Man denied oxygen because he vapes.

[Javichu]

I will just copy and paste,not sure if it's ok to post the link to the site but if you google it you can find more info right away.

A pioneering vape advocate refused oxygen because he vapes is facing a slow lingering painful death.

And not only that, he’s been refused to even be considered a new sheltered home for him and his wife – who suffers from dementia – because the local law bans smokers or vapers from being given them.


As it stands right now, Ray Yeates is forced to live in a tiny hotel room whilst caring for his desperately sick wife, and could soon have his life-saving oxygen supply taken away for no other reason than he is a vaper.
Yes really…and if this .... is allowed to go on – it could happen to you wherever you are in the world.


Canada is supposedly held up as a shining example of inclusion and openness – unless of course you’re a vaper and then you are literally living under a death sentence.
It sounds like something out of a dystopian novel – but it’s happening right now and it’s not only shocking – but abhorrent.


Ray is 70-years-old and founded the Tobacco Harm Reduction Association of Canada [THRA] back in 2014 after taking up vaping.


He was suffering from severe emphysema/pneumonia at the time and has survived lung cancer!
After realizing e-cigarettes were life savers for smokers, he founded the organization with the mission statement:


Our mission is to promote the availability of effective, affordable and reduced harm alternatives to smoking by increasing public awareness and education, to encourage the testing and development of products to achieve acceptable safety standards and reasonable regulation; and to promote the benefits of reduced harm alternatives.


Our goal is to educate the public, including stake holders (politicians, journalists, editors, other associations), and address concerns regarding personal vaporizers (electronic cigarettes) and their safety, to dispel misconceptions and misinformation regarding these products


Ray and his desperately sick wife had been living happily in a trailer until his wife’s condition deteriorated and it was only then he asked the Nova Scotia government for assistance.
As you can see his plea for help has been refused and now the health authorities are planning to take away the life giving oxygen he needs to stay alive.


Vape Advocate Refused Oxygen – Help Save the Life Of Ray Yeates

Now advocacy group the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations [INNCO] has stepped in and is urging the vape community, from individuals to advocacy groups, to get involved and put pressure on the Nova Scotia government to save Ray’s life.


INNCO only heard of the situation overnight and are now mobilizing support via social media and say:

The local health authorities have now informed him his OXYGEN TANK FACILITY WILL SOON BE FORCIBLY REMOVED as rules dictate oxygen cannot be provided to vapers.


Ray doesn’t vape whilst using his oxygen mask.


His intelligence & the laws of physics, rather negate that option.


However, removing his access to oxygen places him in grave mortal danger.


This is a threat to commit state sponsored murder, no more and no less.


Outrageous doesn’t come close.


It is, without doubt, a despicable abrogation of human rights and must be rescinded immediately.


INNCO and his close colleagues are working upon a legal intervention, however time is not on our side.


We urge all our Members and followers to forward, retweet and publicise Ray’s predicament far and wide.


If he requires a private provider we will form a GoFundMe to assist.


This is a developing story and I will of course keep you all informed.


All we can do for now is to retweet the INNCO thread highlighting this terrible situation and also use the hashtag #SaveRayYeates.


I’ve written many shocking stories over the decades, but this one really has astonished me.


As INNCO say, this is a human rights issue and if left unchallenged is the kind that could spread globally.


Ray Has Saved Lives Now Help Save His

This quote from Ray back in 2014 shows what a passionate vape advocate the man is:


I agree that harm reduction is in need of more data, but for now the research is what brought me beyond the time I was given to live.


Giving up and giving in was not part of my moral beliefs and never will be.


In a moral sense I believe denying other smokers of the possible harm reduction of these devices is nothing short of neglect.


Powerful stuff…

Without doubt Ray has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of smokers now enjoying a healthier life.


A vape advocate refused oxygen because he or she vapes is definitely the worst case of anti-vape law I’ve ever seen and you – a member of your family or friend that smokes OR vapes could be next if they’re allowed to get away with this.


It’s time to pay back all of Ray’s tireless hard work, passion and courage with something as simple as a re-tweet OR by spreading this article and Ray’s plight far and wide.


Let’s hope we can shame those faceless disgusting Nova Scotia politicians into doing the right thing NOW – because a man’s life depends on it.

Is this for real?
wow...no words to describe what I'm feeling at the moment.
How can the government be so obtuse?
Hope this poor guy and his wife get the help they need.

Spoiler: LINKY IF ALLOWED

Vape Advocate Refused Oxygen Faces Death | Ecigclick

 

[mountaingal]

Such a sad state of affairs. We all know vaping is better then cigs. However, there are alternatives like gums and patches to vaping. I am a multi source nicotine user. I vape at home, use the Nicorette mouth spray at work and chew the gum at the movies. I would say it is time for him to embrace an alternative to vaping, if it will save him. That being said: nanny states that will deny life saving oxygen are to be condemned. I will help him if he does a go-fund-me account.

 

[Javichu]

Such a sad state of affairs. We all know vaping is better then cigs. However, there are alternatives like gums and patches to vaping. I am a multi source nicotine user. I vape at home, use the Nicorette mouth spray at work and chew the gum at the movies. I would say it is time for him to embrace an alternative to vaping, if it will save him. That being said: nanny states that will deny life saving oxygen are to be condemned. I will help him if he does a go-fund-me account.

I know right?
Pains me to see stuff like this happen in the world we live in.

And yeah he could look for an alternative to vasping but in all honesty he shouldn't have to choose,he should be given the choice to go for whatever works for him.

Me personally? it is more of an oral fixation that is why i barely struggled when i quit smoking,started with a cheap 25 euro pod system then went for a proper mod.
Apart from that i just increased a bit my nicotine from 3mg to 6mg and i have been doing good so far,guess i must be one of the lucky ones.

I do hope they get the help they so desperately need,wish i were in a situation where i could help them.

 

[CarolT]

It looks fake to me.

 

[Javichu]

It looks fake to me.

What exactly looks fake to you?
Just do a quick search with google,that should ease your mind.

Also the THRA http://thra.ca/ is fully supporting his cause and i doubt they would show their support for a fake cause,doing so could do more harm than good to all vapers.

On top of that several articles have been written about this,again quick google search could clear it up for you.
Posting ''it looks fake to me'' is hardly a contribution to the topic at hand,but thanks...i guess.

 

[stols001]

I don't know if it's fake or not.

I am not entirely sure whether it is as terrible as made out.

Alcoholics are required to prove a LENGTHY period of sobriety before they are allocated a new liver if their old one dies. If he is violating a public policy (whether fair or not) he is. Do I agree with socialized medicine not always but the entire world (apart from the rich who steal or buy them) follow the same rules for organ donation to make it fair.

Is it fair, perhaps, not, for someone to abuse their liver and get a new one to kill if there is a kid who like, ah, needs one too?

He could certainly stop vaping and use snus or something else, if like, he needs to continue the oxygen tank. I mean, I'm sorry and there are TONS of Canadian medial tourists because they would die before they ah, got their procedure. It is what it is, and it is also a reason I am sure socialized medicine is not good for ALL, although it may be good for the healthful many.

I mean..... He may be great advocate and all that, it doesn't make him NOT subject to the rules, if anything, perhaps MORE held to the standard.

I'm not trying to come off as heatless or anything else. I smoked a long time and my lungs are weak. I don't need to trumpet to the skies I should get special treatment because GUESS WHIAT I CHOSE to live that lifestyle, Sure, I was addicted but by the same token no one held a freaking GUN to my head and if anything I am reluctant to like, RUSH to treatment. I mean.. really I did it TO me.

I hope he gets what he needs. He is also 70 sound like he had an interesting life . I'd dedicate my resources (my own peroneal GoFundMe dough) to the baby in the incubator two days old. But, that's my opinion and MINE to make.
Anna​

 

[Javichu]

I don't know if it's fake or not.

I am not entirely sure whether it is as terrible as made out.

Alcoholics are required to prove a LENGTHY period of sobriety before they are allocated a new liver if their old one dies. If he is violating a public policy (whether fair or not) he is. Do I agree with socialized medicine not always but the entire world (apart from the rich who steal or buy them) follow the same rules for organ donation to make it fair.

Is it fair, perhaps, not, for someone to abuse their liver and get a new one to kill if there is a kid who like, ah, needs one too?

He could certainly stop vaping and use snus or something else, if like, he needs to continue the oxygen tank. I mean, I'm sorry and there are TONS of Canadian medial tourists because they would die before they ah, got their procedure. It is what it is, and it is also a reason I am sure socialized medicine is not good for ALL, although it may be good for the healthful many.

I mean..... He may be great advocate and all that, it doesn't make him NOT subject to the rules, if anything, perhaps MORE held to the standard.

I'm not trying to come off as heatless or anything else. I smoked a long time and my lungs are weak. I don't need to trumpet to the skies I should get special treatment because GUESS WHIAT I CHOSE to live that lifestyle, Sure, I was addicted but by the same token no one held a freaking GUN to my head and if anything I am reluctant to like, RUSH to treatment. I mean.. really I did it TO me.

I hope he gets what he needs. He is also 70 sound like he had an interesting life . I'd dedicate my resources (my own peroneal GoFundMe dough) to the baby in the incubator two days old. But, that's my opinion and MINE to make.
Anna​

While i do agree with some of your points Anna i must disrespectfully disagree on other points.

I think it has to do with our mentality towards healthcare since in both our countries they run differently.

If it were some type of organ transplant then yes of course several factors would have to be put on the balance but we are just talking about a tank of oxygen.


The part you wrote about alcoholism i just don't think it applies here since addictions to both tobacco and alcohol are very different.
In case of an alcoholic there are no products or chemicals in alcohol that MAKE you addicted to it,i just don't think both should be put in the same group.

I just think that healthcare should ATLEAST cover the basics,can't really get more basic than a tank of oxygen.
Yes the guy smoked,but he also overpaid due to over taxing in cigarettes because well you know what politicians say:

oh we just overtax because smokers use more resources of our healthcare hence them overpaying by a lot when they buy cigarettes.

I'm just saying,if he smoked so many years he did pay for future treatment with each pack of cigarettes he bought.

Politicians are all the same worldwide,here in Spain they also overtax saying the same thing,you pay more taxes on cigarettes because smoking makes people sick hence it takes resources away from healthcare.

All those years that he smoked were years and years of him ''paying'' the healthcare system because smoking is bad and that means we need to cover the costs of taking care of all smokers...and now when it's time to get the help he needs he is refused?

I'm just not seeing it,government should cover their end of the deal, years and years of getting money from the sales of cigarettes and not a peep from them and now when it's time to do what is right they refuse to?

Hypocrisy at it's finest,at least that is the way i see it.

Otherwise the governments should be clear about it,they should just say we overtaxing cigarettes but you aren't going to be covered medically when you get sick because of the cigarettes you smoked.

And about the GoFundMe and the baby in the incubator yeah of course,if i were in a better situation (economically speaking) i could think of a thousand better ways to help someone.

I mean the guy lived his life,and it's maybe not right to say so but if i have to decide who to help i would go for a baby who still has their whole life in front of them to be lived,it's just the way it is.

But in his case (let's forget the hotel part) oxygen? yeah i think he paid for all the oxygen he needs with all the packs of cigarettes he bought thru the years,and then some.

P.S. you know i love you Anna,just different opinions that is all.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

Rules are rules. The Canadian Health Care sates you do not qualify for assisted oxygen care if you smoke or vape. Why make this all about vaping, what about the thousands of smokers who may also require oxygen assistance – they’ve payed their taxes as well. Just like a smoker who requires oxygen assistance, this individual has choices. Quit vaping receive health care assisted oxygen or continue vaping and pay for it himself.

As for living in a hotel – the individual recently just sold his home. I can’t speak for his actions, but for myself I’d make damn sure everything was a sealed deal before I sold my home. Errors can happen, and both the real estate and medical industry are not void of them.

Won’t say the story is fake – little information from Canadian sources (why UK sources are reporting on it is unknown). But the story certainly lacks details.

 

[Javichu]

Rules are rules. The Canadian Health Care sates you do not qualify for assisted oxygen care if you smoke or vape. Why make this all about vaping, what about the thousands of smokers who may also require oxygen assistance – they’ve payed their taxes as well. Just like a smoker who requires oxygen assistance, this individual has choices. Quit vaping receive health care assisted oxygen or continue vaping and pay for it himself.

As for living in a hotel – the individual recently just sold his home. I can’t speak for his actions, but for myself I’d make damn sure everything was a sealed deal before I sold my home. Errors can happen, and both the real estate and medical industry are not void of them.

Won’t say the story is fake – little information from Canadian sources (why UK sources are reporting on it is unknown). But the story certainly lacks details.

Rules are rules? hmm,yeah just because they are rules it doesn't mean it's right.
Just look at history,what once were rules now they are just atrocities in the landscape of history.

Black people sitting with whites or using the same restroom was a no no back in the day,it was an actual rule and well we can't really say it was a ''good'' rule now was it?
Same with woman rights,before 1919 there was a ''rule'' where woman couldn't be an accountant or lawyer,or just take voting,there was also a rule against woman voting.

History is plagued with politicians making bad decisions,bad ''rules'' if you will,all throughout history people stood up if they thought a ''rule'' wasn't in the best interest of it's citizens.
Whole different world we would live in if people just blindly accepted the rules without questioning their validity.

And i didn't make it only about vaping,i clearly stated that smokers also have the right to proper treatment because they paid for it over and over with all the pack of cigarettes they bought.

Boggles my mind that they still overtax cigarettes with the excuse of the higher cost for healthcare when it comes to smokers and then refuse treatment to said smokers.

And just in case the topic arises i am not speaking as a European who knows nothing about Canada.
Parents moved to Canada in 1976 when i was one year old,lived in Winnipeg (WInterpeg it was so cold hehe) for about 10 years.
Also lived in Charlottetown (PEI) for 2 years,and White Rock (Vancouver) for about 5 years,graduated highschool in Semiahmoo Secondary School,class 92'.

I've always kept tabs with friends and until recently i use to go 1 or 2 months a year to visit my friends and maybe go on a road trip.

The hotel part i didn't even go into it because I'm not discussing that part,but that ''rule'' involving assisted oxygen just seems all shades of wrong to me.

No disrespect in my post buddy,just expressing my opinions.

 

[CarolT]

I'd like to see the specific rule or law involved. Also, is he otherwise qualified to get an oxygen machine? The links are all just emotional stuff, clickbait.

 

[Punk In Drublic]

I'd like to see the specific rule or law involved. Also, is he otherwise qualified to get an oxygen machine? The links are all just emotional stuff, clickbait.

This is a bit old. Each province is allowed to set rules on top of what has been set by the Canadian government where smoking and vaping have been bundled under the same laws and regulations. Nova Scotia has the strictest rules out of all provinces. I’m sure there is a more up to date document, I can’t be bothered searching (searching through government docs is a PIA!)

The individual is allowed to use a oxygen machine, he just does not qualify for government assistance where the province pays for the majority of the equipment.

Eligibility for home oxygen programs and funding across Canada

 

[Javichu]

I'd like to see the specific rule or law involved. Also, is he otherwise qualified to get an oxygen machine? The links are all just emotional stuff, clickbait.

I think you took the whole social distancing thing a bit to far,you do know it's only supposed to be used in public and when other people are around you?
It does not mean to social distance yourself emotionally from problems of other people,your total and utter lack of empathy is disturbing.

 

[stols001]

Oh I think healthy disagreement is healthy, and it's good. New points, new ideas, but if he can have a tank and needs to pay for it himself, it sounds like he will get the help he needs.

I agree, there really shouldn't be a healthcare system where someone doesn't get a tank if they need one. It does happen routinely all over the USA actually, and some USA healthcare is a ton better than others (honestly mainly due to rural spread, Appalachia, homelessness etc. It's a bit hard to like, maintain your healthcare under certain circumstances.

By the same token I do understand the rationale family members have spending THOUSANDS of dollars a day to keep their life support parent alive although they are ultimately going to die anyway. The reason why I have both and advance directive and a mental health advanced directive. They are useful things.

OMG though I will say THIS. I was visiting my best friend in England one summer. She ah slopped an upper into my drink. This was very bad for me. I finally had to go to the ER at 10 one night (kept thinking about the swim cats until they are dead experiments.) It was like entering the land of Harry Potter man, everything was chill and orderly, I kept telling them "I'm not even from here! Let me pay or something!" But they were all, "No lass, don't worry." I saw a doc in this insane period of time, He diagnosed my problem in 10 minutes and like, they handed me my meds on the way out."

I have never even had that happen at an URGENT CARE here.

What you going on about like "Alcohol does not have additives to make it additive? It doesn't need them the addictive substance IS the ETOH, goofy. In fact alcohol is so addictive if you stop cold turkey the withdrawal can kill you. Which is why when I scoop up alcoholics and take them to treatment and they are all a-shake and s-shivery in my car, I will get them ma beer or a belt of Whisky. I just don't want them having a seizure in my car, I can tell the warning signs. Maybe it's bad but it's how the old timers in AA did it.

Alcohol is one of the ONLY detoxes that will kill you. Methadone? The most unpleasant detox I have ever SEEN won't kill you and in AZ it is Stately disallowed to continue methadone in prisons, which I kind of get but also not really. Cruel and unusual if you ask me, but people don't DIE.

Also "Mad dog 20" is fortified. I used to (naively) believe it was a bid for health like, "here, wino have some vitamins and minerals with your wine like beverage. " Only it's not it is fortified with ah, grain alcohol. Opps.

Amway, I kind of agree an oxygen tank is not wroth quibbling over but I used to place psych patients in the ER and you would have to SEE to BELEIVE some of the thing I might have to pull out of my rear,. (not lies, just ah, stratifying requirements) to get them placed through private insurances.

Anna

 

[CarolT]

This is a bit old. Each province is allowed to set rules on top of what has been set by the Canadian government where smoking and vaping have been bundled under the same laws and regulations. Nova Scotia has the strictest rules out of all provinces. I’m sure there is a more up to date document, I can’t be bothered searching (searching through government docs is a PIA!)

The individual is allowed to use a oxygen machine, he just does not qualify for government assistance where the province pays for the majority of the equipment.

Eligibility for home oxygen programs and funding across Canada

Thanks. That's what I was looking for.

It looks like an oxygen concentrator is fairly affordable at $1200-1900.
Philips - Millennium M10 Home oxygen system

However, it uses about 600 watts of power so it's costly to run. Also, the filler unit for tanks that is sold separately is much more expensive.

 

[NeoSmith]

This is crazy.

 

[rokomodernlife]

What is wrong with the world! I'm fuming as I'm reading this