Infuriating email reply from King Co BoH chair

[esdel]

OK so I emailed the King Co BoH members and just got this reply from Board chair Julia Patterson. I almost gagged at all the BS. Notice how she refers to e-cigs as "black market products." I'm so mad right now, it's going to take me hours to even begin to formulate a good reply. If anybody wants to email her directly, it's julia.patterson@kingcounty.gov

Dear Mr. D----,


Thank you for your email regarding the recently adopted e-cigarette regulations. As Chair of the Board of Health, I carefully reviewed the proposal and am confident that the unanimous Board decision is in the best interest of the public.

I support efforts to discourage youth from using nicotine devices such as e-cigarettes. In a recent test in Spokane County, 28 of 31 attempts to purchase e-cigarettes by minors were successful. These devices are sold in convenience stores and mall kiosks and come in candy flavors, making them even more tempting for youth. The FDA has warned that e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead youth to try conventional tobacco products. The new regulations ban the sale of these devices to youth under 18 in an attempt to discourage nicotine use.

The new regulations do not ban the adult use of e-cigarettes in King County. Instead, the regulations:


· restrict the sales of e-cigarettes or any other unapproved nicotine delivery devices only to people 18 and older;

• prohibit free or highly discounted electronic smoking devices or unapproved nicotine delivery products;
• prohibit the use of e-cigarette devices in places where smoking is prohibited by law.

The new regulations also prohibit the use of e-cigarette devices in places where smoking is prohibited by law. E-cigarettes are virtually indistinguishable from the use of traditional tobacco products in public, increasing the likelihood that people will break the law by lighting up cigarettes because they see what appears to be someone smoking. This results in more people being exposed to secondhand smoke, which the Surgeon General recently announced has immediate health impacts. Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cardiovascular disease and could trigger acute cardiac events, such as heart attack.

The Board of Health convened a Tobacco Policy committee in June 2010 to review the evidence and develop new tobacco policies that respond to current policy opportunities and disparities in King County. The recent e-cigarette regulations were endorsed by the committee members.
There are many unanswered questions about the safety of these unregulated, black market e-cigarette products. The Board of Health took a reasonable step to protect youth in King County while federal authorities continue to look into these products.

Thank you again for your email. Please feel free to contact me with additional questions regarding this or any other matter in King County.

Sincerely,
King County Councilmember Julia Patterson – District 5

 

[Chasm]

OK so I emailed the King Co BoH members and just got this reply from Board chair Julia Patterson. I almost gagged at all the BS. Notice how she refers to e-cigs as "black market products." I'm so mad right now, it's going to take me hours to even begin to formulate a good reply. If anybody wants to email her directly, it's julia.patterson@kingcounty.gov

Dear Mr. D----,


Thank you for your email regarding the recently adopted e-cigarette regulations. As Chair of the Board of Health, I carefully reviewed the proposal and am confident that the unanimous Board decision is in the best interest of the public.

I support efforts to discourage youth from using nicotine devices such as e-cigarettes. In a recent test in Spokane County, 28 of 31 attempts to purchase e-cigarettes by minors were successful. These devices are sold in convenience stores and mall kiosks and come in candy flavors, making them even more tempting for youth. The FDA has warned that e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead youth to try conventional tobacco products. The new regulations ban the sale of these devices to youth under 18 in an attempt to discourage nicotine use.

The new regulations do not ban the adult use of e-cigarettes in King County. Instead, the regulations:


· restrict the sales of e-cigarettes or any other unapproved nicotine delivery devices only to people 18 and older;

• prohibit free or highly discounted electronic smoking devices or unapproved nicotine delivery products;
• prohibit the use of e-cigarette devices in places where smoking is prohibited by law.

The new regulations also prohibit the use of e-cigarette devices in places where smoking is prohibited by law. E-cigarettes are virtually indistinguishable from the use of traditional tobacco products in public, increasing the likelihood that people will break the law by lighting up cigarettes because they see what appears to be someone smoking. This results in more people being exposed to secondhand smoke, which the Surgeon General recently announced has immediate health impacts. Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cardiovascular disease and could trigger acute cardiac events, such as heart attack.

The Board of Health convened a Tobacco Policy committee in June 2010 to review the evidence and develop new tobacco policies that respond to current policy opportunities and disparities in King County. The recent e-cigarette regulations were endorsed by the committee members.
There are many unanswered questions about the safety of these unregulated, black market e-cigarette products. The Board of Health took a reasonable step to protect youth in King County while federal authorities continue to look into these products.

Thank you again for your email. Please feel free to contact me with additional questions regarding this or any other matter in King County.

Sincerely,
King County Councilmember Julia Patterson – District 5

I have not, in my 63+ years of life on this planet, ever seen or heard of a 'cardiac event' triggered by exposure to SHS, and I suspect that no one else ever has either, outside of propaganda spread by anti-smoking nazis.

In fact the only cardiac death I am personally aware of happened to my wifes' uncle. It was sudden and massive. It occurred while he was playing golf. He was a non-smoker. And there was no suggestion whatsoever that it had anything to do with SHS, be it 'brief' or otherwise.

Also, please inform Ms. Patterson that:
1. e-cigs are not currently black-market goods, not even in the state of Washington.
2. e-cigs don't produce 1st hand smoke let alone the 2nd-hand kind
3. children, even hers, are not being targeted by e-cig salesman
4. she is either extremely gullible or extremely dishonest.

 

[esdel]

I have not, in my 63+ years of life on this planet, ever seen or heard of a 'cardiac event' triggered by exposure to SHS, and I suspect that no one else ever has either, outside of propaganda spread by anti-smoking nazis.

In fact the only cardiac death I am personally aware of happened to my wifes' uncle. It was sudden and massive. It occurred while he was playing golf. He was a non-smoker. And there was no suggestion whatsoever that it had anything to do with SHS, be it 'brief' or otherwise.

Also, please inform Ms. Patterson that e-cigs are not currently black-market goods, not even in the state of Washington.

Well, this is the same woman who said that e-cigs "are used to entice people, especially children, to take up smoking."

 

[Sainted_S]

You know I have a good idea. How about instead of banning ecigs, miss priss goes to all the movie theatres and puts a blanket ban on movies that glamorize smoking and why stop at that, how about block out channels where the television shows do the same thing while she's at it. This kind of policy is sheer ignorance and is going to cost people lives.

 

[cosmic charlie]

There is a reason we moved out of King county and WA years ago

 

[Petrodus]

There is a reason we moved out of King county and WA years ago

Glad I don't live in King County.

Oh by the way (your avatar)...Nice Hat

 

[pianoguy]

I have no problem with them prohibiting sales to minors. The rest of it is straight out of "1984".

 

[hiram13pm]

Might want to consider leaving Washington State for greener pastures. The United States might be a viable alternative.

 

[Demoness]

"In a recent test in Spokane County, 28 of 31 attempts to purchase e-cigarettes by minors were successful." Taken from above.
Technically speaking- isn't this the result of the SELLERS not checking I.D.? The product should not be held accountable- the retailer should be!
It still somewhat amazes me how many ...... are in places of power. I know it shouldn't- but it does :/ I know I shouldn't call names- but if the shoe fits......

 

[esdel]

"In a recent test in Spokane County, 28 of 31 attempts to purchase e-cigarettes by minors were successful." Taken from above.
Technically speaking- isn't this the result of the SELLERS not checking I.D.? The product should not be held accountable- the retailer should be!
It still somewhat amazes me how many ...... are in places of power. I know it shouldn't- but it does :/ I know I shouldn't call names- but if the shoe fits......

Wonder how many minors were able to buy REAL cigs in Spokane County. Wonder how many were able to buy booze.

 

[Demoness]

Wonder how many minors were able to buy REAL cigs in Spokane County. Wonder how many were able to buy booze.

I wondered the same thing!

 

[esdel]

I wondered the same thing!

And I still say, what does any of this have to do with vaping in public?

 

[Demoness]

I look at it this way- if a kid wants to smoke- they are going to smoke. They all find ways around the laws- I know I did- so I would rather my child be on e-cigs rather than regular cigs. Of course I would rather neither one of them smoke anything, but if they are going to, I want them to take the healthier choice.

 

[esdel]

I look at it this way- if a kid wants to smoke- they are going to smoke. They all find ways around the laws- I know I did- so I would rather my child be on e-cigs rather than regular cigs. Of course I would rather neither one of them smoke anything, but if they are going to, I want them to take the healthier choice.

No, see, if your kids are seduced into buying e-cigs because of the candy flavors, that will lead them to try regular cigs, which, as we all know, taste delicious.

 

[Demoness]

And I still say, what does any of this have to do with vaping in public?

hahaha- they have to have some kind of "excuse"

 

[Demoness]

No, see, if your kids are seduced into buying e-cigs because of the candy flavors, that will lead them to try regular cigs, which, as we all know, taste delicious.

Oh ya- they taste marvelous! I slipped up Sunday morning and had 1 analog- needless to say about 2 or 3 puffs in I made a face that my hubby laughed at because it tasted so gross! Ever since that 1 slip up- that "craving" has diminished to almost nothing. (Sorry- a little off topic there)

 

[cosmic charlie]

Oh by the way (your avatar)...Nice Hat[/QUOTE]

Thanks it keeps the rain off

 

[cosmic charlie]

I grew up in Redmond WA (king county) and it was not illegal for a minor to smoke it was illegal to sell tobacco or provide tobacco to minors when we moved to Boise ID I got several smoking tickets from the police stationed at the high school I attended because it is illegal for a minor to possess tobacco, it still didn't keep me or many other kids from smoking. Now that I have children approaching their teen years I am more concerned about their access to drugs you don't have to show ID for on the playground

 

[rayneinspain]

There is a reason we moved out of King county and WA years ago

I know exactly what you mean. My mom still lives out there and keeps me up to date on the latest misery play-by-plays.

Our family went back to visit last year after only a 2-year absence (I was a native of 40+ yrs)...it was like being in a foreign land, and for two weeks I felt like a leper for being a smoker at the time. Also noticed many unrelated people suffering the same level of resignation and woeful acceptance that their rights were being whittled away.

Beautiful (and expensive) place being ruined as fast as possible by imbecilic, paranoid loons.

 

[Dob_Bobolina]

Yeah, I guess we could expect this though, typical government. Like someone else said, I am all for making sure its not sold to anyone under 18, other than that, this seems like a pretty unfair deal. The verbiage is enraging though... reminds me of that evil school teacher in the Harry Potter movies.