This is the first time I've ever wished I could be at one of these meetings! I live in NC so that would be a push to get there, lol. I am sending you guys good thoughts and prayers though!
Illinois Bill sb3174
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FYI...
According to Sunday, 4/4/10, Chicago Tribune article titled "State hopes to snuff out e-cigarette sales"
"Though the measure would prevent convenience stores, tobacco shops and mall kiosks from selling e-cigarettes, there's no way to stop smokers from buying them online."
According to Sunday, 4/4/10, Chicago Tribune article titled "State hopes to snuff out e-cigarette sales"
"Though the measure would prevent convenience stores, tobacco shops and mall kiosks from selling e-cigarettes, there's no way to stop smokers from buying them online."
- Apr 2, 2009
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Legislation (SB 3174) that would ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in Illinois is scheduled to be considered by the IL House Human Services Committee this morning (Wednesday, April 14). Please contact committee members NOW (contact information, and the Midwest Vapers Group press release and letter are below). Sorry for cross posting, but this is important.
Illinois House Human Service Committee
Representative Naomi D. Jakobsson, Chair
Illinois House Human Services Committee
257-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-558-1009
FAX 217-557-7680
naomi@naomijakobsson.com
Representative Patricia R. Bellock
Illinois House Human Services Committee
227-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-1448
FAX 217-782-2289
rep@pbellock.com
Representative Constance A. Howard
Illinois House Human Services Committee
270-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-6476
FAX 217-782-0952
howardca@ilga.gov
Represenative Sandy Cole
Illinois House Human Services Committee
208 N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-7320
FAX 217-782-1275
representativesandycole@comcast.net
Representative Annazette Collins
Illinois House Human Services Committee
262-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-8077
FAX 217-557-7643
collinsar@ilga.gov
Representative Timothy L. Schmitz
Illinois House Human Services Committee
224-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-5457
FAX 217-782-1138
info@timschmitz.org
Representative Mary E. Flowers
Illinois House Human Services Committee
251-E Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-4207
FAX 217-782-1130
flowersme@ilga.gov
- - -
NEWS Release Tuesday, April 13, 2010
contact: Julie Woessner, JD julie.woessner@gmail.com
919-698-7931
or
Patricia Clewell srmosaics@earthlink.net
314-504-4022
Consumer Health Advocates Decry Proposed Ban of Electronic Cigarettes in Illinois
A group of Midwesterners who quit smoking by switching to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have urged Illinois lawmakers to reject a proposal (SB 3174) to ban sales of these novel products they say saved their lives.
In letters to the Illinois House Human Services Committee, the Midwest Vapers Group explained how they and hundreds of thousands of others have stopped smoking cigarettes by switching to e-cigarettes (also called nicotine vaporizers), which look like cigarettes but emit no harmful smoke.
Julie Woessner, a member of the group and a retired attorney, said: “It makes no sense to keep cigarettes legal, while banning these far less hazardous smokefree alternatives. This bill would force thousands of Illinois adults to either go back to smoking, or to buy e-cigarettes from a newly created black market.”
The American Association of Public Health Physicians has stated that electronic cigarettes “could save the lives of 4 million of the 8 million current adult American smokers who will otherwise die of a tobacco-related illness over the next 20 years."
Dr. Michael Siegel, professor at Boston University School of Public Health and a longtime anti-smoking advocate, posted on his blog about the IL bill sponsored by Sen. Mattie Hunter’s proposal: “To take electronic cigarettes off the market is to deny smokers a much safer alternative that is likely saving lives and improving the public health.” “That such a bill was sponsored by the vice-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee suggests that she simply has not taken the time to properly study the issue of electronic cigarettes,” wrote Siegel.
Another member of the Midwest Vapers Group, Patricia Clewell, said: “The solution is to amend the bill to ban e-cigarette sales to minors, just like other tobacco products. Depriving adult smokers of less hazardous alternatives is cruel and unusual punishment, and it protects the cigarette industry.”
The group is going to Springfield tomorrow to talk with lawmakers, who are considering the legislation.
# # #
Midwest Vapers Group
416 Clark Avenue • St. Louis, MO 63119 • (314) 504-4022
Info@MidwestVapersGroup.org
April 6, 2010
Representative Naomi D. Jakobsson
Human Services Committee
257-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
Re: Opposition to SB3174 (Tobacco Accessories) bill to ban electronic cigarettes
Dear Representative Jakobsson:
We strongly urge you to oppose SB 3174 as currently drafted. Instead of benefiting the public health, this bill would force many of our members (and thousands of others) to return to smoking cigarettes or to travel across state lines to buy electronic cigarettes from a newly created illicit market.
Midwest Vapers Group is a consumer-advocacy group comprised entirely of volunteers to support “vapers” (people who use electronic cigarettes) and to inform the public, health professionals, and legislators about the device. We are concerned consumers, and we are not affiliated with any e-cigarette business. Our members and the tens of thousands of Illinois consumers we represent have recently quit smoking or have sharply reduced cigarette consumption by switching to smoke-free electronic cigarettes.
Recently referred to the Human Services Committee, SB 3174 would ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in Illinois. While we strongly support banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors (as no tobacco product should be marketed to children), adult tobacco consumers have a right to buy less hazardous alternatives to cigarettes. As such, we urge you to amend SB 3174 to only ban e-cigarette sales to minors.
Similar bills were recently proposed and defeated in California, Utah, and Maryland. As of this writing, no state has banned the sale of electronic cigarettes (or any other tobacco product) to adult consumers. In January, a federal judge ruled that the FDA cannot classify e-cigarettes as drugs or devices, but rather can only regulate them as tobacco products. Thus, any state law is premature and would cause litigation. SB 3174 also would impose unnecessary costs on Illinois taxpayers for enforcement and adjudication.
Leading public health experts, such as the American Association of Public Health Physicians, and anti-smoking advocates, such as Smokefree Pennsylvania, are strong proponents of the electronic cigarette as a far less hazardous alternative to smoking. Simply stated, electronic cigarettes pose no known harm to users or bystanders.
We would like to arrange a meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter further, provide more information (attached is a Fact Sheet), and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to meeting with you soon.
Sincerely,
Patricia Clewell and Julie Woessner
Midwest Vapers Group
Illinois House Human Service Committee
Representative Naomi D. Jakobsson, Chair
Illinois House Human Services Committee
257-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-558-1009
FAX 217-557-7680
naomi@naomijakobsson.com
Representative Patricia R. Bellock
Illinois House Human Services Committee
227-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-1448
FAX 217-782-2289
rep@pbellock.com
Representative Constance A. Howard
Illinois House Human Services Committee
270-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-6476
FAX 217-782-0952
howardca@ilga.gov
Represenative Sandy Cole
Illinois House Human Services Committee
208 N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-7320
FAX 217-782-1275
representativesandycole@comcast.net
Representative Annazette Collins
Illinois House Human Services Committee
262-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-8077
FAX 217-557-7643
collinsar@ilga.gov
Representative Timothy L. Schmitz
Illinois House Human Services Committee
224-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-5457
FAX 217-782-1138
info@timschmitz.org
Representative Mary E. Flowers
Illinois House Human Services Committee
251-E Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-4207
FAX 217-782-1130
flowersme@ilga.gov
- - -
NEWS Release Tuesday, April 13, 2010
contact: Julie Woessner, JD julie.woessner@gmail.com
919-698-7931
or
Patricia Clewell srmosaics@earthlink.net
314-504-4022
Consumer Health Advocates Decry Proposed Ban of Electronic Cigarettes in Illinois
A group of Midwesterners who quit smoking by switching to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have urged Illinois lawmakers to reject a proposal (SB 3174) to ban sales of these novel products they say saved their lives.
In letters to the Illinois House Human Services Committee, the Midwest Vapers Group explained how they and hundreds of thousands of others have stopped smoking cigarettes by switching to e-cigarettes (also called nicotine vaporizers), which look like cigarettes but emit no harmful smoke.
Julie Woessner, a member of the group and a retired attorney, said: “It makes no sense to keep cigarettes legal, while banning these far less hazardous smokefree alternatives. This bill would force thousands of Illinois adults to either go back to smoking, or to buy e-cigarettes from a newly created black market.”
The American Association of Public Health Physicians has stated that electronic cigarettes “could save the lives of 4 million of the 8 million current adult American smokers who will otherwise die of a tobacco-related illness over the next 20 years."
Dr. Michael Siegel, professor at Boston University School of Public Health and a longtime anti-smoking advocate, posted on his blog about the IL bill sponsored by Sen. Mattie Hunter’s proposal: “To take electronic cigarettes off the market is to deny smokers a much safer alternative that is likely saving lives and improving the public health.” “That such a bill was sponsored by the vice-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee suggests that she simply has not taken the time to properly study the issue of electronic cigarettes,” wrote Siegel.
Another member of the Midwest Vapers Group, Patricia Clewell, said: “The solution is to amend the bill to ban e-cigarette sales to minors, just like other tobacco products. Depriving adult smokers of less hazardous alternatives is cruel and unusual punishment, and it protects the cigarette industry.”
The group is going to Springfield tomorrow to talk with lawmakers, who are considering the legislation.
# # #
Midwest Vapers Group
416 Clark Avenue • St. Louis, MO 63119 • (314) 504-4022
Info@MidwestVapersGroup.org
April 6, 2010
Representative Naomi D. Jakobsson
Human Services Committee
257-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
Re: Opposition to SB3174 (Tobacco Accessories) bill to ban electronic cigarettes
Dear Representative Jakobsson:
We strongly urge you to oppose SB 3174 as currently drafted. Instead of benefiting the public health, this bill would force many of our members (and thousands of others) to return to smoking cigarettes or to travel across state lines to buy electronic cigarettes from a newly created illicit market.
Midwest Vapers Group is a consumer-advocacy group comprised entirely of volunteers to support “vapers” (people who use electronic cigarettes) and to inform the public, health professionals, and legislators about the device. We are concerned consumers, and we are not affiliated with any e-cigarette business. Our members and the tens of thousands of Illinois consumers we represent have recently quit smoking or have sharply reduced cigarette consumption by switching to smoke-free electronic cigarettes.
Recently referred to the Human Services Committee, SB 3174 would ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in Illinois. While we strongly support banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors (as no tobacco product should be marketed to children), adult tobacco consumers have a right to buy less hazardous alternatives to cigarettes. As such, we urge you to amend SB 3174 to only ban e-cigarette sales to minors.
Similar bills were recently proposed and defeated in California, Utah, and Maryland. As of this writing, no state has banned the sale of electronic cigarettes (or any other tobacco product) to adult consumers. In January, a federal judge ruled that the FDA cannot classify e-cigarettes as drugs or devices, but rather can only regulate them as tobacco products. Thus, any state law is premature and would cause litigation. SB 3174 also would impose unnecessary costs on Illinois taxpayers for enforcement and adjudication.
Leading public health experts, such as the American Association of Public Health Physicians, and anti-smoking advocates, such as Smokefree Pennsylvania, are strong proponents of the electronic cigarette as a far less hazardous alternative to smoking. Simply stated, electronic cigarettes pose no known harm to users or bystanders.
We would like to arrange a meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter further, provide more information (attached is a Fact Sheet), and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to meeting with you soon.
Sincerely,
Patricia Clewell and Julie Woessner
Midwest Vapers Group
I have heard from Terri from cignot---supposedly the hearing went well---will know more later. If you have heard more, please share!
Thanks for the update rottmommie! Thanks to all who are working to stop the insanity!
Vote on electronic cigarettes ban postponed in Ill. House committee | Political Fix | STLtoday
BURN THOSE PHONE LINES UP LADIES AND GENTS!! IT'S BEEN POSTPONED FOR A WEEK!!
Here is another link, they need 1000 signatures! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/e-cigarette-support
Please sign this, regardless of your location!
BURN THOSE PHONE LINES UP LADIES AND GENTS!! IT'S BEEN POSTPONED FOR A WEEK!!
Here is another link, they need 1000 signatures! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/e-cigarette-support
Please sign this, regardless of your location!
Julie and company did great!!!! It was a blast meeting up with them. While we weren't able to get the bill killed, representatives of Illinois listened to our side and didn't act on it. Fights not over. They will try again next week!!! We will all be there again. We need more Illinois residents to step up and help. I'm sure once Julie gets back home, she will update everyone. But Illinois residents needs to step up for sure!!!! Now theres a weeks notice, the next turnout should be much better!!!
The Illinois vapers contingent did an awesome job! The committee refused to vote on the bill until they get more information. And they made the news! Vote on electronic cigarettes ban postponed in Ill. House committee | Political Fix | STLtoday
Hopefuly, JustJulie will come by and fill us in on some of the details - they have some great stories! They called me after the meeting and sounded pumped, excited and hopeful!
The job is not done yet - there is another meeting next week. And then we have to take our fight to New York!!
Hopefuly, JustJulie will come by and fill us in on some of the details - they have some great stories! They called me after the meeting and sounded pumped, excited and hopeful!
The job is not done yet - there is another meeting next week. And then we have to take our fight to New York!!
Sorry--I'm kind of pushed for time, so I'm basically doing the unforgivable . . . a copy and paste job of a post I made in the CASAA subforum. 
Illinois vapers totally rock.
On incredibly short notice, they turned out in force. Frankly, I would have been thrilled to see 5 Illinois vapers . . . I think we had to have at least 20 warm bodies there. Amazing. We even had our beloved Vicks travel all the way from behind the Cheddar Curtain to support her fellow midwestern vapers.
I'm too tired to give the Illinois folks the eloquent tribute they so richly deserve, and I hope y'all will forgive me for this post being far, far too short.
The vapers were respectful, focused, and passionate. I can't even begin to tell you how proud I was to be a part of that group. When the head of the Committee read the names of the witnesses into the record, it was so powerful to hear name, after name, after name, after name listed as an opponent to the bill. I honestly don't think any state has managed to have so many of its vapers turn out to stand up and be counted.
The testimony given raised enough doubt in the minds of Committee members that serious, probing questions were raised, questions that they quite correctly wanted answered before proceeding with the bill. The Committee members kept an open mind and obviously listened to the testimony . . . and refused to rubber stamp the bill.
What made this all the more inspiring is that the Committee's refusal to rubber stamp came in spite of the fact that Kathy Drea (the paid lobbyist of the American Lung Association, and apparently also the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society since she dropped their names as well) was present and spoke on why adults in Illinois should be denied the right to purchase e-cigarettes. I'm not going to comment too much on her testimony right now because frankly I'm too tired to even pretend to try to understand why charities who are ostensibly organized to protect and promote the public health could manage to argue with a straight face that e-cigarettes should be banned while tobacco cigarettes--the kind we KNOW are DEADLY--remain on the market.
And it wasn't just the folks in the room who were instrumental in this effort . . . all the letters, faxes, and phone calls of vapers who made their views known made a huge difference. All together, it was a perfect storm of passionate advocacy, and the Committee listened.
This is far from over. We hope that the end result will that this ill-conceived and unconscionable bill will either die in committee or be amended to prohibit sales to minors but not adults. We'll let folks know as more information becomes available and we'll continue to share information on how people can be involved and make a difference.
A HUGE thank you to the various advocacy groups and forums that pulled together to help inform, organize and empower Illinois vapers.
Illinois vapers totally rock.
On incredibly short notice, they turned out in force. Frankly, I would have been thrilled to see 5 Illinois vapers . . . I think we had to have at least 20 warm bodies there. Amazing. We even had our beloved Vicks travel all the way from behind the Cheddar Curtain to support her fellow midwestern vapers.
I'm too tired to give the Illinois folks the eloquent tribute they so richly deserve, and I hope y'all will forgive me for this post being far, far too short.
The vapers were respectful, focused, and passionate. I can't even begin to tell you how proud I was to be a part of that group. When the head of the Committee read the names of the witnesses into the record, it was so powerful to hear name, after name, after name, after name listed as an opponent to the bill. I honestly don't think any state has managed to have so many of its vapers turn out to stand up and be counted.
The testimony given raised enough doubt in the minds of Committee members that serious, probing questions were raised, questions that they quite correctly wanted answered before proceeding with the bill. The Committee members kept an open mind and obviously listened to the testimony . . . and refused to rubber stamp the bill.
What made this all the more inspiring is that the Committee's refusal to rubber stamp came in spite of the fact that Kathy Drea (the paid lobbyist of the American Lung Association, and apparently also the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society since she dropped their names as well) was present and spoke on why adults in Illinois should be denied the right to purchase e-cigarettes. I'm not going to comment too much on her testimony right now because frankly I'm too tired to even pretend to try to understand why charities who are ostensibly organized to protect and promote the public health could manage to argue with a straight face that e-cigarettes should be banned while tobacco cigarettes--the kind we KNOW are DEADLY--remain on the market.
And it wasn't just the folks in the room who were instrumental in this effort . . . all the letters, faxes, and phone calls of vapers who made their views known made a huge difference. All together, it was a perfect storm of passionate advocacy, and the Committee listened.
This is far from over. We hope that the end result will that this ill-conceived and unconscionable bill will either die in committee or be amended to prohibit sales to minors but not adults. We'll let folks know as more information becomes available and we'll continue to share information on how people can be involved and make a difference.
A HUGE thank you to the various advocacy groups and forums that pulled together to help inform, organize and empower Illinois vapers.
Yeah for the Illinois Vapers! Your neighbors to the East are proud of you! I sent my opinion to them but wasn't sure how much this Hoosiers voice mattered to them.
Your neighbors to the East are proud of you! I sent my opinion to them but wasn't sure how much this Hoosiers voice mattered to them.
Hey, this is great news!! I'm glad things went so well, and grateful to all those who were there and worked on this!!
Is it scheduled for next week? Which day?
I want to take the day off and drive up (which I just couldn't do this week) but I need to schedule it quickly.
Thanks!
Jan
I want to take the day off and drive up (which I just couldn't do this week) but I need to schedule it quickly.
Thanks!
Jan
I know it's frustrating, but the answer is that at this point, we just don't know.
The Committee asked the main House sponsor, Rep. Colvin, to come back next week to provide additional information. Nothing is scheduled yet--no further hearings appear to be on the calendar for the House Human Services Commission at this moment, and there is nothing in particular on SB 3174 being noted on the website. Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB3174
Right now, there is no hearing officially scheduled, although we will, of course, be checking the website and calling Rep. Colvin's office every day to see if and when that changes . . . and when it does, we'll post a new thread notifying folks of all the details.
Several things could happen.
First, it is possible that Rep. Colvin, recognizing that the votes simply aren't there, will drop the matter and not schedule another hearing before the Human Services Committee. In such a case, the bill would die in Committee.
Second, it is possible that Rep. Colvin, feeling there is support for a ban on the sale to minors, will schedule another hearing and offer an amended bill for the Committee's consideration.
Third, it is possible that Rep. Colvin will ignore good sense, will continue to push ahead with this wrong-headed course of action, and will schedule a hearing and continue to argue that Illinois residents should be effectively denied the right to purchase e-cigarettes.
I appreciate the difficulty and burden all this last minute stuff places on vapers who want to make plans to attend.
In the meanwhile, I personally think that respectful, passionate letters and phone calls opposing SB 3174 as currently drafted (and supporting a ban on the sale to minors) should continue to be sent to the members of the House's Human Services Committee.ThankYou JustJulie for all your work and for posting after your long day. All of us who couldn't make it appreciate your work. As soon as somebody finds out what day next week let us know. Some of us have to plan a little ahead to take a day off.
Again, Thank You
Mary
Again, Thank You
Mary
You rocked it out Julie!!! We were proud to help!!!
I think you've got it backwards . . . we were there to help YOU.
Illinois vapers should take credit due for some pretty darned effective work. For too long, we've been expecting advocacy groups will do the heavy lifting and will take care of everything, but without the support of local vapers, advocacy groups are powerless. When the names of the witnesses opposing the bill were read, many listed one or more group affiliations, including (among others) CASAA, Vapers Coalition, and Midwest Vapers Group. THAT is what gave us credibility, the fact that people were out in the audience actively supporting their advocacy groups.
I have absolutely no doubt that if the Illinois vapers hadn't turned out in force to support this effort, we would have been dead in the water.
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