Letter to SC House member re ban

[dagnagan]

I have to post this here because I'm still "new." Can somebody maybe copy it to the proper forums - SC and Law?


This is a letter I mailed to my representative on Friday:
　
The Hon. [ ]
South Carolina House of Representatives
432C Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, 29201
　
Dear Rep. []:

I would like to draw your attention to prefiled House Bill 3109, which would prohibit the use of "electronic cigarettes" in any place where smoking tobacco is prohibited.

The electronic cigarette or personal vaporizer is a device that can simulate the act of smoking by producing a vapor. It is not tobacco smoke, and there is no evidence that it poses any hazard to the user or anyone else.

There is information available to counter the claims of the FDA and ASH that personal vaporizers are harmful to anyone. Please take the time to investigate this issue.

I have enclosed two reports, one on testing of the electronic cigarette vapor, which I abridged, and another from the Association of Public Health Physicians. Both are available on the internet.

My personal interest in this matter arises from the fact that five months ago, after 52 years of smoking, I picked up a personal vaporizer and have had no desire to smoke since. Three other smokers who saw my vaporizer and asked about it are now former smokers. The effort to ban these devices will adversely affect the health of citizens who will continue to smoke because they are denied this much safer, effective alternative to tobacco.

Please ask sponsors of this bill to provide actual scientific evidence of any harm caused by these devices - not the FDA's careless, flawed "analysis," or the outright falsehoods promulgated by ASH. I would be very surprised if they are able to find any.
　
Thank you for your attention,
　
　

 

[sweetblackkitten]

just post a few more times, and your count will be high enough to post anywhere...

 

[Scootypuff]

Very well written letter, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves. Did you snail-mail it or email it? For whatever reason, snail-mail is purportedly better for getting noticed.

 

[dagnagan]

I snail-mailed it, with copies of the two reports mentioned, and highlighted the parts about no harm from second-hand vapor. It helped just to get it out of my system - its driving me NUTS that people are trusting the "information" they get from ASH and their ilk.

 

[drew_devereaux]

I live in Savannah. The city banned smoking in bars as of Jan 1, 2011. It also banned e-cigs. Part of the problem is the name. We need to quit calling them anything that sounds like cigs. Your letter is great. I'd suggest contacting a reporter. It would make a great story profiling ex-smokers who quit using PVs. The media is how to get politicians' attention. I wish I'd done that here in Savannah, but I didn't quit smoking myself until 12/30/10 and didn't start vaping until a few days ago. Good luck!

 

[scinsc]

Thank you Dagnagan great letter. We all need to step up to the plate. Here is mine:

January 23, 2011

The Honorable []
P.O. Box 11867
Columbia, SC 29211

Dear Rep. [],
Thank you for your reply to my email.

I hate to admit this but I smoked for over 40 years. I tried to quit dozens of times with just about every method possible. Nothing could break my addiction...that is until I found electronic cigarettes. That was April 4,2010 and I have not had a cigarette since that day. As you can imagine I consider this device a Godsend and I am sure my life will be better because of it.

I want you to understand that I did a great deal of research before I bought my PV (I prefer the term personal vaporizer or PV). One of the things that convinced me to try this was;

“There is substantial and compelling scientific research documenting that consuming the ingredients in ecigarettes (nicotine, propylene glycol, water and flavors) is vastly safer than burning tobacco and inhaling 3000+ toxic by-products. Claiming that e-cigarettes are dangerous for non-smokers is about as credible as claiming that air travel is dangerous for people who never set foot in an airplane.”
— Dr. Brad Rodu, Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville.

I was convinced that all I had to loose was $50.00 (about the cost of a carton of cigarettes) for a starter kit. Obviously I think it is the best decision I have ever made for my health and all of my doctors agree. I have not been shy with them and actively seek their opinion and advice. I continue my research and so far I am convinced that this product should be encouraged and not restricted.

I have to say that I was perplexed to read that you were not aware that electronic cigarettes were part of Bill H. 3109. I am happy that you have seen that a mistake was made and that you have an open mind on the subject. I hope that after you have seen all sides of the evidence that you will be an advocate for this remarkable product. I am also attaching an opinion from the Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia.


I would appreciate an opportunity to speak with you and any of your colleagues on this subject.

 

[dormouse]

dagnagan - just reply here one more time to get your post count to 5 and wait about an hour, then you can post anywhere on the forum.

 

[mauzey]

That is a good note, Two things: look into joining CASAA, and send your letter to the editor of your local papers, it may get some attention there as well.

Thanks,
Jeff~

 

[WomanOfHeart]

I think we really do need to stop calling them e-cigs. I prefer calling them Personal Vaporizers (PV) myself. Don't get me started on the "But I have to have an e-cig that looks like the real thing!" I understand that some people need this because of their comfort level, but I don't think it helps our cause, either.

Just my opinion...please don't throw rotten fruits and veggies at me...

 

[kinabaloo]

Two great letters. Good examples for people who might be wondering what to write.

 

[dagnagan]

Thanks everybody for the replies. I agree that politically, it's unfortunate that the word "cigarette" became part of the name, but I know that "vaporizer" would not have caught my attention in the same way. I wanted a subsitute for Camels, not Vicks. No question that term is really hurting us now, though.

 

[cf18]

Excellent work! Let us know if you get a response.

 

[hairball]

I think we really do need to stop calling them e-cigs. I prefer calling them Personal Vaporizers (PV) myself. Don't get me started on the "But I have to have an e-cig that looks like the real thing!" I understand that some people need this because of their comfort level, but I don't think it helps our cause, either.

Just my opinion...please don't throw rotten fruits and veggies at me...

If you get them thrown at you...I'll block them. I feel the same way. Electronic cigarette still has the "nasty" word in it. Getting rid of it would help us. I always call mine PV's.

 

[scinsc]

OK folks, did you contact your Rep yet? Every one of us needs to get real vocal about this. If you want to get some motivation read what The State had in its blurb about the NY ban. "Currently, children can buy the plastic devices, which contain nicotine and aren't covered by indoor smoking bans". A prime example of how the press is clueless and if we don't do something about this nobody will.

 

[Soonerfan]

Great job. We all need to actively fight these proposed bans on PVs. It is ridiculous considering cigarettes are still legal and no one is proposing a law to ban them when they are killing people.