long island banning e-cig???-please watch-urgent

[andreo]

Granted, attending the meeting is the best, but the more vocal, the better.

Being vocal will help.
But I can't help but to think of what happened here in Iowa a couple of months back. There were about 600 people that attended a hearing on changes to the income taxes at the state house. They cheered on people that were on their side and booed people that were not.
Long story short: They were kicked out of the hearings.
I know, not much to do with this. But the officials in charge didn't want to hear from them, so they simply kicked them out of the hearings...

I have a feeling that those lawmakers won't be in power come the next election...

 

[Spikey]

I don't think being heard by THEM is as relevant... we need to be heard by the MEDIA (who I will call if we are going to have enough people there) because the media goes out to the people who will influence their representatives choices.

Being vocal will help.
But I can't help but to think of what happened here in Iowa a couple of months back. There were about 600 people that attended a hearing on changes to the income taxes at the state house. They cheered on people that were on their side and booed people that were not.
Long story short: They were kicked out of the hearings.
I know, not much to do with this. But the officials in charge didn't want to hear from them, so they simply kicked them out of the hearings...

I have a feeling that those lawmakers won't be in power come the next election...

 

[Spikey]

Need help editing before I send this letter guys... I am too tired and too sick to think and I do not want to send this without some help finding actual stats and proofreading!!! I wrote it in about 20 min and I know there is stuff I forgot but I don't want it to be so long that no one reads it. Help please!!

Mr. Cooper,

Over the last year or so, thousands of people have stopped smoking using personal vaporizers (aka PV's aka e-cigs aka electronic cigarettes). I heard last week that you intend to ban the sale of these devices in Suffolk County.

I am a 34 year old female from Long Island. I was a smoker for 19 years. (I think that is the first time I used the past tense when referring to smoking!) I smoked more than a pack a day for all of those 19 years. I finally stopped smoking with the help of the personal vaporizer. I purchased it because I did not want to go outside in the cold to smoke this past winter and I had no intention of quitting smoking.. only making it easier to maintain my nicotine habit while indoors. I suppose you could say I quit smoking "accidentally".

I have had asthma since my childhood. I also have very high cholesterol and I am on birth control. I was told that if I did not quit smoking I might not see my 40th birthday. My step-son also has asthma and I would not smoke indoors with him there so I had to find an alternative. I purchased a PV and lowered the dosage of nicotine contained in my PV until I reached zero (which was MUCH easier than I thought!). This means that not only am I no longer a tobacco user, I am also no longer addicted to nicotine and am at much lower risk of a heart attack!

I looked over your website and I noticed your "Beach Blanket .... Out" press release. I have always found it disgusting that some smokers were so inconsiderate of others and have always hated trying to pull cigarette butts out of the sand castles I made with my stepson and my niece and nephew. Now I use a device that means I will not ever have to clean up stinky cigarette butts in my home again and you are going to make it more difficult for me to get? That is very unfair. In addition to reducing waste, the PV also eliminates second hand smoke and benefits the health of NONsmokers!

There are many things not appropriate for children (gambling, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, etc...) and we restrict their use and purchase to adults rather than banning them completely. In this case though, you have taken something that could potentially save millions of lives and restricted it's sale! That is almost like forcing people to continue smoking cigarettes! The success rate of quitting smoking using the nicotine patch or gum is minimal (I think I saw it quoted at less than 15%) but the success rate for quitting smoking with these devices have been found to be in excess of 70% (although the studies were not IRB approved). To restrict the purchase of these devices so that adult smokers have difficulty accessing them is as good as passing on a death sentence to these individuals! I would certainly not want that on MY conscience!

PV's are not marketed to children. The average age of the PV (e-cig) user is over 40 years old. PV's are quite costly to maintain and it is highly unlikely to be affordable to a teen. Not one case has been recognized of a NON-smoker starting use of this device WITH nicotine and I have only heard of ONE case of a NON smoker using the device WITHOUT nicotine. There would be no reason to. It is used in place of cigarettes and due to the finicky nature of the device (China's quality control is poor and not all of them work without some fiddling) I cannot see anyone maintaining the habit just for the "fun of it".

I am the organizer for a group called the Long Island Vapers Club (the term vaping is used in lieu of smoking as there is only vapor being produced, not smoke). We intend to hold a peaceful demonstration so that we can explain to the public and the media what vaping is all about and why it is important to the health of all Long Islanders. I would like to cordially invite you to attend and share your views with the media on why you feel these devices SHOULD be banned. I would also like to offer to educate you about the PV (e-cig) before you and other legislators make a decision on important legislation that may affect the lives of THOUSANDS of Suffolk County residents!

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I hope to have a response from you before our demonstration on May 29th.

Spike B.
Long Island Resident
Long Island, New York - Vapers Club

 

[Tallgirl1974]

does long island restrict sales of nicorette gum or the patch to persons 18 or over?

and, once again we're facing true ignorance as evidenced by this quote from legislator Jon Cooper: Apparently peach schnapps and apple martinis are also for kids. *rolls eyes*

Id love to know when it was outlawed that adults cant enjoy flavors!

 

[Tallgirl1974]

Need help editing before I send this letter guys...

Its great. I think you shouldn't mention a percentage-they are so inaccurate- I heard it was only 7% success rate for NRTs. lol
Did you get a permit for the protest? (do you need one? make sure!)
Good luck- I have written several letters as a non-resident- but we gotta try to stop this ban because if he gets it the precedent is just awful for us.

 

[mamu]

Need help editing before I send this letter guys... I am too tired and too sick to think and I do not want to send this without some help finding actual stats and proofreading!!! I wrote it in about 20 min and I know there is stuff I forgot but I don't want it to be so long that no one reads it. Help please!!

Mr. Cooper,

Over the last year or so, thousands of people have stopped smoking using personal vaporizers (aka PV's aka e-cigs aka electronic cigarettes). I heard last week that you intend to ban the sale of these devices in Suffolk County.

Very well written Spikey.

The first paragraph though...

Over the last year or so, thousands of people have stopped smoking cigarettes and are now using a much safer alternative that is known as personal vaporizers (aka PV's aka e-cigs aka electronic cigarettes). I heard last week that you intend to ban the sale of these devices in Suffolk County...

Or something like that. Reinforcing the safer alternative is always good.

Keep up the good work! I wish I was there so I could join you in the demonstration. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[mamu]

Are you going to mail this letter, or email it?

I was wondering if you could get everyone at your Vapors Club to sign it also. I would sign it if you like. I think all of us would sign it! The more signatures the better.

 

[Spikey]

Very well written Spikey.

The first paragraph though...

Over the last year or so, thousands of people have stopped smoking cigarettes and are now using a much safer alternative that is known as personal vaporizers (aka PV's aka e-cigs aka electronic cigarettes). I heard last week that you intend to ban the sale of these devices in Suffolk County...

Or something like that. Reinforcing the safer alternative is always good.

Keep up the good work! I wish I was there so I could join you in the demonstration. Please let us know how it goes.

We cannot say safer.. because we don't KNOW that for a FACT. We also can't say that it's purpose is to quit smoking... so I had to be as general and careful as I could.

Its great. I think you shouldn't mention a percentage-they are so inaccurate- I heard it was only 7% success rate for NRTs. lol
Did you get a permit for the protest? (do you need one? make sure!)
Good luck- I have written several letters as a non-resident- but we gotta try to stop this ban because if he gets it the precedent is just awful for us.

I am looking into whether I need a permit. I am not a Suffolk County resident, but I am not sure it matters for the permit (if I even need one).

Are you going to mail this letter, or email it?

I was wondering if you could get everyone at your Vapors Club to sign it also. I would sign it if you like. I think all of us would sign it! The more signatures the better.

I think it wil only help if it has REAL names and locations in it. Not sure how many board members want to share that info. I would not mind having it signed by everyone tho. Vapers club has 30 somethng members I think. Haven't counted lately

 

[Sar]

I would recommend to try to make it shorter. One example is this part:

... I am a 34 year old female from Long Island. I was a smoker for 19 years. (I think that is the first time I used the past tense when referring to smoking!) I smoked more than a pack a day for all of those 19 years. I finally stopped smoking with the help of the personal vaporizer. I purchased it because I did not want to go outside in the cold to smoke this past winter and I had no intention of quitting smoking.. only making it easier to maintain my nicotine habit while indoors. I suppose you could say I quit smoking "accidentally".

I have had asthma since my childhood. I also have very high cholesterol and I am on birth control. I was told that if I did not quit smoking I might not see my 40th birthday. My step-son also has asthma and I would not smoke indoors with him there so I had to find an alternative. I purchased a PV and lowered the dosage of nicotine contained in my PV until I reached zero (which was MUCH easier than I thought!). This means that not only am I no longer a tobacco user, I am also no longer addicted to nicotine and am at much lower risk of a heart attack! ...

I don't think he needs to know that you didn't like going outside in the winter to smoke. And I am sure there are many reasons for quitting. I'd probably combine the two paragraphs into a shorter one:

I am a 34 year old female from Long Island. I was a pack-a-day smoker for 19 years (I think that is the first time I used the past tense when referring to smoking!). I have had asthma since my childhood and was told that if I did not quit smoking I might not see my 40th birthday. I purchased a personal vaporizer and lowered the dosage of nicotine contained in my PV until I reached zero. This means that not only am I no longer a tobacco user, I am also no longer addicted to nicotine and am at much lower risk of a heart attack! With the help of the personal vaporizer I finally stopped smoking.
​

This is just a suggestion, didn't mean to intrude...

 

[OutWest]

dont know if you saw it, but there's a thread around here somewhere about new safety data from new zealand. The only hazardous material I noticed in the results was a miniscule trace of mercury in the vapor (so small it was barely detectable). And, before fears of mercury start up, minute traces are allowed in bottled water and other items we consume every day.

 

[mamu]

We cannot say safer.. because we don't KNOW that for a FACT. We also can't say that it's purpose is to quit smoking... so I had to be as general and careful as I could.

Drat!! Forgot about that.

Well I know for a FACT that if I couldn't vape I would go back to the real thing.

The Real Thing / The Vaporizer
second-hand smoke / no second-hand smoke
fires and burns / no fires, no burns
tar / no tar
carcinogenic ingredients / non-carcinogenic ingredients
unpleasant smells / no smell
messy, smelly ashtrays / no ashtray
shortness-of-breath / no shortness-of-breath

etc., etc., etc.,

 

[OutWest]

another possible point for you - is there an age restriction on purchase of nicorette gum and lozenges there? If not, would be good issue to bring up since his entire argument is based on kid-friendly flavors and no age restrictions.

 

[mamu]

dont know if you saw it, but there's a thread around here somewhere about new safety data from new zealand. The only hazardous material I noticed in the results was a miniscule trace of mercury in the vapor (so small it was barely detectable). And, before fears of mercury start up, minute traces are allowed in bottled water and other items we consume every day.

Did they say where the mercury came from other than it was present in the vapor? Was it a by-product of heating the atomizer? Do you know what liquid they tested? Inquiring minds want to know or point me in the right direction! Thanks.

 

[OutWest]

Did they say where the mercury came from other than it was present in the vapor? Was it a by-product of heating the atomizer? Do you know what liquid they tested? Inquiring minds want to know or point me in the right direction! Thanks.

It was Ruyan liquid. I suspect it was from the water since mercury is a liquid at room temp. Here's the thread http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...092-e-cig-safety-confirmed-medical-study.html

 

[eplanet]

Any one interested in helping save the e-cig in New York???
Please visit Vapers Club Meetings
We need as much support as we can get!!!
It is starting in New York, don't let it get the chance to be banned in your state!!!
Let's STOP IT NOW!!!

Peace,

 

[dougp925]

Spikey, you may want to start the letter with the fact that you are an organizer..... This way, if he (or someone in his offic) does attempt to read it, he/she may be more inclined to stick with it and read the whole thing. You may want to move some or all of your last paragraph to the first. Seeing that you are an organizer putting together a protest with possible media involvement will immediately add weight to your letter and drastically increase your chance of the right people reading it.
Just my $0.02

 

[GreySaber]

Spikey, you may want to start the letter with the fact that you are an organizer..... This way, if he (or someone in his offic) does attempt to read it, he/she may be more inclined to stick with it and read the whole thing. You may want to move some or all of your last paragraph to the first. Seeing that you are an organizer putting together a protest with possible media involvement will immediately add weight to your letter and drastically increase your chance of the right people reading it.
Just my $0.02

Yep. I always sign my letters "Rev." instead of "Mr."

 

[Spikey]

Did my best guys... I asked for a meeting with the Legislator. I wanted to speak with some other members of our group first.. but could not reach anyone so I made the decision that we do not have enough people who can take off work Friday (due to the holiday this week) and therefore it will be more beneficial to meet with Mr.Cooper in person rather than protest.

I pasted my letter below and will also share the response.

Mr. Cooper,

My name is Spike XXXXX. I am the head of the Head of the Long Island Vapers Club (Long Island, New York - Vapers Club - the term vaping is used in lieu of smoking as there is only vapor being produced, not smoke). We are a group who uses electronic cigarettes (aka personal vaporizers/ PV's aka e-cigs) and we are all former cigarette smokers. Over the last year or so, thousands of people in the United States have stopped smoking using personal vaporizers, but I heard last week that you intend to ban the sale of these devices in Suffolk County.

I am a 34 year old female from Long Island. I was a smoker for 19 years. (I think that is the first time I used the past tense when referring to smoking!) I smoked more than a pack a day for all of those 19 years. I finally stopped smoking with the help of the personal vaporizer. I have had asthma since my childhood. I also have very high cholesterol and I am on birth control. I was told that if I did not quit smoking I might not see my 40th birthday. I purchased a PV and lowered the dosage of nicotine contained in my PV until I reached zero. This means that not only am I no longer a tobacco user, I am also no longer addicted to nicotine and am at much lower risk of a heart attack!

I looked over your website and I noticed your "Beach Blanket .... Out" press release. I have always found it disgusting that some smokers were so inconsiderate of others and have always hated trying to pull cigarette butts out of the sand castles I made with my stepson and my niece and nephew. Now I use a device that means I will not ever have to clean up stinky cigarette butts in my home or car again and you are going to make it more difficult for me to get? That is very unfair. In addition to reducing waste, the PV also eliminates second hand smoke and benefits the health of NONsmokers!

There are many things not appropriate for children (gambling, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, etc...) and we restrict their use and purchase to adults rather than banning them completely. In this case though, you have taken something that could potentially save millions of lives and want to restrict it's sale to adults! That is almost like forcing people to continue smoking cigarettes! To restrict the purchase of these devices so that adult smokers have difficulty accessing them as an alternative to smoking is as good as passing on a death sentence to these individuals! I would certainly not want that on MY conscience!

PV's are not marketed to children. The average age of the PV (e-cig) user is over 40 years old. PV's are quite costly to maintain and it is highly unlikely to be affordable to a teen. Not one case has been recognized of a NON-smoker starting use of this device WITH nicotine and I have only heard of ONE case of a NON smoker using the device WITHOUT nicotine. There would be no reason to. It is used in place of cigarettes and due to the finicky nature of the device (China's quality control is poor and not all the devices work without some fiddling) I cannot see anyone maintaining the habit just for the "fun of it".

We had intended to hold a peaceful demonstration on Friday 5/29 so that we could explain to the public and the media what vaping is all about and why it is important to the health of all Long Islanders... but after a discussion we all determined it may be more beneficial to all involved if we can organize a meeting with you on Friday so that we may take the time to educate you about the PV (e-cig) and leave you with some literature for others involved in the decision making process before you and other legislators make a decision on important legislation that may affect the lives of THOUSANDS of Suffolk County residents! We will make ourselves available to you between 11am and 4pm if you will find 30 minutes for us to share some information with you.

We are also holding our monthly meeting on Friday 5/29 in the evening around 7pm in Farmingdale and you are welcome to come join us and be educated by the many people there as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I hope to have a response from you before Friday so we can make arrangements for a meeting on that date and cancel our peaceful protest.

Spike B.
Long Island Resident and head of the Long Island Vapers Club
Long Island, New York - Vapers Club

 

[Moody2]

Sounds good Spikey. You have done well. Let me know what happens. Talk to you later in the week.

Moody2

 

[MVP]

In the first line you said you were "head of the Head of the" either you are in charge of the Head of the Long Island Vapers Club or you typed "head of the" twice. Other than that nitpicking I thought it was great and wish you all the best in stopping this ban.