(Last Edited on October 24, 2009) Most recent updates are in green
* Note: the Orginal Post (OP) in this thread is being updated regularly to reflect changes and edits. Please back here for the most current version and latest edits before posting.)
Hello CASAA!
This thread is the direct result of (literally) thousands of ECF posts, PMs, phone calls and emailed submissions. The following post reflects the current direction of the organization as well the current status of our efforts toward creating CASAA as a legal entity.
Like any group, we will never agree on every nuance of who we are. Of course, if it weren’t for a passion for intellectual and philosophical debate none of us would be here.
While the exact wording and syntax is yet to be finalized, we can all agree that we are solidified in our core beliefs and are united in the fight for the preservation of our legal right to use electronic cigarettes. There are other threads in this forum to discuss the connotation of the CASAA name.
This thread is for ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND ACTION ITEMS and precisely how we are going to make things happen.
One final note, I deeply urge everyone involved to keep this thread constructive and make suggestions as to how we can improve what CASAA is going to do. This is a working document and subject to change, amendment or revision at any time. In other words – if you want to add something or disagree – this is the time to speak up.
Michal “Webby” Douglas
CASAA Mission Statement
To inform and educate consumers about the available options of reduced harm tobacco and nicotine alternatives, and to provide documentation of reputable medical and news items to be shared with any interested party.
Organizational Goals
1. To inform and educate the general public as to the available options for reduced harm tobacco and nicotine alternatives and provide documentation to reputable medical and news items.
2. To establish a membership of users, suppliers and manufacturers of these devices for the sharing of information and substantiated data, support of users and unified industry support.
3. To maintain a social support network and web-based community for all members and their shared experiences.
4. Formation of a collective voice for the urging of more positive political, medical and legal representation of the electronic cigarette and smoke-free alternative community in congress, the medical community and the media.
5. Encourage and support manufacturers and suppliers to:
- Provide accurate documentation and safety information to their customers.
- Provide fair and legal advertising or marketing claims on packaging, and web sites
- Require purchases be conducted using appropriate identification to prevent sales to minors.
6. Establish guidelines for responsible, fair and ethical business practices that manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers are required to maintain in order to receive group approval.
7. Act as a clearinghouse for information about products and services that adhere to ethical practices, high standards of quality and demonstrate true representation of products intended for consumers.
8. Support studies, clinical trials and independent research based on improving the relative safety and effectiveness of "e-cigarettes", smokeless tobacco products, nicotine replacements, and smoking cessation or replacement products.
9. Provide a physical office and staff to dispense live technically valid and informative information as well as campaigning supplies or advice .
CASAA Goal Strategy
The goals of CASAA will be obtained by:
1. Definition of initial CASAA Board positions and duties.
2. Election of CASAA Board and Officers.
3. Procurement and provisioning of professional services.
4. Completion of CASAA bylaws and legal non-profit status.
5. Completion of CASAA.ORG web presence/social network/mailing list and appointment of Content Moderators.
6. Design, development and implementation of a physical presence. This includes a home office, mailing address, staff and redundant network of physical servers, IT support and basic brick-and-mortar infrastructure.
7. Establishing a liaison effort of shared information and marketing data with other organizations to ensure efforts aren’t diluted and the collective message advocating the continued legalization of electronic cigarettes is universal.
8. Dissemination of current news, bans, approved test results, political decisions or press releases to the public as a responsible collective on behalf of the electronic cigarette industry in general. This will be done in concert with the efforts of the Electronic Cigarette Organization, Right to Vape, and any other group that promotes electronic cigarettes in a productive and positive light.
9. Public postings of political or public events to members where a CASAA member presence can be beneficial to promoting public awareness of the benefits of electronic cigarettes and smoking alternatives.
10. Providing materials and support for any individual or grass root efforts to promote public awareness.
11. Scheduling of regular meetings and member events to gather support for the CASAA Movement.
12. Encouragement of US and foreign manufacturer compliance and participation.
13. Organize and rally support from the offline community. CASAA understands that the vast majority of smoke free product users are not in the e-cig forums or even online. Efforts have to be made to reach individuals and other groups who might be disenfranchised by purely online efforts and make up the vast majority of users.
Voting Board
1) The CASAA Board shall consist of 12 voting members.
2) Each Board Member has one, equal vote.
3) The Board will be comprised of (no more than) three suppliers (or manufacturers), three subject experts (SE) Directors and six general users.
4) The six AT-LARGE users will be made up of individuals from all walks of life.
5) The three Subject Experts (SE) will be comprised of experts in the field of Legal/Financial, Science/Medical and Communications/PR issues.
6) Each SE will manage a team of users who will help in making recommendations to the Board and provide depth in the event that the SE isn't available or drops out.
7) Standard positions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected by the Board from within it's own ranks. Board positions will be one year and a Chairman will server no more than two consecutive terms.
CASAA.ORG
HOME (introduction, members gallery, most recent news/events - the rest fall off into the archive areas, join and support links and navigation menu) and users poll with link to archived polls
ABOUT CASAA (mission statement, org charter, board info, financials, terms of use, privacy policy, etc)
RESOURCES ( ECF links, glossary of terms, gov't agency mailing addresses, congressman’s' contact info, sister agency links and document library, etc.)
NEWS (searchable archive of news posts)
Support CASAA (donations, links to banners and icons for your web site, stickers and downloadable items, etc. This may evolve into an online “store” at some point)
Membership (Free membership info, benefits and reasons to join)
Forums (links to all smoke free alternatives and harm reduction sites)(replaces "Lifestyles")
Event Calendar (searchable/sortable event calendar)
Contact Us (physical mailing address info, phone numbers and webforms)
Comments?
* Note: the Orginal Post (OP) in this thread is being updated regularly to reflect changes and edits. Please back here for the most current version and latest edits before posting.)
Hello CASAA!
This thread is the direct result of (literally) thousands of ECF posts, PMs, phone calls and emailed submissions. The following post reflects the current direction of the organization as well the current status of our efforts toward creating CASAA as a legal entity.
Like any group, we will never agree on every nuance of who we are. Of course, if it weren’t for a passion for intellectual and philosophical debate none of us would be here.
While the exact wording and syntax is yet to be finalized, we can all agree that we are solidified in our core beliefs and are united in the fight for the preservation of our legal right to use electronic cigarettes. There are other threads in this forum to discuss the connotation of the CASAA name.
This thread is for ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND ACTION ITEMS and precisely how we are going to make things happen.
One final note, I deeply urge everyone involved to keep this thread constructive and make suggestions as to how we can improve what CASAA is going to do. This is a working document and subject to change, amendment or revision at any time. In other words – if you want to add something or disagree – this is the time to speak up.
Michal “Webby” Douglas
CASAA Mission Statement
To inform and educate consumers about the available options of reduced harm tobacco and nicotine alternatives, and to provide documentation of reputable medical and news items to be shared with any interested party.
Organizational Goals
1. To inform and educate the general public as to the available options for reduced harm tobacco and nicotine alternatives and provide documentation to reputable medical and news items.
2. To establish a membership of users, suppliers and manufacturers of these devices for the sharing of information and substantiated data, support of users and unified industry support.
3. To maintain a social support network and web-based community for all members and their shared experiences.
4. Formation of a collective voice for the urging of more positive political, medical and legal representation of the electronic cigarette and smoke-free alternative community in congress, the medical community and the media.
5. Encourage and support manufacturers and suppliers to:
- Provide accurate documentation and safety information to their customers.
- Provide fair and legal advertising or marketing claims on packaging, and web sites
- Require purchases be conducted using appropriate identification to prevent sales to minors.
6. Establish guidelines for responsible, fair and ethical business practices that manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers are required to maintain in order to receive group approval.
7. Act as a clearinghouse for information about products and services that adhere to ethical practices, high standards of quality and demonstrate true representation of products intended for consumers.
8. Support studies, clinical trials and independent research based on improving the relative safety and effectiveness of "e-cigarettes", smokeless tobacco products, nicotine replacements, and smoking cessation or replacement products.
9. Provide a physical office and staff to dispense live technically valid and informative information as well as campaigning supplies or advice .
CASAA Goal Strategy
The goals of CASAA will be obtained by:
1. Definition of initial CASAA Board positions and duties.
2. Election of CASAA Board and Officers.
3. Procurement and provisioning of professional services.
4. Completion of CASAA bylaws and legal non-profit status.
5. Completion of CASAA.ORG web presence/social network/mailing list and appointment of Content Moderators.
6. Design, development and implementation of a physical presence. This includes a home office, mailing address, staff and redundant network of physical servers, IT support and basic brick-and-mortar infrastructure.
7. Establishing a liaison effort of shared information and marketing data with other organizations to ensure efforts aren’t diluted and the collective message advocating the continued legalization of electronic cigarettes is universal.
8. Dissemination of current news, bans, approved test results, political decisions or press releases to the public as a responsible collective on behalf of the electronic cigarette industry in general. This will be done in concert with the efforts of the Electronic Cigarette Organization, Right to Vape, and any other group that promotes electronic cigarettes in a productive and positive light.
9. Public postings of political or public events to members where a CASAA member presence can be beneficial to promoting public awareness of the benefits of electronic cigarettes and smoking alternatives.
10. Providing materials and support for any individual or grass root efforts to promote public awareness.
11. Scheduling of regular meetings and member events to gather support for the CASAA Movement.
12. Encouragement of US and foreign manufacturer compliance and participation.
13. Organize and rally support from the offline community. CASAA understands that the vast majority of smoke free product users are not in the e-cig forums or even online. Efforts have to be made to reach individuals and other groups who might be disenfranchised by purely online efforts and make up the vast majority of users.
Voting Board
1) The CASAA Board shall consist of 12 voting members.
2) Each Board Member has one, equal vote.
3) The Board will be comprised of (no more than) three suppliers (or manufacturers), three subject experts (SE) Directors and six general users.
4) The six AT-LARGE users will be made up of individuals from all walks of life.
5) The three Subject Experts (SE) will be comprised of experts in the field of Legal/Financial, Science/Medical and Communications/PR issues.
6) Each SE will manage a team of users who will help in making recommendations to the Board and provide depth in the event that the SE isn't available or drops out.
7) Standard positions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected by the Board from within it's own ranks. Board positions will be one year and a Chairman will server no more than two consecutive terms.
CASAA.ORG
HOME (introduction, members gallery, most recent news/events - the rest fall off into the archive areas, join and support links and navigation menu) and users poll with link to archived polls
ABOUT CASAA (mission statement, org charter, board info, financials, terms of use, privacy policy, etc)
RESOURCES ( ECF links, glossary of terms, gov't agency mailing addresses, congressman’s' contact info, sister agency links and document library, etc.)
NEWS (searchable archive of news posts)
Support CASAA (donations, links to banners and icons for your web site, stickers and downloadable items, etc. This may evolve into an online “store” at some point)
Membership (Free membership info, benefits and reasons to join)
Forums (links to all smoke free alternatives and harm reduction sites)(replaces "Lifestyles")
Event Calendar (searchable/sortable event calendar)
Contact Us (physical mailing address info, phone numbers and webforms)
Comments?
Last edited:
