Ohio County, West Virginia to consider indoor e-cig use ban

[zereoue20]

Trust me, with Dr. Mercer it will have to be more than doubt. That guy just likes to see his names in the paper. I really believe that. It doesn't sound to me like any of the members of the BOH wanted anything to do with anything that would refute their claims. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if TheWrath was one of Mercer's monikers.

 

[ByStander1]

Tiffytiff, or anyone in the Wheeling area, feel free to PM me. I'll gladly provide contact information.

 

[ByStander1]

Trust me, with Dr. Mercer it will have to be more than doubt. That guy just likes to see his names in the paper. I really believe that. It doesn't sound to me like any of the members of the BOH wanted anything to do with anything that would refute their claims. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if TheWrath was one of Mercer's monikers.

Ditto, Z, as regards the Wrath. Truth is, wouldn't surprise me if it were the man himself.

One thing that would definitely "refute their claims" would be a bigger vaping community in, and around, Wheeling. I'll do all I can to help make this happen. PM me if you want to help, too.

 

[metalmomma]

I just read through the entire thread. Thank you. I needed to be educated as a new vapor. I'm going to continue my research on ECF forum and try to contribute what I can to fighting the ignorance.

 

[tiffytiff]

i would love to have an Ohio Valley Vapefest....I can think of 5 people, possible 6 that would come for sure (myself included) truth is, i just don't know how many vapers are around here. all of the folks that vape, (that i know of) is because of myself, and my neighbor getting the other 4 started. and 6 people a vape fest does not make! HOWEVER, altsmoke is only about an hour and 10 minutes from here.............*just thinking out loud here* but if we could do something like that, wouldnt that generate interest and exposure?

 

[tiffytiff]

welcome metalmomma!

 

[ByStander1]

i would love to have an Ohio Valley Vapefest....I can think of 5 people, possible 6 that would come for sure (myself included) truth is, i just don't know how many vapers are around here. all of the folks that vape, (that i know of) is because of myself, and my neighbor getting the other 4 started. and 6 people a vape fest does not make! HOWEVER, altsmoke is only about an hour and 10 minutes from here.............*just thinking out loud here* but if we could do something like that, wouldnt that generate interest and exposure?

Absolutely, tiff!!! I'm going to be working on starting a monthly vape night in our area. I also think our local movie theater would be a fun place to have movie night for vapers!!!

 

[ByStander1]

Welcome, metalmomma!!!

That's all that is asked for... help fight the ignorance.

Ooooo, idea... How well do you think hc pros would like to be told, "Your ignorance is putting lives at risk?" LOL!

I'll be using that one!!!

 

[metalmomma]

I joined CASAA today, made my donation and hoping to be a part of the meeting tomorrow night.

ByStander, I'm in the panhandle of WV. I can't wait for a Vape Fest close to here!

 

[ByStander1]

I joined CASAA today, made my donation and hoping to be a part of the meeting tomorrow night.

ByStander, I'm in the panhandle of WV. I can't wait for a Vape Fest close to here!

Wonderful. Wonderful. ...and WONDERFUL!!!

 

[Vocalek]

Come to Richmond, VA in October. There will be a boatload of CASAA folks there, including several Board Members (not that you'd be excited to meet any of us). VaperCon 2011

That reminds me. Gotta reserve my hotel room.

 

[tiffytiff]

i would be excited to meet y'all

 

[tiffytiff]

will there be vendors there as well?

 

[Vocalek]

will there be vendors there as well?

Looks like it, there's a list of:

CONFIRMED SPONSORS FOR VAPERCON 2011

 

[ByStander1]

Reservations made!

The truly disgusting thing about this particular ban is that if implemented as they're discussing, it'll be more of an ecig ban than anything. The whole idea (supposedly) was to close the loophole for the casinos and other gaming establishments. From the last meeting, the new tone is to "work with" and "reach workable solutions" with the casinos and such. Oh yes, the local golf course is exempted, but the public parks and sidewalks (you can't be downtown and not within 20 ft of a business entrance) will have smoking banned. This is the green machine and elitism on full display.

 

[Crumpet]

I'm so excited about Vapercon! I live right here outside Richmond and cannot wait to meet many of you in person.

 

[zereoue20]

Yeah. I'm involved with the lottery, and I don't see any chance of smoking being banned the casino. I vowed I'd never be an ex-smoker that nagged people about their choice to smoke, as I've been on the other end of that discussion. I do however try to bring people over to from the darkside by educating them on my ecig. I also don't gamble myself, or work directly in the casino, so I could care less either way. That is, except for the for boh banning ecigs just to accomplish something, as mentioned earlier. The casino is already given every advantage over the bars and parlors as it is. Better house advantage, etc, and in my opinion, soon to be allowed smoking while parlors get banned. Sry off on a bit of a tangent in there, lol

 

[ByStander1]

The truly disgusting thing about this particular ban is that if implemented as they're discussing, it'll be more of an ecig ban than anything.

Today, you can vape anywhere in the county, unless requested otherwise by a business owner...as it should be.

The whole idea (supposedly) was to close the loophole for the casinos and other gaming establishments. From the last meeting, the new tone is to "work with" and "reach workable solutions" with the casinos and such.

Although plans were made to speak with casino representatives, and were surely held; there were not, nor have there been, any meetings, or offers of meetings, with any vaping representatives.

... the public parks and sidewalks will have smoking (and vaping) banned.

If passed, you could be fined if you vape in a park or on the sidewalk, or anywhere other than your home (yes, your car is actually included if it's on a public roadway).

Any vapers in the area, I hope you'll make a show at the meeting -- noon tomorrow at the courthouse located at

1500 Chapline Street, Wheeling, WV 26003
The meeting will most likely be held on the second floor in the city council chambers -- easy to find.​

On a personal note, I will be speaking to the board, and I really need the visible, moral support. I'm not very good at this anyway, but doesn't everyone do better with a cheering section? Although I don't expect any pompoms, I would be so very grateful for anyone not loaded with a quiver of poisoned arrows.

At the meeting in August, the chairman made a point of saying, "We're glad this worked for you, but we can't recommend..." Of course, he completely ignored the facts that:

1) They have a +1" thick stack of letters from vapers all over the world;
2) Their ban is not about a "recommendation," it's a BAN;
3) VAPOR IS NOT SMOKE;​

He may have incorrectly assumed:

1) I am the only vaper in West Virginia​

2) There are no vapers in Wheeling-Ohio County​

3)

If there are vapers in the area,​

"those people" apparently know​

they deserve to be treated just like smokers, and​

that is why they will remain silent.​

​

 

[Vocalek]

For what it's worth, I sent off this email to Mr. Gamble:

Dear Mr. Gamble:

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the number of adult smokers over age 18 declined during 2010 by 1.3 million smokers, reducing the prevalence to 19.3%. This reduction ended a rise from 44.5 adult smokers in 2004 to 46.6 million in 2009. What was going on during 2010 that made a difference?

In the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, Ayers, et al. reported that internet searches for information on electronic cigarettes had the highest volume in the U.S. and UK, compared to snus, NRT, Champix, or Chantix. About 50 to 75% of all searches in the U.S. and UK were shopping searches. http://www.cfah.org/hbns/archives/viewSupportDoc.cfm?supportingDocID=995

Canada actively banned e-cigarette sales in 2009. In 2010, Canada saw a “significant increase” in male smoking prevalence from 22.6% in 2009 to 24.2% in 2010. Female smoking prevalence did not change. Smoking, 2010

Has there been an uptake in the use of electronic cigarettes in the U.S. that corresponds to the decline in smoking prevalence? Etter and Bullen surveyed 3,587 smokers and former smokers, of which 62% were from the U.S. Their report, published in the journal Addiction, states: “Most (96%) said the e-cigarette helped them to quit smoking or reduce their smoking (92%). Reasons for using the e-cigarette included the perception that it was less toxic than tobacco (84%), to deal with craving for tobacco (79%) and withdrawal symptoms (67%), to quit smoking or avoid relapsing (77%), because it was cheaper than smoking (57%) and to deal with situations where smoking was prohibited (39%). Most ex-smokers (79%) feared they might relapse to smoking if they stopped using the e-cigarette.” Electronic cigarette: users profile, utilization, satisfaction and perceived efficacy - Etter - 2011 - Addiction - Wiley Online Library

Etter and Bullen also reported on health effects of e-cigarette use: “Of interest, current smokers who used the e-cigarette had fewer respiratory symptoms than smokers who did not use it (a difference of 0.54 points on the Clinical COPD Questionnaire), which we speculate might be a consequence of reduced smoking. This difference is substantial, as it is larger than the minimally clinically important difference for this questionnaire (0.4 points), and very close to the difference of 0.6 points previously reported between patients with moderate and severe COPD.”

In clinical studies, e-cigarettes appear to attenuate craving for tobacco, despite delivering very little nicotine to the blood. (See References below)

Smoking bans were enacted ostensibly for the purpose of protecting non-smokers from the potentially harmful effects of second-hand smoke. But e-cigarettes emit NO smoke and pose NO known health risks to users or nonusers. Including vapor in your smoking ban may have the unintended consequences of discouraging smokers from switching to a demonstrably less hazardous alternative. The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) urges you to delete the last sentence in item "K" in "§ 1003 Definitions" in the Wheeling-Ohio County Clean Air Regulation 2011.

Yours for reducing the harm caused by smoking,




Elaine Keller, Vice President
The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association
CASAA | The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association

References:

EISSENBERG, T. (2010) Electronic nicotine delivery devices: ineffective nicotine delivery and craving suppression after acute administration, Tob Control, 19, 87-8.

VANSICKEL, A. R., COBB, C. O., WEAVER, M. F. & EISSENBERG, T. E. (2010) A clinical laboratory model for evaluating the acute effects of electronic "cigarettes": nicotine delivery profile and cardiovascular and subjective effects, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 19, 1945-53.

DARREDEAU, C., CAMPBELL, M., TEMPORALE, K. & BARRETT, S. P. (2010) Subjective and reinforcing effects of electronic cigarettes in male and female smokers, Paper presented at the 12th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Europe, Bath, UK, September 6-9.

VAN DER MOLEN, T., WILLEMSE, B. W., SCHOKKER, S. et al. (2003) Development, validity and responsiveness of the Clinical COPD Questionnaire, Health Qual Life Outcomes, 1, 13.

 

[Placebo Effect]

Good luck ByStander! Thanks for your passionate support.