FDA Champions

[EddardinWinter]

I have been thinking about the challenges we face in opposing these regulations, and the ANTZ media blitz that has (conveniently?) accompanied the review period. We face hostile Senators holding hearings with one-sided witnesses, a well-organized network of ANTZ, a CDC who is actively setting up a taxpayer-funded PR campaign to make us look bad, and a media that is at best uninformed and disconnected from the issue.

I have decided to try to engage John Stossel in hopes of bringing this issue to his attention and perhaps get him to become a voice for our cause. We have so few public allies...and so many speaking loudly against us. I don't know if John Stossel has the time or the inclination to help us, but I feel I need to try something different to balance the scales. He has his own show, is a respected journalist, and loves individual freedom. I think he might just help out. Who knows? I know it's a long shot, but I think it also could be a difference maker for us.

So who else can we, as individual vapers, try to get on board? Think of people with a voice and who might be sympathetic. If we can get a few on board, they might help turn the tide of public information on the subject. Thoughts?

 

[EleanorR]

Dr. Ben Carson?

 

[EddardinWinter]

Dr. Ben Carson?

I agree, he is a good candidate. Go and get him Eleanor, if you can.

I have messaged Stossel and emailed his fox business email. I plan on following up in as many ways I can think of. I will share any thoughts or updates here.

EDIT: I have also hit him up on Facebook.

 

[EddardinWinter]

So I heard back from one of Mr. Stossel's lackeys. I threw a lot of data at him, gave him some links, told him the broad strokes of the situation. He seemed interested, but it may be his job to seem interested and politely do nothing. Who knows...

It is more response than I expected, to be honest. We will see what develops. I have viewed this endeavor as a long shot from the start.

 

[ckquatt]

What about the guy on The Five or Red Eye on Fox. I cant think of the guys name bit he did some ANTZ bashing a couple of times.

Sent from my Atari 2600 using Tapatalk.

 

[EddardinWinter]

What about the guy on The Five or Red Eye on Fox. I cant think of the guys name bit he did some ANTZ bashing a couple of times.

Sent from my Atari 2600 using Tapatalk.

I do believe the show is the Five...with Bob Beckel. I don't watch any network news, but I have seen clips...Gutfeld?? something like that...he needs to get his vape IQ up a bit, cause he calls it water vapor all the time. He means well, however. Go and get him...Fox has the TV personalities emails on their website, that is how I got Stossel's.

 

[Sirius]

Eddard -- Gutfield never emailed me back but has done another spot for vapers yesterday on The Five. It was okay. Not as good as this one:

 

[EddardinWinter]

Eddard -- Gutfield never emailed me back but has done another spot for vapors yesterday on The Five. It was okay. Not as good as this one:

Great clip!

I emailed Stossel thrice before any response was made...do not give up without a fight!

We need a few champions. It's up to us.

You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse.
Was this ambition?

Roaring thunderously via Tapatalk...

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

How about Rush Limbaugh? (not sure why his name popped into my head lol)

 

[EddardinWinter]

How about Rush Limbaugh? (not sure why his name popped into my head lol)

He has a big, regular audience. Lots of air time, too.

Yeah, sounds like a good fit. It seems to me he has spoken out in favor of vaping before, too. Give it a shot!



Roaring thunderously via Tapatalk...

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

He has a big, regular audience. Lots of air time, too.

Yeah, sounds like a good fit. It seems to me he has spoken out in favor of vaping before, too. Give it a shot!

Roaring thunderously via Tapatalk...

Ok. I've not developed a talent for this though like you Do you have an example of the email with links that you're using? Post it here or PM me?

 

[EddardinWinter]

Ok. I've not developed a talent for this though like you Do you have an example of the email with links that you're using? Post it here or PM me?

Sure, here is one of the ones I sent:

Mr. Stossel

The FDA has turned their regulatory attention to the public use of e-cigarettes. I don't know what you know about this issue, but it is a very important one to me. Let me tell you why....

First, I am not a vendor, nor retailer, or anything like that. I make my money in a different field. I am just a guy who smoked for 25+ years, and e-cigarettes got me off of the "death sticks".

In May of 2012, I heard about e-cigarettes. They looked promising; I decided to give them a try. I started with a Blu starter kit I got at a gas station. It was pretty good, but it did not last long, and was just as expensive as the real thing. So I got serious and did some online research. I found a local vape store which had an owner who was fairly knowledgeable and hooked me up with an eGo starter kit. I loaded up the tank. It was an "old" tank system, which is a laughable PV (Personal Vaporizer) choice to me now, but back then it was great! Man, it was good! I knew at that moment, I could use this device to quit. I had my last cigarette on May 31st, 2012.

My girlfriend took to it right away as well, and she had her last cigarette on June 5th, 2012. Even though I am no longer with her, I am glad she is living better today because of these devices!

Today, I weigh 40 pounds less than I did when I was smoking, because I can actually get exercise now without getting winded in the first two steps. I feel better, I look great, I don’t stink of cigarette smoke. I truly feel better than I have in at least ten, maybe more like twenty, years. I know that I will not only live longer, but I will live better. These devices have made a tremendous improvement in my life. I personally have introduced about a dozen smokers to the world of vaping. I know several of my converts have their own network of converts as well. We all are grateful in the improvements vaping has to our lives.

Vaping is a successful Tobacco Harm Reduction method that will save lives if it is permitted to flourish.

There are dozens of e-liquid manufacturers in America making the world’s best e-liquid. It is an exciting cottage industry that should be permitted to thrive and exist as it currently does. I celebrated my one year anniversary by purchasing a ProVari variable voltage mod (basically a very nice e-cigarette). It was my reward for hitting this important milestone in quitting. The ProVari is a first rate piece of craftsmanship manufactured in the United States with nearly every piece of the device purchased domestically. A couple of components on the board are purchased from oversees, but the pride of US craftsmanship is all over this device. ProVape is like so many new businesses this industry has created. Now, they are all threatened to be regulated out of existence.

So why am I telling you all of this?

Because at the moment, there is a media blitz that is going along with the FDA deeming comment period for new regulations. We need a champion for our cause, and I hope you will consider taking on this issue, and bring the benefits of e-cigarettes to light. If the FDA succeeds with regulating this industry as currently written, everyone's freedom to choose e-cigarettes as a method of quitting smoking may be compromised, or lost altogether.

If you have the time or interest, please write me back and I will answer any questions you have.

Thank you, John. I love your show.

Roaring thunderously via Tapatalk...

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

Thanks!
( editing with "my" Details as we speak, or type )

 

[Roger_Lafayette]

I am no fan of Rush, but I just liked every post in this thread.

As I have said repeatedly: We need all the help, that we can get.

Saving lives shouldn't ever be a partisan issue.

 

[aubergine]

It'd be nice if some of these folks would do more than get their picture taken.

http://www.pinterest.com/ecigreviewed/e-cigarettes-celebrities/

Come on guys, we know you're in here! Show yourselves!

(Especially Johnny Depp. )

 

[Katya]

Stossel was the first one to support ecigs and vaping--three years ago:

 

[Katya]

So was Rush...

 

[EddardinWinter]

Stossel was the first one to support ecigs and vaping--three years ago:

This was an excellent opportunity to follow up and continue to be a squeaky wheel. So that's what I did.

I have written you previously about FDA regulations for e-cigarettes. At the time, I assumed that this was a new issue to you. Since then I found this video, and realized I was mistaken since you have addressed this issue in the past.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kigX96-roK4

This video was from January of 2011.

Of course, the industry has changed a great deal since then, but I am encouraged to see you have touched on this subject in the past. I love the part of the video where you use the phrase do describe the philosophy of the Anti Smoking and Nicotine Zealots (ANTZ) of "Quit or Die!" (around 2:15 into the video). We use that phrase all of the time within CASAA (The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association).

John, you are the perfect standard bearer for this cause. This is truly a life or death issue for smokers, and for current users of e-cigarettes, if the FDA successfully implements a de facto ban on these products. I want every current smoker to enjoy the benefit using e-cigarettes like I have. Sadly, many will not have the same chance. Restrictions of the e-cigarette market could also force many current users of e-cigarettes back into smoking!

Every day, we are inundated with stories about e-liquid poison control reports "skyrocketing", or e-cigarettes are a "gateway drug" to smoking for children, or "the flavors are being used to market to children". Whenever people start fear mongering about "The Children", you know the intellectual high ground has been abandoned. Even though many of us see right through this emotionally manipulative garbage, it is quite disheartening. We need an honest voice to speak out in this chorus of hogwash that the public is saturated with.

Please consider shedding light on this issue again, we need your help. I can supply you with links, studies, etc. if you would like to dig into this.

Respectfully,

Thanks Katya! I will continue to write until I talk to John directly.

Failure is not an option.

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

Good video find Katya, thanks!

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

I wonder if a lot of us write to Stossel and Limbaugh it would help? planting more seeds?