Greetings!
CASAA has just learned that Prince Georges County Council in Maryland is likely to meet on Tuesday, November 5th at 10 AM to to hear testimony and possibly vote on County Bill 91-2013, which would BAN e-cigarette use in restaurants, bars, senior housing, and public housing. Yes, under CB 91-2013, it would be illegal for seniors to use e-cigarettes in the privacy of their own rooms.
This is an important bill, as the result will impact future vaping bans in the DC / MD / DE / VA area. CASAA is strongly encouraging its members to attend and speak in opposition. The meeting will be begin at 10 AM on the the main floor of the County Administration Building (14741 Governor Oden Bowie Dr.) in Upper Marlboro. Feel free to reply to this e-mail for guidance.Regardless of whether you can attend, please reach out to the Council members and encourage them to vote NO on County Bill 91-2013.
You can read the proposed bill here.
Urge Opposition to the Prince Georges County E-Cigarette Usage Ban
Mary Lehman (District 1)
301-952-3887
CouncilDistrict1@co.pg.md.us
Will Campos (District 2)
301-952-4436
WACampos@co.pg.md.us
Eric Olson (District 3):
301-952-3060
EOlson@co.pg.md.us
Ingrid Turner, Esq. (District 4) SPONSOR
301-952-3094
IMTurner@co.pg.md.us
Andrea Harrison, Chair (District 5)
301-952-3864
CouncilDistrict5@co.pg.md.us
Derrick Davis (District 6)
301-952-3426
CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us
Karen Toles (District 7)
301-952-3690
KRToles@co.pg.md.us
Obie Patterson, Vice Chair (District 8) SPONSOR
301-952-3860
CouncilDistrict8@co.pg.md.us
Mel Franklin (District 9)
301-952-3820
MFranklin@co.pg.md.us
Rushern L. Baker III (County Executive)
301-952-4131
wjslater@co.pg.md.us
What to say to the members of the Prince Georges County Council:
1. You are a Maryland or nearby citizen and would like them to vote NO on banning e-cigarette use in bars, restaurants, and public / senior housing. (Remember to be respectful)
2. Tell your story on how switching to an e-cigarette has changed your life.
3. Explain how smoking bans are enacted to protect the public from the harm of secondhand smoke, but e-cigarettes have not been shown to cause harm to bystanders. In fact, all evidence to date shows that the low health risks associated with e-cigarettes is comparable to other smokeless nicotine products.
The low risks of e-cigarettes is supported by research done by Dr. Siegel of Boston University, Dr. Eissenberg of Virginia Commonwealth, Dr Maciej L Goniewicz of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Dr. Laugesen of Health New Zealand, Dr. Igor Burstyn of Drexel University, and by the fact that the FDA testing, in spite of its press statement, failed to find harmful levels of carcinogens or toxic levels of any chemical in the vapor.
For example, a study by the Roswell Park Center that was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the levels of chemicals and toxicants in the vapor produced by 12 different e-cigarettes 9-450x less than in cigarette smoke. The authors noted that the trace levels of chemicals present were comparable to what is found in a FDA-approved nicotine inhaler.
Additionally, a comprehensive review by a Drexel University professor based on over 9,000 observations of e-cigarette liquid and vapor found "no apparent concern" for bystanders exposed to e-cigarette vapor, even under "worst case" assumptions about exposure.
4. Point out that banning the use of a smoke-free product in public housing -- especially communities serving the elderly -- is cruel and unnecessary.
5. Detail how electronic cigarette use is easy to distinguish from actual smoking. Although some e-cigarettes resemble real cigarettes, many do not. It is easy to tell when someone lights a cigarette, from the smell of smoke. E-cigarette vapor is practically odorless, and generally any detectable odor is not unpleasant and smells nothing like smoke. Additionally, e-cigarette users can decide whether to release any vapor ("discrete vaping"). With so little evidence of use, enforcing indoor use bans on electronic cigarettes would be nearly impossible.
6. Inform them that the ability to use electronic cigarettes in public spaces will actually improve public health by inspiring other smokers to switch. Surveys of thousands of users indicate that the majority of those who switch, completely replace tobacco cigarettes with the electronic cigarettes, reducing their health risks by 98-99%.
7. Tell them that by switching to a smokeless product, you have greatly reduced your health risks.
8. Direct them to the CASAA.org website, as well as the CASAA Research Library, for more information.
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