product properly approved as a modified risk tobacco product. Therefore, I find it most incumbent upon me at this time to reserve my time for those who have the commitment, will, and resources to achieve this example-setting objective; and must respectfully decline the opportunity to be considered as a CASAA board member.

PhiHalcyon,

Perhaps this is better suited to another thread, but I too am confused. I know there is a lot of talk among the groups regarding medical trials, legal maneuvers and top sekrit agendas, but this is the first I've heard of a move to make one particular e-cig model "bulletproofed" against the onslaught of legal issues facing us all.

If there is an ongoing effort (and you're at liberty to discuss it) I'd sure appreciate an opportunity to talk to you regarding this. We at CASAA have an agreement with the folks at the ECA, RtV and the Amicus Group to share information - at least at the top level of our organizations.

Perhaps you need to wait for the completion of our structure to formalize. That I fully understand. In any case, I respect your decision not to participate in the Board election process and look forward to hearing more about this initiative when CASAA has crystalized it's administrative Board of Directors.

Thanks,
Michal Douglas

[mtndude]

Not sure which is more exciting - this or watching my ebay bidding right now. At least that ends tomorrow and not a week from now! LOL

a week.... <sigh>