Ok, so I'm new to the forum, and I don't know if this is the 'best' place to post this, BUT after seeing all the different states (besides the feds) trying to ban e-cigs, I had to try to ensure we in Georgia are proactive instead of reactive. I just emailed the following message to our Governor, Sonny Perdue, and encourage more Georgians to do the same, and hopefully get our legislators to think about this issue seriously before they vote on something they aren't educated about (of course I also wrote Schwarzenneger too):
Governor Perdue,
I am sure you are aware of the legislation that recently passed in California to ban electronic cigarettes. It is only waiting to be signed into law (or not signed and still become law) by Governor Schwarzenneger. I have heard no thoughts or suggestions that indicate Georgia will be following suit, but as a pre-emptive notification, I beg you to VETO any legislation that would ban this life saving
device in Georgia.
I work on a military installation in Georgia, which Senator Chambliss visited recently, and since I began using an electronic cigarette (personal vaporizer) four weeks ago, six coworkers at our facility have begun using one and are healthier for it. One was a Federal employee who told me point blank, "I've smoked for forty years, and when I saw you out here with that thing, I thought 'that's just goofy'. And when I ran out of cigarettes last week, I thought 'why not give it a try'. It's been a week now and I haven't even had the urge to touch a real cigarette. I feel great, I can taste and smell again, and my wife isn't disgusted by my smell. Thank you for showing these to me." That statement touched me, and at the same time, hurt me to tell him that unfortunately, some from our own government are working tirelessly to take these off the shelf, so enjoy it while you can my friend. Because if they go away, he and I, and our coworkers will be back to the 400+ carcinogens we are addicted to.
I am not naive and arguing that these
devices are 100% safe for the body, but neither is alcohol, fried food, MSG, charcoal grills and many other things we would have no consideration on banning. But the FDA's own report indicated that AT WORST, they MAY contain TRACE amounts of POSSIBLY dangerous substances (as compared to the 400+ confirmed carcinogens in cigarettes which are 100% legal to sell). I have voted for you because you have always stood by my 2nd Amendment rights, my moral stands, and you are the person I chose and support to represent me and my family; for me and my family's sake on my health Governor, please don't follow California. Thank you for your time, Governor, and thank you for our rights that you've stood up for during your time in office.
Very Respectfully,
Nicholas Wallace, Sr.