How about helping the Long Island Vapors Club??

[harmony gardens]

Spikey, dumbwaldo, eplanet, et al, are fighting an epic battle on Long Island that is so important for the future of vaping. I don't know how well organized the ECA is, but here we have basically a group of regular folks taking on this law by themselves. They are doing a great job, but it seems to me that the ECA should send some troops into the fight somehow,,, don't you think so??

[lvlninety9]

Considering the fact that the ECA is trying to help keep e-cigs from being banned it really makes me wonder why they haven't tried to help. I'm sure they already know about the issue. This is something that they should have been a part of since the beginning. I understand that the ECA is trying to do their work on Capitol Hill, but they should be doing their work everywhere and not just there. Wherever e-cigarettes are in jeopardy they should be one of the first ones there. The fact that they haven't makes me question their integrity. I might have some choice comments to make about their dues, or other issues that I have seen arise from the organization, but this one might be the end all, be all. Spikey and the LI Vapers Club shouldn't have to ask for the help of the ECA. They should have been there from the start.

[Graverobber06]

That's true, but if the anti-smokers on Capital Hill have their way, the Suffolk County proposed law will be moot. It's even written into the proposed legislation that a national ban would trump the proposed law. The ECA is handling the big stuff while Spikey and the L.I. crew are handing the fine details.
That said, it is tricky. It's a local issue, but it's also the first in what could be a domino effect. Also, don't forget that the smoking age in Suffolk County is 19; they're nationally known for being "tough" on cigarettes.

[LaceyUnderall]

I do know that eplanet is a member of the ECA and there have been many conversations and guidance provided from the ECA to him for this local issue.

I also know that Matt is working on a letter to those going to vote on the legislation that what Spikey and eplanet and Cooper have worked out is good and the ECA supports these efforts.

Spikey and eplanet have done an excellent job and spent some serious time and energy on this and the ECA backs their efforts 100%.

As Graverobber has noted, this is a local issue so it needs to be dealt with locally and we have two of the best eSmoker advocates at the helm. No need for too many captains.

Edit: Long Island,NY PV/E-cig Ban Hearing The thread Spikey started with an update so we can all be informed as to where everything stands at this point, from the perspective of the front lines.

[harmony gardens]

Thanks for responding Lacey,,, yes, the LIVC is doing a great job!! I can see that working on a national level is the bigger fish to fry, but if they are successful, the LIVC can set an important precedent for fighting other local legislation. They are helping people understand the difference between vaping and smoking. Putting out the small fires can help keep them from spreading. We can be sure that if the ecig ban in Suffolk County goes into effect, it will be used by other local and even national legislators as an example.

It's inspiring to see what they are doing.

[lvlninety9]

Maybe I was a bit misunderstood by my post. I didn't mean that the ECA should be there in full force, but have some kinda of hand in helping them out. The fact that Lacey stated that they are there in support and have been helping is the type of action that I'm talking about. Probably should have clarified that a bit more. I wasn't talking about a million vaper march on the legislators for Suffolk County. Although that would be a sight to see.

[LaceyUnderall]

For anyone - No matter who you are: eSmoker, non-smoker who loves an eSmoker, supplier, what-have-you... if you ever find yourself needing to give an interview to a reporter, sitting in front of a committee in your local town to shape the future of a local law, etc... please know that you can always-always-always ask the ECA for assistance.

NYCSublimeGirl and I are up here quite a bit (one of us every day at least) and if we don't have the info at our fingertips that you need, we can certainly get it.

And lvlninety - a million vaper march would be awesome! Along those lines... for those who haven't seen this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/for...vape-whos.html it's a great idea!

[nycsublimegirl]

these were sent out to everyone involved this week.





Dear (Legislator),

I am writing on behalf of the Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) and its members to begin a dialogue with you regarding the proposed legislation. As president of the ECA and a former Congressman who was one of the first to support smoking bans, I applaud Suffolk County for its eye towards the health of its residents. I’d also like to outline our position as an association and the commitments our members have made so that you can consider our perspective before making a hasty decision that could potentially include banning electronic cigarettes in Suffolk. We understand the concerns expressed, and hope that we can find common ground in terms of the recent legislation drafted.
Electronic cigarettes are not a cessation device, nor are they a “healthy” substitute. They are alternatives to traditional tobacco cigarettes (which are known to contain more than 4,000 different chemicals, of which more than 400 are known carcinogens, the use of which can cause cancer and emphysema and ultimately lead to the smoker’s death). The use of electronic cigarettes does not result in second or third hand smoke, does not result in an odor that disrupts people’s olfactory sensibilities, yet does allow a committed smoker the option to continue their tactile habit while receiving the nicotine they crave.
Members of the ECA each pledge as a part of their membership in our Association, that they will not make cessation or health claims, and that they will not sell electronic cigarettes to anyone who is beneath the legal smoking age. We are marketing our product to committed long term smokers.
Below are some comments that I hope you will find helpful and steer future conversations.
1) ECA members do not sell to underage persons as per each state law, nor do they market to minors. We understand the sensitivity of marketing aspects and the impressions left on minors and would be more than happy to work with you to put into place safeguards that would make you most comfortable with our commitment to not sell to minors. Many companies request retailers place their product out of reach of the general public, generally behind the cash register counter and ID anyone to verify legal age.

2)In regards to the comments about nicotine being a highly addictive substance, I’d like to reference the position of the Royal College of Physicians in the U.K . which, states that while nicotine can be addictive, when nicotine is ingested alone there are no known adverse effects like that which occur when it is ingested through traditional tobacco delivery. I’ll also reference the Neuroscience Abstract published in 1997 that states, “Previous work has shown that nicotine facilitates brain stimulation reward (BSR) but that the maximum effect obtainable with nicotine is similar to that seen in compounds having a low addiction liability (e.g., caffeine, diphenhdremine, pseudoephedrine).” I’ve included both studies with this letter for your own review.

3)Banning the electronic cigarette and treating it as a tobacco product is not fair to the many consumers who use this product legally and for its intended use. Forcing them to use the product in designated smoking areas defeats the purpose of eliminating the inhalation of known carcinogens and would expose them to the dangers of second- hand smoke.
I’d be more than happy to host a conference call with you, myself and our members to better align ourselves in your efforts to make certain that the sale of this legal product Suffolk County occurs properly. An outright ban of this product is unnecessary and only punishes the 20% of your constituents who are committed smokers, many of whom are looking for an alternative to a product that is known killer.
I look forward to talking with you.
Sincerely,

Matt Salmon
President, Electronic Cigarette Association

[sherid]

Dr. Siegel writes of the proposed ban in Suffolk County in his blog today. Check out both the posting and the comments at The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary

[tescela]

bump......