Okay, here is what I sent to my sister:
(please excuse the Japanese- we both grew up in Japan)
Hey ______,
Sorry to labor you with this task. If you don't want to, I certainly understand, or if you want to just do some of it, that's fine too. I found out that there are two bills operating at the same time at the state level and an ordinance at the city level- so there are 3 different letters to email. The City of Birmingham is trying to include e-cigarettes in their indoor ban. Not that it's a bad thing to ban regular cigarettes in bars, etc., but it is unfounded that they want to ban electronics too- there is no smoke from e-cigs and they are much less harmful (as you know) than cigarettes. So, it's important to defeated this...The other ban is a statewide ban (and a proposal in the Senate with an identical proposal in the House), so even if Birmingham's ordinance falls, the state can come along and change all of this and still impose a ban. You can read my letters (3 in all- and all true btw)- they are all the same essentially, but with a slightly different heading and bill/ordinance numbers depending on where they are going. This is where it gets a little yayakoshii and will take a little work on your part. I am including 5 word documents to help you. I'm thinking this could take you 30- 45 mins so if you don't want to do it, just let me know- I would understand. I too don't have a dog in this fight directly but banned in one state or municipality, it gets easier and easier for governments to ban them across the country and eventually it will come to Tennessee and Knoxville (again). The FDA tried to ban e-cigs nationally but were defeated in federal court last year, so they are using local and state governments to try to push their agenda now...similar bans are being proposed in Hawaii, Utah, New York, Indiana and Georgia right now. Through the voice of the people, similar bans have failed and not been implemented in several states (once already in Tennessee) and municipalities, so voicing our opinion does work!! In Virginia, they banned indoor smoking but allowed e-cigarettes and there hasn't been a problem at all- In fact, many smokers have switched to e-cigs because they see they can be used indoors while they can't "smoke" in these places- and they are reaping the benefits from quitting! As you know, the FDA is funded by not only our tax money, but by big Pharmaceutical companies' research money. The same thing with the American Heart Association, Lung Association, etc. The worst thing I heard lately is this new group, Smoke Free Kids- they are supported too by these Alphabet Soup organizations who claim that e-cigs (because they have flavors) will cause kids to start using them, becoming a gateway to real cigarettes- absolutely unfounded- Kids don't want to use strange looking devices- if they're going to smoke (to be cool, etc.) they'll just smoke. Anyway, enough of my rant- The large companies are losing money because of e-cigs- which means less money for the FDA...It's all political and has nothing to do about saving lives of peoples who smoke by getting them to switch. Enough said.
So, the documents I'm sending you are in 3 parts:
1. Letter to the Birmingham City Council members- I have included a list of the members. You'll have to find the list of member names/emails in the file called City Council and send them that letter.
2. Letter to Senators- same deal- you'll have send them the letter that says Honorable Senator. The names/emails can be found in the file called Senator_representatives Contact Information.
3 Letter to Representatives- same deal- Honorable Representative document- their list is also in that file for #2.
I hope this all makes sense. Call me if you need help...It's a ..... fighting corrupt government.
Domo Arigato!!
-David
(please excuse the Japanese- we both grew up in Japan)
Hey ______,
Sorry to labor you with this task. If you don't want to, I certainly understand, or if you want to just do some of it, that's fine too. I found out that there are two bills operating at the same time at the state level and an ordinance at the city level- so there are 3 different letters to email. The City of Birmingham is trying to include e-cigarettes in their indoor ban. Not that it's a bad thing to ban regular cigarettes in bars, etc., but it is unfounded that they want to ban electronics too- there is no smoke from e-cigs and they are much less harmful (as you know) than cigarettes. So, it's important to defeated this...The other ban is a statewide ban (and a proposal in the Senate with an identical proposal in the House), so even if Birmingham's ordinance falls, the state can come along and change all of this and still impose a ban. You can read my letters (3 in all- and all true btw)- they are all the same essentially, but with a slightly different heading and bill/ordinance numbers depending on where they are going. This is where it gets a little yayakoshii and will take a little work on your part. I am including 5 word documents to help you. I'm thinking this could take you 30- 45 mins so if you don't want to do it, just let me know- I would understand. I too don't have a dog in this fight directly but banned in one state or municipality, it gets easier and easier for governments to ban them across the country and eventually it will come to Tennessee and Knoxville (again). The FDA tried to ban e-cigs nationally but were defeated in federal court last year, so they are using local and state governments to try to push their agenda now...similar bans are being proposed in Hawaii, Utah, New York, Indiana and Georgia right now. Through the voice of the people, similar bans have failed and not been implemented in several states (once already in Tennessee) and municipalities, so voicing our opinion does work!! In Virginia, they banned indoor smoking but allowed e-cigarettes and there hasn't been a problem at all- In fact, many smokers have switched to e-cigs because they see they can be used indoors while they can't "smoke" in these places- and they are reaping the benefits from quitting! As you know, the FDA is funded by not only our tax money, but by big Pharmaceutical companies' research money. The same thing with the American Heart Association, Lung Association, etc. The worst thing I heard lately is this new group, Smoke Free Kids- they are supported too by these Alphabet Soup organizations who claim that e-cigs (because they have flavors) will cause kids to start using them, becoming a gateway to real cigarettes- absolutely unfounded- Kids don't want to use strange looking devices- if they're going to smoke (to be cool, etc.) they'll just smoke. Anyway, enough of my rant- The large companies are losing money because of e-cigs- which means less money for the FDA...It's all political and has nothing to do about saving lives of peoples who smoke by getting them to switch. Enough said.
So, the documents I'm sending you are in 3 parts:
1. Letter to the Birmingham City Council members- I have included a list of the members. You'll have to find the list of member names/emails in the file called City Council and send them that letter.
2. Letter to Senators- same deal- you'll have send them the letter that says Honorable Senator. The names/emails can be found in the file called Senator_representatives Contact Information.
3 Letter to Representatives- same deal- Honorable Representative document- their list is also in that file for #2.
I hope this all makes sense. Call me if you need help...It's a ..... fighting corrupt government.
Domo Arigato!!
-David
offtopic: did you see we have an Alabama subforum now- the link is in my signature)
