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

[ByStander1]

Survived. Don't think I blundered too badly. I was the only speaker... on any topic. The turnout was same -- fewer than a dozen non board members. One city council member did attend. Very nice man, too.

The ecigs are still included in the clean air regulations.

The next meeting, to which the City Council and County Commissioner's office will be invited, is scheduled for Tuesday, October 18th, at 1200.

Meetings with the casino reps did not take place since the August BOH meeting, as had been planned, but fell through.

Local news crew filmed the meeting. The reporter asked if I'd give a "sound bite" afterward. I did. Hope it doesn't bite me too badly, but, oh well, for the time being, I have the flesh to spare. Tried to get across "Vapor is Not Smoke."

Spoke with one board member outside, and was told, "I'd never even heard of these things," pointing to my pv, "until you spoke about them." I think the member was truly grateful for the information.

I believe the board is still, overall, very much in favor of keeping ecigs in the regulations. More work is needed. There may be a vote at the October meeting to pass the regulations. If you are in the area, show up! vape! If you don't want to be heard, at least be seen!!!

 

[Placebo Effect]

Board Of Health Wants More Input On Smoking Ban - News Story - WTOV Steubenville

"The reason why I show up here is so that people know vapor is not smoke," said Lori McClung.

She has showed up at several recent Board of Health meetings, speaking up in favor of e-cigarettes. Local health officials said the Food and Drug Administration regulates e-cigarettes as tobacco devices, and therefore it's likely they'll be included in the ban.

McClung disagrees with including e-cigarettes in the ban.

"As an inveterate smoker myself for 28 years, two to three packs a day, I found something that finally worked," said McClung.

While the board may or may not agree with her, they appreciate that she is speaking up -- and they're hoping others will also voice their opinions in the future.

Gamble said the board still plans to hold a public hearing or comment period before any revisions become final.

 

[tiffytiff]

Tiffini Johnson Rader | Facebook here is a link to wtov's fb page, you can also leave a comment here.....lots of people will see it here

 

[Vocalek]

Tiffini Johnson Rader | Facebook here is a link to wtov's fb page, you can also leave a comment here.....lots of people will see it here

Thanks Tiffy. I left this status update:

"Local health officials said the Food and Drug Administration regulates e-cigarettes as tobacco devices, and therefore it's likely they'll be included in the ban." Really? CASAA informed the BOH in an email message on July 16: "The FDA did not state that it considers electronic cigarettes to be the same as smoked tobacco cigarettes, nor did it state that the Agency would regulate all products identically." Source: Regulation of E-Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products

 

[tiffytiff]

thank you, i didnt leave anything yet....waiting for folks to go to bed so i can think lol

 

[West"by-god"Virginia]

Wow I just found this , I had no idea or I would have been at least trying to help . I live quite a bit south of wheeling but the way things go in this state (this country for that matter) one group of government officials gets away with pushing people around and before long it will be the whole state. Sorry if that sounds overly opinionated...

Let me know what I can do to help....

 

[ByStander1]

West "by God" Virginia... The Best, Most Wonderful, Incredibly Helpful thing you can do is be there tomorrow at noon. Show of bodies DOES COUNT!!!

We all need you as vapers... and on a totally selfish note: I'm sure I could speak better if there were faces that weren't wishing I would just shut-up and disappear.

 

[zereoue20]

I was there, was in the back with the WV hat on. I though you did well. I also work with limited lottery, so I kinda had two dogs in the fight. We had 1 place voluntarily go non-smoking and the numbers sunk like a rock. I thought both you and Bill did well. I was working so wasn't able to stay and meet you two.

 

[Placebo Effect]

Very happy to hear that everybody made it out.

Thank you Bill and Lorie.

zereoue20, please consider calling / writing the individuals on the Board of Health to ask them to remove e-cigarettes from the regulation. As someone with an interest in Wheeling, you have a lot of power to effect change, especially on tangential issues like including e-cigarette in the smoking ban. Please ask your friends to mention it in their letters too.

 

[Bill Godshall]

After yesterday's Ohio County BOH meeting, it appears that we may now have the support of three (Wlikes Kinney, Gloria Delbrugge and Michael Caruso) of the six board members to remove e-cigarettes from the proposed Clean Air Regulation and to remove the outdoor smoking ban on all government property.

This was the third Ohio County BOH meeting I spoke at (I also did so in June and August), and this was the first of the three meetings that was attended by Michael Caruso, who appeared very receptive to my presentation, where I informed the BOH that banning smoking indoors was a sound public health regulation, but that banning e-cigarette usage was public health malpractice and unenforceable, and that banning smoking on all outdoor government owned property (particularly while driving on all roads, streets, and interstates in the county) was absurd and unenforceable. I pointed out that there is no evidence that e-cigarettes have ever harmed anyone, that the BOH hasn't provided any evidence that e-cigarette pose risks to others, that it was deceitful for the BOH to falsely redefine "smoking" as including the usage of e-cigarettes, and that the BOH wasn't legally authorized to adopt regulations without evidence that doing so benefitted public health.

Lorie McClung also spoke at yesterday's BOH meeting (her third meeting as well) urging the BOH to remove the e-cigarette provision from the proposed regulation.

It also appears that those same three board members may now support scrapping the entire proposed Clean Air Regulation, as opposition was voiced by Wheeling city officials and a casino executive to the proposal to ban smoking in Wheeling's casino and in separately ventilated video gambling rooms (which were key goals of the proposed regulation).

Before the meeting adjourned, the BOH agreed to hold a public hearing on the proposed regulations on November 8th.
But shortly after the meeting, at least one board member informed us that the BOH legally had to give 30 days notice prior to holding a public hearing. So it appears that the public hearing will be delayed until December.

 

[West"by-god"Virginia]

I'm sorry , I had a family emergency and ended up not being able to make the meeting , but on a positive note it sounds like you did a wonderful job.

If I read right there is going to be another meeting in December? Let me know and I will do everything I can to make it up there since I wasn't able to make this one .

West "by God" Virginia... The Best, Most Wonderful, Incredibly Helpful thing you can do is be there tomorrow at noon. Show of bodies DOES COUNT!!!

We all need you as vapers... and on a totally selfish note: I'm sure I could speak better if there were faces that weren't wishing I would just shut-up and disappear.

 

[Bill Godshall]

The next meeting of the Ohio County Board of Health is scheduled for November 8. Instead of waiting to attend the public hearing (that apparently will occur at a later date), I suggest that e-cigarette consumers in WV request to speak at the Nov 8 meeting.

The Ohio County BOH website should soon contain an announcement about the Nov. 8 meeting. I'll be pleased to assist anyone with drafting their presentation. Anyone who is interested please send me an e-mail at smokefree@compuserve.com

 

[ByStander1]

Zereoue20, so glad you were there but very sorry we didn't get a chance to meet. And thank you very much for the very kind, encouraging words.

West "by-god" Virginia, I hope all is well with the family and that you will be able to attend, and hopefully speak at, the next meeting. Everyone is needed!

I was joined yesterday by two fellow vapers. These lovely ladies made a nice drive a fun trip! I provided them with "light vapor" and "no vapor" liquids for the event. I told them what I do: in the building I use "light vapor," and during the meetings I use "no vapor" liquid. Of course, I said they were welcome to do whatever they wanted and felt most comfortable doing.

During the meeting, the three of us quietly vaped. We weren't stealth vaping, but we weren't producing puffy clouds either. I was called on first to speak (as usual - ugh). I was followed by a new face -- a woman from (I think) The Tobacco-free WV Coalition. She made a few interesting statements:

-"We need to keep the defition of smoke as broad as possible."
This was in response to my smoke is burning tobacco; no tobacco, no burning, yada yada.

-"We don't know just how dangerous these things are."

-"In a movie theater when you've got 20 or 30 people puffing on these things..."
What?! Where?! Note: If anyone knows of a this sort of thing happening anywhere in our fine state, please let me know. I'd like to be #31!

-"If they want to do this, they need to go outside with the other smokers!"

She said the last rather vehemently then returned to her seat. She was seated with a lady wearing an ALA pin. They were (it appeared) accompanied by a young man with a video camera on a tripod.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye, that both ladies repeatedly looked back at myself and my friends and whispered. Before long, the usual Pavlov's dog response set in on the woman with the ALA pin. She started with mild sniffling but steadily progressed.

One of my friends whispered to me, "Smile, you're on candid camera." I did. I then jotted a note to her asking her and her mother to stop vaping. They did.

I was using a long, copper, auto battery with a blue carto. I removed the carto completely, and began to puff on the battery. I have a very loud CE-2 carto on another device that was perfect for sound effects.

So, the show continued... The ALA lady was going through tissues she dramatically pulled successively from her purse, and was eventually on the verge of needing an epi-pen in reaction to my puffing on a battery.

Some moments truly are priceless.

 

[DC2]

I'm afraid I would have punched her, and I don't hit women.

 

[West"by-god"Virginia]

West "by-god" Virginia, I hope all is well with the family and that you will be able to attend, and hopefully speak at, the next meeting. Everyone is needed!

Attend = definitely unless circumstances prevent me from doing so
Speak = um ..... Um...... , I could try but I am horrible in front of crowds , stage fright if thats what you want to call it .

Sounds like you all had a good day and its got to be nice to have some like minds for company

I call #32 Haha sounds like a ton of vaping fun

by making the comment "other" smokers , she is ignorantly classifying ecig vapor as smoke , when in fact we are not smokers , and vapor is really nothing at all like smoke. It doesn't cling to you and make you smell terrible , it doesnt hang menacingly in the air to attack passing people, etc...

It kills me that it Is obvious by her reaction and that of others that they are so closed minded that they form these opinions and reactions without proper knowledge and without the information that would allow them to understand what they are actually dealing with.

And if she has such a problem with a product that she can't even smell , which wasn't even being used when she decided to act like a spoiled child to get her way then what about : pinesol , air freshener , candles , perfume , bugspray , a person grilling , cutting an onion, a skunk. All of these things could be classified as obnoxious smells depending on the person being exposed , especially when she wasn't even being exposed to the vapor at the time of her "attack", so let's round up everything that could possibly offend anyone , and make it impossible to use , did she drive a car there? The emissions could be offensive to someone , let's make her walk or bike everywhere , but only if she doesn't sweat because that smell might be offensive . That is basically the stand these people are taking .

Ok I'm done sorry , got a little ranty lol.

Does anyone plan on going from down towards the clarksburg/Weston area , maybe we could do like a carpool thing , get more people to go , and have a fun trip while we are at it

 

[ByStander1]

Received the official info from Mr. Gamble...

Public Notice

The Wheeling-Ohio County Board of Health is considering proposed changes to the Wheeling-Ohio County Clean Indoor Air Regulation of 2005. The Board of Health has approved a “DRAFT” of the regulation. The Board of Health will hold a public hearing on the approved draft from 12:00-2:00pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the City Council Chambers located on the second floor of the City/County Building, 1500 Chapline Street, Wheeling, WV. At the hearing the Board of Health will hear oral presentations in favor and in opposition to the regulation. The presentation will be limited to two minutes per speaker and will be taken in the order in which the requests are received. Individuals should contact the health department to be placed on the presentation agenda. Individuals may call (304) 234-3682 or sign up at the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department, 1500 Chapline Street, Room 106, Wheeling or submitted by e-mail to howard.p.gamble@wv.gov. Copies of the proposed regulation can be obtained at the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department during normal business hours Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. The proposed regulation will also be posted on the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department website at Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department .



Howard Gamble, MPH, Administrator
Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department
City County Bldg., Rm. 106
1500 Chapline Street
Wheeling, WV 26003
Main Phone: (304) 234-3682
Fax: (304) 234-6405
Cell: (304) 830-0420
Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department

Please be there if you can! Speaking out against ridiculous inclusion of pvs in clean air regs would be tremendously helpful!!!

 

[ByStander1]

Tomorrow at noon. Wheeling Courthouse. Be there if at all possible! You are needed! Timed, 2-minute slots for speakers, looks like this will be the last one before the vote.

Please speak! It's only a couple of minutes that can change history [our-story]!

Call or email

Howard Gamble, MPH, Administrator

Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department
City County Bldg., Rm. 106
1500 Chapline Street
Wheeling, WV 26003
Main Phone: (304) 234-3682
Fax: (304) 234-6405
Cell: (304) 830-0420
Howard.P.Gamble@wv.gov

I will once again offer my pathetic attempt at defending vaping in a public forum. Moral support needed and requested. Because I have no scruples whatsoever when it comes to easing my personal pain, I've been assured the juice fairy will be there and blessing all vapers with liquid gifties for showing their public support.

 

[Bill Godshall]

I just sent the following e-mail to Howard Gamble to speak at tomorrow's hearing, and I urge all vapers from WV to do the same.

From: Bill Godshall
To: Howard Gamble
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 3:33 PM
Subject: Public hearing on Clean Air Regulation


Mr. Gamble,

Per the notice at Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department, please add my name to the list of presenters for tomorrow's public hearing on the proposed Clean Air Regulation.

Bill Godshall
Executive Director
Smokefree Pennsylvania
1926 Monongahela Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
412-351-5880
smokefree@compuserve.com

 

[Bill Godshall]

Please note that the proposed Clean Air Regulation for Ohio County is at
http://www.ohiocountyhealth.com/uploads/10-20-11_60_WOCBOHCIARegproposedchanges11publichearing.pdf

The Board of Health made some slight changes to the proposed regulation during the past five months, but didn't change any of the substantive and contraversial issues (e.g. banning smoking in the casino, banning use of e-cigarettes by falsely defining it as "smoking", banning outdoor smoking on all property owned by healthcare providers and by government (inluding on streets and roads, which would be the first jurisdiction in the US to ban smoking while driving).

 

[Placebo Effect]

Can I suggest something like this:

"As time goes by, more and more individuals in local government are meeting people who have quit with e-cigarettes. Or better yet, they've not only met someone who quit, but have been around e-cigarettes and not been offended by their odor, nor confused as to whether it is vapor or smoke emitting from the device. This is not just anecdotal information. In the past 6 months, 3 cities / counties have taken up smoke-free policies and, upon learning that their City Attorney had included e-cigarettes in the definition of "smoking," made the uncontroversial decision to remove them; Delaware County, Indiana; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Alameda, California. And by the time this Board of Health holds its next hearing, I'll probably be able to report on one or two other cities that have removed e-cigarettes from a proposed smoking ban."