Absolutely JerryRM From a fellow "Boomer" I have simply had it!!! Most of my life I've not been one to 'publically complain' or ruffle feathers (that is my fault, my mistake and my weakness), but in the last four months I have e-mailed, snail-mailed, fax'd and called in more complaints to legislators,news angencies, Health Organizations, etc than in my entire life. I know that a big part of the reason for this is my deep felt gratitude and passion for this technology and ALL those who support it - but I also realize that part of it is I am sick and tired, after fifty-six years, of being pushed around, lied to, manipulated, and controlled by a system of government that does not 'Serve' the People as it was intended to but rather thrives on greed, power, control and segregation. I want to get the "governmental boot" off my neck!!
Amen to that D103! I'm in the same boat...been pretty quiet about most things, except for protests in the early 70's and as long as i was left alone, I was fine. I knew corruption and greed were all around, but didn't get involved if I wasn't personally affected...my bad on that too. Now with the direct attack on my personal freedom, as well as everyone in the ecig community, it has raised my "call for action" mentality to kick in and start being active to do my part in supporting all of the ecig community to help protect our rights. Government is corrupt all around, special interest groups are directing the traffic, people are attempting to ban a safer alternative to analog cigs, and ECF has been a godsend for an outlet to learn, vent, and act upon something that scares us into action. It's either that or lay down and die (literally if ecigs are banned by people who don't have the slightest clue as to what they're talking about). Public Awareness is crucial to our efforts, and I see a lot of it going on here, with ideas, petitions, contact information, and attempts at getting these people to break the barrier of greed and deliberate attempts to ban something due to pressure, lack of knowledge, and misinformation from special interest groups, and all for the sake of greed. What's it to them if 430,000+ Americans and millions around the world die from tobacco related diseases, as long as they get money from them before they die, only to be replaced by new customers? It feels like a form of population control! I'm scared, but scared into action to protect my rights as a 51 year old adult that smoked for 35 years and this is the first time I have seen improvements in my health, and the inhumane attack on the ecig industry is so transparent that it's a downright disgrace. The Boomers face a serious concern as it is with retirement!
I've learned about the ways that our government and special interest groups work through this forum, and it's scary. Scary to the point of either acting to make a difference, or sit back and watch our rights as vapers be taken away. I choose the former, as everyone here is (or should be doing).
My mother worked for the ALA many years ago, believing that she was doing something to help. All she did was stuff envelopes to ask for donations. I talked with her the other day and she told me that she quit when she found out the salaries that the top brass were getting, and coming from the "donations" that people sent in, thinking that they were helping the health of Americans. As I have discontinued donations to them, so has she because of this. She stands behind my decision to get away from analogs, and is well aware of the FDA's attack on the ecig industry, and now these other special interest groups that are joining the bandwagon...no doubt there is money involved, so they have plenty to toss around while we worry on a daily basis if we are going to be the next target of their corruption.
I read a response to an article where someone mentioned ecig users as just another special interest group that needed to be stopped. So everyone is supposed to have special interests except ecig users and supporters. I have friends that don't smoke and still are active in helping to support us, because they have seen the difference in my health, energy, and overall mood. We are doing nonsmokers and children a favor by not subjecting them to second (and now third hand smoke) which to me is a reason for them to become involved in helping our cause.
Scared? Yes we should be, but scared to action is what we really need to be. Yes, I'm fuming at all of the propeganda being slewed around against ecigs. More testing that is unbiased is something that i believe we are all for, but it's unlikely that it would happen here in the US. We are so much in debt that using analog smokers for tax revenue is more important than their healths and lives....soak 'em until they die, they will be replaced with new victims. Keep raising the price and taxes on analogs is a way to get money, and a majority of analog smokers will continue to pay the taxes, complain about it, but still support the industry because of their addiction to nicotine. I remember when it was called a habit, and many believe that still, even though the truth is nicotine ADDICTION! Kudos to anyone that has managed to "kick the habit" (read addiction) but it's not everyone that can do it, for one reason or another, otherwise there would be no smokers at all if that were the case. Reduced harm alternative is what we are fighting for and it's definitely an uphill battle that has to be fought on as many levels as we can, finding new outlets regulary and steadily to get our message off the forum and into the public to educate people on what we are really dealing with, and the inhumane approaches that we are subjected to.
Each of us has our own skills that can help to keep this in the general public eye, and focusing on our individual strengths that we can bond together for a common cause is something I strongly believe is a step towards our rights. In my case, my main skill is music, and i offer my studio for any music that can be added into public awareness videos, or any place music can add to our cause. It's not the most important issue, but after 25 years as a professional musician, and 8 years as the owner and producer of a music studio, it's what I know and my studio is always open if needed to help us get our message out there and in as many people's faces as possible. "We the people" are a dying breed due to big government and agencies that "know what's good for us" and from a slanted and disillusional perspective.
As a former 'Hippie" activist, I'm ready to get back to standing up for us in any way I can. Scared? Yes, but even more so, I'm PO'd at all of this and willing to do whatever I can to help!
Ok, I'm off my soapbox, but standing ready to fight for our rights to any degree. The AG in Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli, made a clear statement that e-cigs are NOT a part of the recent smoking ban in VA, and the Virginia Department of Health website listing of the ban that included e-cigs has been removed from the list because it is not a part of the ban. Individual owners of the restaurants and bars can make that decision, which seems fair to me, since they own their establisments, and I can deal with that, but not the misinterpretaion that the Department of Health intentionally included on their website.
I learned of the AG's statement and watched the news report from a Richmond news station on the internet, thanks to the info provided by Vocalek. Her active approach to our issues has helped me to be as much help as I can, and see her as a prime example of what we need to be doing...reaching out beyond this forum and in the face of the opposition.
Nuff said...or more than enough...when I finally rant, I don't hold back!
Sorry if I did...
