Western Washington Members???

[SlightlySurreal]

I'm in too... Another Oly vaper here...!

[Siobhan]

I'm in too... Another Oly vaper here...!

btw, SS the Spar has been way cool about letting us vape in house.

[LuckyCharm]

btw, SS the Spar has been way cool about letting us vape in house.

There's a Spar in Oly?

~~Cheryl in Tacoma

[Siobhan]

There's a Spar in Oly?

~~Cheryl in Tacoma

yup Right downtown. Awesomely eclectic spot...good food too.

[LuckyCharm]

Here's a letter I'm faxing to Murray and Cantwell. Please, can all of you send your own letters as well? If you can't afford a stamp or a $3 fax, send your letter to me and I'll fax it for nothing.

*********
Senators Murray and Cantwell
United States Senate

Dear Senators:

Senators Murray and Cantwell, as a loyal constituent and proud liberal, I was deeply shocked that our Representative Norm Dicks would cosponsor the “Waxman Tobacco Bill,” which is supported by Phillip Morris and opposed by the FDA! An April 16th article on TheHill.com by Jeff Stier, associate director, American Council on Science and Health, titled "Waxman’s anti-smoking bill may do more harm than good," points out that this bill could effectively kill proven safer smoking alternatives, and by regulating nicotine content, could actually lead to MORE smoking of tobacco products (cut the nicotine in cigarettes = more cigarettes smoked)! In other words, it is set to backfire big-time, if the intent is to improve public health.

I, Mesdames, am a case study in the effectiveness of the new so-called e-cigarettes, an electronic vapor-delivery system that may or may not contain nicotine. And I am one of the many "accidental quitters" who happened upon this safer alternative and abruptly quit smoking after a 30+-year, pack-a-day habit. I used to shush doctors when they'd start to talk to me about quitting. "I don't even want to hear it, you're wasting your breath and my time." I had NO intention of quitting smoking last month -- until I received my first e-cig. Since then, it's been nothing but positive. No more losing sleep from lying awake at night hacking. No more waking in the middle of the night and going on the porch for a smoke. No more fire hazard from lighters. No more ashes, burn holes, smelly butts to discard. And just think of the savings to the VA, of which I am a client. Decreased risk of lung cancer, emphysema, etc. Easier dental cleanings.

My friends and family are so thrilled that I’ve finally quit smoking. They had long since given up on me. The patch or the gum would never have worked for me, because part of the feeling I crave is the “throat hit,” as we call it – the sensation produced when smoke or vapor is inhaled. This product provides that sensation without all the carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, arsenic, and hundreds of other chemicals present in tobacco.

My dear Senators, my story is typical of thousands of others. Finally a way to give up all those toxic chemicals and quit polluting the atmosphere, and still satisfy a craving we're going to yield to one way or the other. Scores of doctors and scientists have come out in support of e-cigs. The only thing their prohibition would do is to keep lining Big Tobacco's pockets. Now that the bill has passed the House, we currently hope and pray it doesn’t pass in the Senate. Please, oppose this bill, and allow us to keep our e-cigarettes!

Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
****************

~~Cheryl

[Siobhan]

Very nicely done , Cheryl. I'll be firing off one of my own as well!

[paisleyplatypus]

I'm in Graham and I was hoping I'd find some folks for a meet-up! Nice to see so many people!

[LuckyCharm]

Tacoma reporting in here!

~~Cheryl

[mblumenf]

Here's a letter I'm faxing to Murray and Cantwell. Please, can all of you send your own letters as well? If you can't afford a stamp or a $3 fax, send your letter to me and I'll fax it for nothing.

*********
Senators Murray and Cantwell
United States Senate

Dear Senators:

[snip.. eloquent appeal]

~~Cheryl

I sent Senator Murray an appeal as well, peppered with phrases like "life-saving device" and so forth, asking that she use her influence to "bring a note of sanity" (I think that was the term I used) to the rush to outlaw e-cigarettes without appropriate research. I got back a form letter that stated off with, "Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition of increased tobacco regulation. It is good to hear from you". (I didn't express that opposition, by the way, but asked that e-cigarettes not be outlawed unless they prove to be more dangerous than analogs.) It then went on to tell me how dangerous tobacco is and that it kills a lot of people. (DUH! That was what MY ORIGINAL email said!)

I got annoyed and dashed off a response that I was sorry that nobody took the time to actually READ email from constituents, but that if they had they would realize that I had said [bla bla bla]. I hit the send button and it BOUNCED because the reply email address was goofed up.

On a more e-ciggy note, is there anyplace near Burlington where I can walk in and buy vaping supplies for a reasonable price or do I have to mail order?

>matt<

[hanover fist]