Can I get some reassurance?

[Mac]

My employer is going to be sponsoring a concert for my and several other local bands. The show is going to be sort of half metal concert/half vape in. With e-cigs as prizes and such. I am seriously considering donating a portion of whatever funds we raise to CASAA. But my trust for e-cig organizations is currently at an all time low. Can I get some kind of reassurance from you guys that I am not going to donate money to your organization only to find out a week later that you are lobbying to have all kiosks shut down?

[Territoo]

Mac,

I'm going to let our chairman, Webby, formally reassure you. However, I'd like to thank you for your consideration of CASAA. There are absolutely no plans in the works for shutting down any type of venue for the sale of e-cigs. (I personally would like to see more options in kiosks and brick and mortar stores, not less.)

To date, we are working on the website which should be up in a few days to a couple of weeks at the very latest (working out some legal bugs), data collection, writing letters and articles, and the Gulf Coast concert. As to how any money we receive at this point in time will be used has not definitively been planned.

[Webby]

Mac,

I can say without any reservation that CASAA has no intention of speaking out against kiosk sales of companies conducting fair business practices. CASAA maintains a 25% (maximum) supplier representation for the exact reasons you've mentioned in this and other threads.

Most suppliers are not corporate entities, we're just small businesses operating the same as any other online or brick and mortar storefront. To blame a kiosk storefront for the actions of SE is no better than what the anti smoking movement is doing in declaring ALL suppliers are using deceptive practices just because a few make false health claims.

We're on the same side. See CASAA Response to the FDA for more on CASAA stance regarding e-cigarettes and harm reduction in general. We are a supplier and consumer group run by suppliers and consumers. Feel free to post any concerns here and we'll address them.

[Thulium]

My employer is going to be sponsoring a concert for my and several other local bands. The show is going to be sort of half metal concert/half vape in. With e-cigs as prizes and such. I am seriously considering donating a portion of whatever funds we raise to CASAA. But my trust for e-cig organizations is currently at an all time low. Can I get some kind of reassurance from you guys that I am not going to donate money to your organization only to find out a week later that you are lobbying to have all kiosks shut down?

Hey Mac, to add to what Webby and the rest have already said, keep in mind that CASAA isn't really "our" organization any more than it is yours. Webby grew the concept to fruition based on the hope of creating an inclusive organization to give a voice to vapers regardless of their status as suppliers/manufacturers or just plain folk who enjoy vaping as an alternative to smoking. We've limited ourselves to a maximum of 3 suppliers simply so no supplier can have undue influence.

Personally, even though I'm extremely dissappointed with the service I've gotten from SmokingEverywhere, I'm still grateful that they were in the middle of the mall. When I bought from them I knew I could find a better price online but I wanted the convenience of being able to purchase carts in a physical location rather than having to wait for shipping or trying to shop for a product "blind" online. Thanks to ECF, my opinion has obviously changed now that I know where to order from domestic suppliers that ship faster than I can find parking at the mall this time of year anyway!

Even though I had a spectacularly bad experience with SE, I actually think they're being treated very unfairly and it is atrocious that it is trickling down to you. I can understand the need to make compromises on some issues, but it is my personal belief that we need to be proactive rather than reactive and be moving forward rather than backward. In other words, although I can understand why ECA is pulling flavors in response to the new laws prohibiting flavored "cigarettes", I think they would be better served to point out that e-cigarettes are "cigarettes" in name only. What I am using and you are selling has more in common with hookah, vaporizers, or BP sponsored FDA "approved" nicotine products that are not forbidden to be sold in fruit flavors than the cigarettes that some PVs resemble.

Just my $.02, Mac. I appreciate that you have the courage of your convictions enough to represent mall employees here at ECF, just don't forget that you are "one of us" too! We maintain a presence here at ECF and other message boards specifically to give people like you and me an opportunity to influence the direction of OUR organization.

Its actually frustrating to me when people say, "I will or won't support CASAA based on their stance on <issue>." Our stance on any issue is determined by the membership through communication in these forums and the votes of the member nominated and elected board of directors.

[Mac]

Ok guys. Thanks for the reassurance. Let me see what I can do on my end. As the concert grows nearer I will get in touch with more details. It has not been booked yet. And to all 3 of you. Thanks, not just for this but for all you have been doing.

[kristin]

Its actually frustrating to me when people say, "I will or won't support CASAA based on their stance on <issue>." Our stance on any issue is determined by the membership through communication in these forums and the votes of the member nominated and elected board of directors.

I agee with this! I keep trying to remind people that CASAA is not just the board members - it's ALL of the 1,000+ members!

Ask not what CASAA can do for you - ask what you, as a member of CASAA, can do for the smoke-free alternatives cause!

Just to add - I agee with the others about kiosks, as well, Mac.