Can the good people of virginia get a little help?

[Mac]

This goes out to all CASAA officials.
Attention all VA lawyers (who vape)

Can you guys help us here? I do not have the resources to hire a lawyer. Nor will I be taken seriously if I contact them personally as I work in the industry. I implore the CASAA board to get involved with this and help us.

[yvilla]

Mac, I can't respond for CASAA without consulting with the other members of the board of directors, but I wanted to let you know I am going to bring this to their attention.

I am also following your original thread on this issue closely, and am happy to see some of the responses you've gotten so far. I agree with bogiediver that Gary Hagy at the VA Dept. of Health appears to be the person to start with. I also agree completely that the VA smoking ban, as found on the government website, clearly does NOT define "smoking" in such a way as to to permit ecigarettes to be included in its prohibition against use in public places.

[Mac]

Mac, I can't respond for CASAA without consulting with the other members of the board of directors, but I wanted to let you know I am going to bring this to their attention.

I am also following your original thread on this issue closely, and am happy to see some of the responses you've gotten so far. I agree with bogiediver that Gary Hagy at the VA Dept. of Health appears to be the person to start with. I also agree completely that the VA smoking ban, as found on the governement website, clearly does NOT define "smoking" in such a way as to to permit ecigarettes to be included in its prohibition against use in public places.

Thank you for your response. I wish I had the money to actually hire a lawyer but I am not the company owner just an employee. There are several larger suppliers that already have council and frankly I am surprised that no one else is making any noise about this. I can understand the logic behind restricting smoking in certain public areas. (I still think it is absurd to restrict it in bars but that is a whole other issue) But there is no way that the exhaled vapor from an e-cig could cause harm to bystanders. I have seen it everyday for months now. Unless a person is right up in your face there is no way they could inhale the vapor before it evaporates. It just isn't possible. I am starting to feel like we are the subject to a massive witch hunt. Frankly I am getting fed up. The double standards regarding e-cigs need to come to an end. The last thing this world needs is a bunch of bullies rewriting the law through an FAQ. It is illegal and idiotic. I only hope that the other CASAA members agree and are able to do something to call more attention to this issue.

[skydragon]

It seems like any time a person or group asks nicely, nothing is ever done. I honestly think we are going to have start raising he** like all the other "minority" groups. That seems to be the only thing that gets anyone's attention.

[Slickstick]

It seems like any time a person or group asks nicely, nothing is ever done. I honestly think we are going to have start raising he** like all the other "minority" groups. That seems to be the only thing that gets anyone's attention.

I suggested this in another thread and is was quickly shot down.

[jj2]

I hope that CASAA takes this on!!!

[skydragon]

I suggested this in another thread and is was quickly shot down.

See, that is the problem. We have become so complacent we think forwarding e-mails and saying pretty please will accomplice something. It doesn't. Hasn't for a long time and it won't now. The only thing that works anymore is if you start raising your voice and "demanding" to be heard.

Otherwise, sit back and wait thinking surely they will come to their senses or ask pretty please don't take these away from us. Then kiss it good-bye.

[Webby]

I had a very interesting conversation will Bill Goodshall the other day on this issue. one angle discussed was an effort to persuade the writers of these bills and laws to remove e-cigs and other harm reduction methods from their smoke free ordinances.

Perhaps appealing to them for compromises (the main goal of these laws are to protect the public’s health from second hand smoke, correct?) in exchange for our support may come off better than having our efforts drowned out as a “smokers rights” argument.

[skydragon]

I had a very interesting conversation will Bill Goodshall the other day on this issue. one angle discussed was an effort to persuade the writers of these bills and laws to remove e-cigs and other harm reduction methods from their smoke free ordinances.

Perhaps appealing to them for compromises (the main goal of these laws are to protect the public’s health from second hand smoke, correct?) in exchange for our support may come off better than having our efforts drowned out as a “smokers rights” argument.

Hi Webby,
Could you expound on that a little? How many more compromises can we make? Support for what and in what fashion? Thanks.

[Mac]

I had a very interesting conversation will Bill Goodshall the other day on this issue. one angle discussed was an effort to persuade the writers of these bills and laws to remove e-cigs and other harm reduction methods from their smoke free ordinances.

Perhaps appealing to them for compromises (the main goal of these laws are to protect the public’s health from second hand smoke, correct?) in exchange for our support may come off better than having our efforts drowned out as a “smokers rights” argument.

But there is nothing in the actual ordinance about e-cigs. I am not asking you to help us fight the ban at all. I am asking you to help us stop an individual from taking the law into his own hands and banning e-cigs without going through the proper channels. What is the point of having a society structured with laws if those laws can be rewritten every time an FAQ gets put up on a government website? Not only is it illegal. It is a slap in the face of every parent who had a son or daughter die fighting for our country and the ideals it holds.