Dear Illinois, [Please Chime In, Guys]

[aubergine]

Ya, that shaped my letter a lot...

Frikkin landmines all over the place. Like, I shouldn't have used the phrase "health benefits", even referring to anecdotes.

Or else we should just speak truth to power, civilly, and the chips will fall where they will.

I dunno.

 

[Katya]

I believe we should also quote precedence of Arnold in Cali. who vetoed the bill, due to this issue being resolved in Fla. in court.

Thanks

Steve

I have already done so, Steve. I wrote to your gov and mentioned Arnold and his courage. He just may want to be another Terminator. One never knows...

 

[aubergine]

Could we have just one thread for the legal stuff? Blend it by date or something? It's disjointed. Or one called Illinois Ban, Action and the other Illinois Ban, Discussion?

I guess I really want a sticky on this issue, until it's resolved?

 

[Doña Waits]

I would like to clarify my statement that people from other states don't carry weight. I didn't mean to trivialize anyone. Sheer numbers can and do carry weight. But when it comes to specific politicians, they care about whether or not they'll be reelected.

BTW..Gov. Quinn won the democratic primary and is up for election this year!

I've worked in community organizing in the past and, honestly, it has made me more cynical when it comes to politicians. Of course, I also live in chicago.

Steve, if you guys need any help here in IL getting the message out or anything, let me know. You guys have a great company and an amazing product! much love

 

[Katya]

Dear Governor Quinn,

I'm not a constituent, I'm not a resident of Illinois, but I am an American citizen and as such I have a right and an obligation to speak up.
The Senate just voted on a bill that, if passed by the House, will effectively ban the distribution of e-cigarettes by companies in your fine state and to the citizens of that state. I urge you to follow the example of my governor, Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger, and courageously veto this ill-conceived and possibly unconstitutional bill.

If this bill passes, many people who have successfuly quit smoking cigarettes will be forced to resume that deadly habit that will eventually lead to their premature deaths. And millions of others will be left with very little hope.

I assure you that I've tried every FDA-approved method of smoking cessation before I reached for the "untested" e-cigarettes. Gums, patches, Wellbutrin, Chantix--they didn't work for me, they didn't work for millions of others, and they are clearly not working for one of the finest sons of Illinois, our president, Barack Obama. We smokers need better alternatives. Instead of banning the unknown, we should encourage smokers to at least switch to "lesser harm" while we await a cure.
Please veto this ban.

Sincerely,

 

[Doña Waits]

Gov. Quinn contact info

Springfield

Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 217-782-0244
TTY: 888-261-3336

Chicago

Office of the Governor
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph, 16-100
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-814-2121

 

[Belletrist]

Pretty much exactly what I would have said.. Hope you don't mind if I cut and paste it and email it to the Illinois Governor and to all of my friends ad family in Illinois..

of course i don't mind.

these are fantastic letters, everyone. dona waits, believe me, i understand where you're coming from. i may be even more jaded than you are, because i have doubts that the governor is going to give a mouse bottom if his voters don't like it, too.

that said, this bill nonetheless affects me--and you--and i have no intention of not speaking my mind to those who can stop it. even if i believe they don't care what my opinion is.

 

[Doña Waits]

Belletrist, you're totally right. I shouldn't have even implied about excluding people.

Maybe, V4L should send a mass email to their IL customers about this?

 

[Doña Waits]

Sorry, to ALL their customers.

 

[maxx]

I believe we should also quote precedence of Arnold in Cali. who vetoed the bill, due to this issue being resolved in Fla. in court.

Thanks

Steve

Steve....did you get a confirmation on the wording in the bill yet? Specifically....does the the bill prevent you from selling to everyone....or just Illinois residents? We still were not sure on this in the other thread.

 

[Belletrist]

Belletrist, you're totally right. I shouldn't have even implied about excluding people.

no problem. <3 i think we're all just really frustrated, i knew what you meant tho.

 

[Blooper]

hate to be a downer but I was thinking something. Big tobacco and Pharma, as well as politicians, know that most smokers/vapers/device users are severely addicted. No matter what they ban or how they ban it people will just go back to cigs due to this addiction. So politicians will do what is in the best financial interests for them due it being a win/win situation for themselves. How do we convince them otherwise? Not sure if this idea makes sense or not, just a thought.

 

[KPKicker]

I'm in...

(I corrected the mistakes before I sent it)

Dear Governor Quinn:

Sir, I am not a resident of the state of Illinois and likely never will be. However, I am a resident of the United States of America and I see a disturbing trend taking place. One of the states at the heart of this trend is the state of Illinois.

The Illinois Senate just voted on a bill that, if passed by the House, will effectively ban the distribution of e-cigarettes by companies in your fine state and to the citizens of that state. I am asking that you veto this bill should it arrive on your desk.

I just quit smoking yesterday. After 30 years of two packs a day, I am done. E-cigarettes made this possible. The ability to get all the smoking pleasures made it very easy for me to say goodbye to traditional cigarettes. The bonus of being able to enjoy delicious flavors and enticing aromas made this a very enjoyable way to quit and stay quit. No one wants to smoke tasteless cigarettes when they can take delicious flavors like Bananas Foster and Grandma's Apple Pie into their mouth.

SO, as of today I am getting back my sense of taste and smell. I am already noticing that my lungs are cleaning themselves out.

Oh, and of course there's the fact that this all costs far less the cigarettes.

I made a very poor choice back in 1979 when I decided to light up my first Marlboro. It took me over 30 years to correct that mistake, but I finally have. I made a very wise decision in January when I decided to start vaping. After two months, I was able to find the right combination of flavor and nicotine to make it so I don't miss traditional cigarettes. As a result, I am now an ex-smoker.

Granted, I am still addicted to nicotine and as a result, the juices I use have nicotine in them. However, you can also get no-nicotine juices. The juices come in a variety of strengths, making it ideal to step down and eventually break the addiction.

Mr. Governor, please. For the sake of the health of the people of your fine state, veto this ban. For the sake of the health of the people of the United States, help reverse this trend and veto this ban. We need more ex-smokers in this country. If this ban goes through, it's very likely that ex-smokers will become smokers once again.

That would be a tragedy.

 

[HighHeeledGoddess]

My letter, which I will be sending to my district reps too:

Dear Governor Quinn,

I am asking you to please oppose this bill, SB3174 - Amendment to the Tobacco Accessories and Smoking Herbs Control Act.

I started smoking at 16 and did so for 12 years. It was not until I began using an electronic cigarette last year that I was able to quit, and have now been smoke free for a full year, for the first time in my adult life. I am gradually reducing the strength of the nicotine I inhale and will soon enjoy inhaling nicotine free vapor.

While this product is not marketed for this purpose, thousands of users across the country are doing the exact same thing I did - quitting smoking. Like me, they no longer get winded running a short distance, don't wake up gagging anymore, and do not fill their homes with second hand smoke.

My husband, someone who never smoked, has severe asthma, and has also been helped a great deal by my conversion to electronic cigarettes. Please do not take away a product that is helping people.

This ban will not largely effect users such as myself, because we will simply purchase supplies out of state. I am not going back to smoking cigarettes. It will, however, in these harsh economic times rob several vendors in Illinois of their source of income.

I urge you to oppose this. As your constituent, I will be paying close attention to the way you vote on this matter, and that will of course be the deciding factor as to whether or not I vote for you again.

 

[aubergine]

Good letters. I think go light on the "yummy" aspect - the argument that seems to get the antis the most mileage - I think? - is supposed potential appeal to children and non-nicotine users.

We need guidelines so that we don't accidentally shoot ourselves in the foot.

And then again, and again, sometimes just speaking truth to power, straight out, is what at least gives us some sense of not being conniving politicians ourselves. Everyone knows they taste good. Pharma, if they win (shudder) will have to be sure and do something about THAT, now won't they?

 

[kristin]

I'm posting here as a CASAA board member - I hope Steve doesn't mind my posting in his forum.

The Vapers Coalition (CASAA, Right to Vape & Vapers International members, along with Bill Godshall) had our meeting last night and discussed this issue.

Right now the bill has passed the senate but is in review in the House. This could mean it could be passed in a week or sit until the session closes without being voted upon - we don't know.

We have two representatives who are willing to drive to Illinios to speak on your behalf. They will need a showing of Illinois vapers to be available to tell their story. We need articulate people with a flexible schedule & able to drive. There may or may not be an opportunity to speak, but we may need a show of numbers or just 2-3 people. I will be asking the Illinois CASAA rep if he can help, as well. Any Illinois vapers/CASAA members who would be able to assist, please contact me.

In the meantime, we encourage ALL vapers to write (not email) not only to the Governor, but to the authors of this bill and other legislators in the House (it passed the senate already.) We are working on a form letter people will be able to use.

We recommend people stress that Illinois is also benefitting from your dollars spent there (a valid point for non-residents.)

We also recommend pointing to Utah, rather than California, as the Utah legislators actually made the decision that these were helping people and refused the outright ban them for legal adults. (Arnold basically just said it wasn't his call until the court case was finished - he didn't come out and support ecigs.)

Be sure to mention your support for banning the sale to minors though!

We are also working on Maryland and New York contingencies and will need support there. Watch for updates.

It's not too late folks - we stopped them in Utah & California, we can do it again!

Proud CASAA.org member!

 

[aubergine]

Thanks so much for that post, kristin. I hadn't remembered the Utah decision. And I emailed. Will revise letter and hit PO this afternoon.

 

[MacArthurBug]

These arguments are beautifully worded. I wish I could coherently put together my thoughts like this. I'm in. If it's signing my X on a piece of paper or voting for the people I best believe able to back my beliefs. Please keep us all informed on how this and any other petitions similar to it. I don't want the only thing that's helped me kick the tar habit to vanish so shortly after I found it. These people should be more willing to fund research and development of e-cigs before just willy-nilly trying to vote them out of existence.

 

[aubergine]

(Out of curiosity - why not email?)

Hope uprising again.

What a ride.

 

[bobbysox10]

i think it is a good idea right now to contact both. this will give us the opportunity to really effect Gov. Quinns decision if needed. Also, the house was in session when i called so he is going to call me back. Funny thing is the secretary asked about e-cigs and i gave her this website. She said she would switch if what i said was true i said this exactly "i breath better, my sense of smell is back, i don't snore any more, i am more energetic, my doc. even can confirm my lungs are clear, i don't smell like smoke, and im not hurting the environment or people around me. Its really a dream come true."