CALIFORNIA VAPERS: Things are getting ugly...

[Katya]

I contacted Stefan D to ask for his Input on these Current CA Bills.

Here is what he said...

"You can find the form here:http://bit.ly/FightForCA"

zoiDman, this link doesn't work for me--here's what I'm getting:

"Sorry, there was a problem with this link: Send a Message
You can now continue to this website, or go back to the page you were on before.
Remember, only follow links from sources you trust."

Can you help, love? Is this a partial or broken link?

 

[Katya]

Lessifer, it might just be me (for some unknown reason), but the video is echoing. Is there another link to it?

Per Les, this is an amateur video, taken by someone who just attended the meeting but wanted to share what s/he saw...

 

[Lessifer]

From the Article Linked above...

"The bill that regulates e-cigarettes like regular cigarettes, sponsored by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, had stalled in an Assembly committee whose members had accepted more than $170,000 in campaign contributions from the nation's two largest tobacco companies."

Sometimes I wish I could go back to a time when such things surprised me.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, Big tobacco has stepped in to stop Leno?
I imagine I'm not reading it wrong though, just that it was written horribly wrong.

Big tobacco wouldn't be stepping in on this would they?
Maybe it was us, but we're not being given credit?

I believe that quote is referring to the first time it died in committee, when Leno killed the bill after the amendment to remove the re-definition of tobacco products. Wasn't that the same committee? I don't think BT is against this one, Njoy is, and they are NOT BT.

 

[stevegmu]

BT did more than anyone- they gave the most money...



The shift came as the Legislature, dominated by Democrats, quietly rejected several bills aimed at reducing smoking and the illnesses that come with it. Legislation to ban smoking on public school campuses, in apartment buildings, and at state parks and beaches withered in committee. Proposals to raise taxes on cigarettes went nowhere. One bill to limit Internet sales of electronic cigarettes was shelved, while another originally meant to restrict use of electronic cigarettes was rewritten to allow them to be sold from vending machines in bars.


Read more here: California Democrats accepting more campaign cash from tobacco industry | The Sacramento Bee

 

[zoiDman]

zoiDman, this link doesn't work for me--here's what I'm getting:

"Sorry, there was a problem with this link: Send a Message
You can now continue to this website, or go back to the page you were on before.
Remember, only follow links from sources you trust."

Can you help, love? Is this a partial or broken link?

This is where you should have gotten to...

Send a Message

You can also get to it by going thru CASAA's web page.

CASAA: California "special session" bills threaten consumer access, choice, and use of smoke-free vapor products.

Just click on the on the Green Highlighted "Send an E-Mail".

 

[zoiDman]

zoiDman, this link doesn't work for me--here's what I'm getting:

"Sorry, there was a problem with this link: Send a Message
You can now continue to this website, or go back to the page you were on before.
Remember, only follow links from sources you trust."

Can you help, love? Is this a partial or broken link?

BTW - It probably would be a Good Idea when Contacting people to send them the CASAA Link.

CASAA: California "special session" bills threaten consumer access, choice, and use of smoke-free vapor products.

And then ask them to Click on the Green Highlighted "Send an E-Mail".

That way they can see where the Link came from.

 

[Katya]

This is where you should have gotten to...

Send a Message

You can also get to it by going thru CASAA's web page.

CASAA: California "special session" bills threaten consumer access, choice, and use of smoke-free vapor products.

Just click on the on the Green Highlighted "Send an E-Mail".

Oh, I already did that--I got a CTA from CASAA via email on August 13. I thought this was something new I didn't know about!

Thanks!

 

[zoiDman]

Oh, I already did that--I got a CTA from CASAA via email on August 13. I thought this was something new I didn't know about!

Thanks!

No Problem.

I did Also.

 

[Katya]

No Problem.

I did Also.

Do you know if you can contact Leno somehow (email, website) if you're not in his district? I tried his website, but I was kicked out.

 

[Katya]

And another question! I'm going to make some phone calls tomorrow--I need talking points. What exactly are we opposing? Per Stefan's instructions, it's just SB-5 (Senate Bill 5) and AB-6 (Assembly Bill 6) that are in play right now. However, per our dear Kitty (and CASAA) there's more...

Any thoughts?

"Here we go again!!!

I guess that since they didn't like the amendments to the other bill, they split it up into pieces...

Here are the (6) New Bills introduced in California after the SB140 (Leno) hearing outcome.
SB-5 Bill Text - SBX2-5 Electronic cigarettes.
SB-6 Smoking in the workplace Bill Text - SBX2-6 Smoking in the workplace.
SB-7 Tobacco products: minimum legal age Bill Text - SBX2-7 Tobacco products: minimum legal age.
SB-8 Tobacco use programs Bill Text - SBX2-8 Tobacco use programs.
SB-9 Local taxes: authorization: cigarettes and tobacco products Bill Text - SBX2-9 Local taxes: authorization: cigarettes and tobacco products.
SB-10 Cigarette and tobacco product licensing: fees and funding. Bill Text - SBX2-10 Cigarette and tobacco product licensing: fees and funding.

Bill Text - SBX2-5 Electronic cigarettes.
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
118925. (a) (1) It is unlawful for any person to smoke a tobacco product in any vehicle of a passeng...

(taken from a post on the CASAA FB page)"

 

[zoiDman]

Do you know if you can contact Leno somehow (email, website) if you're not in his district? I tried his website, but I was kicked out.

Some Members of the Senate or the House don't want to field Calls/e-Mails from those outside of their Districts.

But there is No Reason why you couldn't Contact him via Snail Mail...

Mark Leno (D) District 11

Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 5100, Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4011

District Office

455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14800, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 557-1300

Senators | senate.ca.gov

 

[Lessifer]

"
In 2009, Altria and R.J. Reynolds gave $43,300 to Democrats, 14.7 percent of the money they put into the campaign accounts of California politicians. Last year, they contributed $196,100 to Democrats, 46.6 percent of the money the industry gave to all state candidates."

It's been awhile since I've taken a math class, but if 46.6 percent of the money the tobacco industry gave to all state candidates went to democrats, that should mean that 53.4 percent went elsewhere. I'm fairly certain they weren't funding a bunch of independents.

 

[Katya]

Some Members of the Senate or the House don't want to field Calls/e-Mails from those outside of their Districts.

But there is No Reason why you couldn't Contact him via Snail Mail...

Mark Leno (D) District 11

Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 5100, Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4011

District Office

455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14800, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 557-1300

Senators | senate.ca.gov

I really wanted to send him the links to the British study.

E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review - Press releases - GOV.UK

 

[zoiDman]

...

SB-7 Tobacco products: minimum legal age Bill Text - SBX2-7 Tobacco products: minimum legal age.
...

BTW - Had an Ex-Smoker - Now Vaper contact me and ask why a Vapor/Non-Smoker should care if the Minimum age should go from 18 to 21.

Besides telling Him that I felt an Adult (18+) should have the Right to purchase a Tobacco Product by virtue of them being an Adult. I also explained that when the FDA Deems e-liquids that contain Nicotine to be defined as a "Tobacco Product", that e-Liquids that contained Nicotine would also fall under this CA Legislation.

So you would Need to be 21+ to buy e-Liquids that contain Nicotine in California.

At least that is the Way I see it.

 

[zoiDman]

I really wanted to send him the links to the British study.

E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review - Press releases - GOV.UK

And using this Contact Page did not work?

Member Web Site

 

[Katya]

BTW - Had an Ex-Smoker - Now Vaper contact me and ask why a Vapor/Non-Smoker should care if the Minimum age should go from 18 to 21.

Besides telling Him that I felt an Adult (18+) should have the Right to purchase a Tobacco Product by virtue of them being an Adult. I also explained that when the FDA Deems e-liquids that contain Nicotine to be defined as a "Tobacco Product", that e-Liquids that contained Nicotine would also fall under this CA Legislation.

So you would Need to be 21+ to buy e-Liquids that contain Nicotine in California.

At least that is the Way I see it.

I tell them that if our government deems 18-year-olds mature enough to fight our wars, then they should also be allowed to have a beer and a smoke.

That's the way I see it.

 

[Katya]

And using this Contact Page did not work?

Member Web Site

Is this from his website?

Senator Mark Leno

If so, it didn't. If not, I'll try your link.

Maybe I did something wrong. It was late at night and I was in a very bad mood...

Did it work for you?

 

[zoiDman]

I tell them that if our government deems 18-year-olds mature enough to fight our wars, then they should also be allowed to have a beer and a smoke.

That's the way I see it.

You might also Mention that Raising the age limit from 18 to 21 is just going to Encourage 18 to 21 year old Smokers to use a Black Market or Out of State Cigarettes.

And California receives NO Tax Revenue from Black Market or Out of State Cigarettes.

 

[Katya]

And California receives NO Tax Revenue from Black Market or Out of State Cigarettes.

Are you sure about that?

 

[zoiDman]

Is this from his website?

Senator Mark Leno

If so, it didn't. If not, I'll try your link.

Maybe I did something wrong. It was late at night and I was in a very bad mood...

Did it work for you?

I am going to Contact Mr. Leno via Snail Mail with a Delivery Confirmation receipt.