ECO - Organization Charter: Administration

[mtndude]

The mission of The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) is to defend and enhance the consumer's ability to use effective alternatives to smoking.

I can go along with defend (more active) and use. I like the the idea of the word enhance but it somehow strikes me as awkward (my initial response).

Curious as to what others think about it.

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

The mission of The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) is to defend and enhance the consumer's ability to use effective alternatives to smoking.

I can go along with defend (more active) and use. I like the the idea of the word enhance but it somehow strikes me as awkward (my initial response).

Curious as to what others think about it.

Oy. Here's what you're looking for...

Under heading "Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association":

Mission Statement: To empower nicotine users to make an informed choice on their method of consumption.

You're welcome.

 

[Mister]

To empower nicotine users to make an informed choice on their method of consumption.

"Empower" is a very nice word in this context. It is abused a fair bit but remains strong. I kind of like the following combination since empower has come to suggest both authority and enabling. And this would address the awkward "defend and enhance" phrasing.

The mission of The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) is to empower consumers to use effective alternatives to smoking.

 

[Kamanjah]

Nice, IMan. I want my right to choose. Choice and use are different things. You gotta choose before you use. Informed choice is a good thing.

Effective, safer or any other adjectives are arguing points, there is no widely accepted scientific proof of effective or safer. We have researched our options and have chosen to use PVs. Because we have decided for ourselves that they are safer. Then we discovered they are pretty darned effective too.

A Mission Statement is short and sweet. Next, Goals and Objectives flesh out the mission statement. The mission stmt shouldn't be defining alternatives.

Is there an attorney reviewing any of this? Once the 501(c) filing is made, I don't think the basic reason for the group can be changed. Don't know that though. The whole non-profit thing is pretty complicated when you get down to the nuts and bolts of it all. Depending on which designation (several choices under 501, don't remember them offhand) we file for, certain activities fall outside of the 'allowed activities.' One type of 501 cannot lobby. Other types can't do other things. It's been several years since I worked on a 501 filing. The Orchid Society was easy, the dance troupe got too complicated because of too many activities (performing, teaching, community service, kids were involved...& decided not to file) and two community activist groups, well, one filed successfully, but they are now limited in the type of activities they can engage in when it comes to dealing with local government. Don't know the status of the other because they were going in a direction I didn't agree with, so I stepped back.

Just sharing some personal experience there. I prefer to be proactive. Having to react after the fact is usually a problem. Head off problems before they have a chance to become problems!

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[mtndude]

The mission of The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) is to defend the consumer's right to choose an alternative to smoking.

Using the above as reference, I think it broad enough to move forward into the next draft.

By no means discounting the ideas of further organizational objectives, which may be where they are best addressed. I think the keywords at play are empower, enhance, and freedom to use.

I allowed myself the liberty of adding freedom for consideration.

Also, I would like to propose that the next draft be posted under the updated heading of CASAA to avoid any confusion relative to ECO.


That said, more discussion is better than none, so please continue....

 

[Mister]

I still worry about this. As it stands:

"defend the consumer's right to choose an alternative"

I think that clearly implies the following:

1) CASAA has nothing to do with e-cigs as long as consumer's are able to choose them. If there's no threat to that ability, CASAA's mission leaves it with nothing further to do regarding vaping.

2) If a potential ban on chewing tobacco comes along, it is time for CASAA to take action.

Kamanjah: I don't think that choice and use are entirely separate things. I think that the "ability to choose" is a subset of the "ability to use". One can't "use" an alternative if one is not able to also choose it, so choosing is automatically included by "use". But if the word "choose" is used, that implies that CASAA's mission ends once choosing is possible. I'd like CASAA to go further than the political/legal battle. For example I'd like CASAA to begin the establishment of standards for manufacturers and suppliers. That goes beyond "choose" into "use". It even goes a bit beyond "use" which is why I'd like to add the word "effective" in front of alternatives.

 

[Mister]

If the word "empower" isn't appealing as the principal verb (vs. "defend"), another possibility would be "support". E.g.

The mission of The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) is to support consumer use of effective alternatives to smoking.

 

[Kamanjah]

To choose and to use are different, however to choose implies to use after choosing. To use doesn't always imply choice.

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[mtndude]

handed off the draft.... now back to the discussion.


A consumer is a user, i think... So, even if it were "uphold consumer's rights", wouldn't that be sufficiently broad?

I understand that we need to creatively choose our wording so that they, at least, imply PV. I'm still all for the active verbs, but I know there has to be a way to tie them closely with personal vaporizers while not totally abandoning other alternatives.

+smoking replacement..... didn't get much traction with the word therapy attached, but I'm liking the idea

 

[webtaxman]

Just start picking parts, and state the opposite.
​

ASH's Mission Statement, Goals, and Mottos

[SIZE=+1]ASH's MOTTOS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]
[/SIZE]
THE LEGAL ACTION ARM OF THE ANTISMOKING COMMUNITY
LEGAL ACTION AND EDUCATION ON THE HAZARDS OF SMOKING;

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE NONSMOKING MAJORITY


[SIZE=+1]ASH's GOALS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]
[/SIZE]
TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF NONSMOKERS

TO REDUCE THE NEEDLESS TOLL OF SMOKING

TO EDUCATE, ENCOURAGE, AND ASSIST SMOKERS TO QUIT

[SIZE=+1]ASH's MISSION STATEMENT[/SIZE]​

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a national legal-action organization solely devoted to the many problems of smoking. For more than 36 years ASH has served as the legal-action arm of the antismoking community.​

​

​

ASH's mission is to:


* protect nonsmokers from the clearly-established dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke;


* reduce the deadly toll of smoking by banning the advertising and promotion of cigarettes, and by keeping them out of the hands of children;


* force those who use or profit from tobacco to pay the enormous costs of smoking which are now borne largely by nonsmokers;


* end all government support of the tobacco industry;


* serve as a clearinghouse of information and ideas for all people concerned about smoking, both here and abroad.


​

 

[Webby]

Is there an attorney reviewing any of this?

Three of my clients are corporate attorney firms, and all have offered to look it over for us once we have the LLC worked out. I’m sure monies will have to paid for any of them to file it for us, but their cumulative (and independent of each other) advice will make sure the final product is ready for prime time when submitted.

Once the 501(c) filing is made, I don't think the basic reason for the group can be changed. Don't know that though.

Yes and no – we do have to include what the entity will be doing, planning to accomplish, etc. before we can file. That’s why it is so important we keep moving forward.

The whole non-profit thing is pretty complicated when you get down to the nuts and bolts of it all. Depending on which designation (several choices under 501, don't remember them offhand) we file for, certain activities fall outside of the 'allowed activities.' One type of 501 cannot lobby. Other types can't do other things. It's been several years since I worked on a 501 filing.

I believe you’re talking about a Political organization. A political organization is a party, committee, association, fund, or other organization (whether or not incorporated) organized and operated primarily for the purpose of directly or indirectly accepting contributions or making expenditures, or both, for an exempt function. An exempt function means influencing or attempting to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of any individual to any federal, state, local public office or office in a political organization, or the election of the Presidential or Vice Presidential electors, whether or not such individual or electors are selected, nominated, elected, or appointed. It also includes certain office expenses of a holder of public office or an office in a political organization.

While we certainly hope to influence public opinion, we aren’t endorsing a particular candidate or assuming the role of PAC per say – our goals are broader than that.

I also hope that through this open forum vetting process, we can establish a consensus that everyone can get behind. Whatever the final documents, making concessions along the way will ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. IN the end, we have to all band together to actually DO the things we’re proposing or we’re just another group of armchair quarterbacks.

 

[Kamanjah]

Webby, like I said, it's been a while. I don't even remember how many subsets of 501 (non-profit corps) there are. Sounds like you've got lots of support where you need it! As long as the ducks are all in a row, we're good!

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