EU Even more important for the UK than the petition (open worldwide)

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balbecdaze

Full Member
Nov 29, 2013
42
57
Bristol, UK
“it is the hundreds or thousands of individual stories which have made politicians and regulators listen”

#LordsVapeVote Writing Campaign

These are instructions for how to write to members of the House of Lords ahead of the debate which could stop the TPD.

Timing is pretty short - the debate will happen in the next week or two, if thousands of emails do get sent, it will have an impact.

We can save vaping :)
 

balbecdaze

Full Member
Nov 29, 2013
42
57
Bristol, UK
Here is my effort, sent to 6 Lords:

"I am writing to you because the House of Lords will shortly vote on something that is very dear to me, my health. In fact I would not be exaggerating to say, my life.

You see, I used to smoke. I used rolling tobacco so it's hard to say how much, I'd use a pouch every 1-2 days, I guess that's ~20 cigarettes. And I did this for 23 years.

About 3 years ago, I started to hear about electronic cigarettes, I like gadgets and new things so I thought I'd try one – I wasn't trying to give up smoking, I just thought I'd give them a go.

It was amazing, straight away I preferred it. It took me about a month to get one with enough battery power to last but instantly, if I had the choice, it was that which I'd reach for.

These things are an incredible invention, the science is in – they are much, much safer (Nicotine without smoke: Tobacco harm reduction), they are not, for new users, addictive, and, they satisfy whatever it was in me that made me smoke.

They have created an incredible fuss in the Public Health community though, I think many were just scared of the unknown – one of the consequences is the drafting, and now enacting of the rules which pretty much destroy the ecig market. They have made the rules so burdensome that even now, after the law has nominally come into force in the UK. there is no way to notify products so they can be sold.

This letter to No. 10 gives a flavour of the mess which has been made: http://nnalliance.org/images/resources/NNAPMMay2016.pdf

It is a public health disaster, lives will be lost if it is allowed to continue, and the Lords has a chance to stop it.

Lord Callanan has tabled this motion: “to move that a Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, laid before the House on 22 April, be annulled on the grounds that its restrictions on product choice and advertising of vaping devices were devised before evidence had accumulated that vaping was enabling many people to quit smoking, run counter to advice from the Royal College of Physicians to promote vaping and are so severe that they could force vapers back to smoking and create a black market with harmful products (SI 2015/507).”

I will not comply with the law if it goes forward, I cannot. I really do not want to smoke again – I will turn to the black market, I don't see how that is making me safer? I don't see how that is helping me.

Please support Lord Callanan, this law is going to cause harm, it must be stopped!

If you would like any further information, anything, please do not hesitate to get in touch."
 

Maytwin

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Dec 28, 2011
1,656
5,476
SW France
27% of the House of Lords have now been contacted :). We still don't know when the debate will be though - some have said as early as the 26th May!!! Please see instructions in OP :)

p.s. Nothing to stop non-UK residents taking part ...
@balbecdaze - I tried to do this yesterday but as I don't have a UK address/postcode (and haven't had for the last 9 years) it wouldn't go through. I really would like to do this - any suggestions ?!!
 

Benji_Rock

Full Member
Dec 4, 2015
55
28
36
I must admit I have been quite cynical about all the petitions etc against TPD, but I am starting to get a good feeling. If the majority of the lords do get behind it, then surely it has to go through otherwise that's a blatant spit in the face of the system and democracy as a whole. Not that I have that much faith in democracy of course. Democracy is essentially two wolves and a lamb deciding dinner plans.
 

Diche

Full Member
Jan 23, 2015
55
86
West Yorkshire
This video gives you instructions for how to write to the Lords if you have a UK postcode, if you don't you can still join in, just use the email list that @balbecdaze posted in comment 5 on this thread. The video tells you what to write, but it is simple really, tell your story and ask them to support Lord Callanan's motion.

 

balbecdaze

Full Member
Nov 29, 2013
42
57
Bristol, UK
I've been looking and I haven't found one example of a letter writing campaign EVER that has successfully reached all the members of the House of Lords. As I type there are only 15 left to reach - the spreadsheet takes quite a bit of scrolling until you find a gap!

If I'm right, this is HISTORICAL - a mish-mash of social media and one of the oldest institutions in the democratic world. At the IEA talk on thursday (wednesday?), Richard Hyslop - who some of you might recognise from his work as a lobbyist for Totally Wicked said some of these people have never been emailed before ...

Of course I won't be happy until they've all been contacted a few times but, LET'S SMASH THIS.

If you haven't done it, or haven't for at least 2 days, stop your browsing right now, open up your word processor and get a letter written. We can change things, there are so many hints flying about (see other threads) that we are making a difference.

Instructions here.

Let's blow the bloody doors off and LET'S SAVE VAPING
smiley1.gif
 

balbecdaze

Full Member
Nov 29, 2013
42
57
Bristol, UK
Over 1000 emails sent :) Over 1/4 of the Lords have now had AT LEAST TWO emails :)

I've heard (can't rely on it though), that the vote will be in the week starting the 6th June, so this really is the final stretch - especially as most of the emails don't go direct but via a Parliamentary messaging service, carrier pigeon probably lol. Right now really is the best time to do this :)
 
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