Stop whining and start thinking positive!

[The Torch]

I just posted this as a response to someone else on one of my threads and I should have done this a long time ago:

STOP FEELING LIKE WE LOST BEFORE WE ACTUALLY HAVE!

My original post (adapted):

I think we should start using positive thought to help us rather than feel defeated when we are still standing and stop putting ourselves down so low the opposition will already have won before actually lifting a finger.

Just pay attention at how many ridiculous sanction ideas that have been proposed and we don't even hear about anymore.

If we are in numbers, they will have to adapt to our numbers, not the other way around! Stand proud and united! How in the world do you think countries from the Americas ever became independent? The US was the first, not the only one and the same goes for any large groups of populations. BTW, wasn't ........ just legalized in a bunch of States and Provinces? It was really illegal not long ago as far as I can tell, yet the benefits that counter-weigh problems related to medication or just no medication made the powers realize that legalization was a much better option... You might need a prescription in most places, but at least those who really need it have the right to.


I also add: positive thinking gets things done, not the other way around. No one ever got anything good out of thinking it was useless. No one ever won a conflict going into it with the mind-set that it was already a lost cause. THINK POSITIVE. Perhaps (and think to yourself using that exact word): Perhaps we might not get 100% of what we would like to have, but gaining some and losing some is not losing.

But, really, what I'm thinking of is this quote from Henry Ford:

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you're right!"

Don't take any of this personal, but a little friendly kick in the behind sometimes helps and I sure hope it does! So, please let's start thinking we can win out right to vape and be freed of burning nasty stuff! I don't care if non-smokers won't join us, they don't need it, WE do.

Thank you for reading and, please oh pretty please, stay positive!

 

[Kloudz]

Damn right!!!

 

[imsoenthused]

But if I stay pessimistic I'll be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't end up as bad as predicted. Hoping for the best is great and all, but letting it convince you not to plan for the worst is naive. Do you even have a zombie apocalypse evacuation plan? Sheesh...

 

[rondasherrill]

But if I stay pessimistic I'll be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't end up as bad as predicted. Hoping for the best is great and all, but letting it convince you not to plan for the worst is naive. Do you even have a zombie apocalypse evacuation plan? Sheesh...

“If you expect the worst, you'll never be disappointed.”
― Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key

On the other hand:

“Pessimists are usually right and optimists are usually wrong but all the great changes have been accomplished by optimists.”
― Thomas L. Friedman

Personally, I have ABSOLUTELY no doubt in my mind that we don't have to worry about a complete and total ban. Why is that? Because e-cigarettes are proving themselves to be an extremely profitable venture. Regulation and taxation on the other hand are absolutely, without a doubt in my mind, going to be the end game. The government isn't going to give up on something they can so easily control and tax. We just have to try to keep the regulations from becoming insane.

 

[Karnn]

I agree
There are to many of us now, and more each day. We have become to numerous to just ignore or sweep under the rug with out backlash.
That being said there needs to be regulation sadly there is no way around it. People making liquids for public consumption in unsanitary environments? It being legal to sell to minors, dangerous home made devices with the potential to not just injure the user but bystanders being sold by company's? These things are atrocious and something needs to be done about it. Now I won't get on a soap box here but I think some of the regulation could be a good thing but the vapeageddon everyone is fearing I don't believe will happen
Stay positive, we have a voice use yours and be heard

 

[flaming_gnat]

totally agree!

maybe if the community could somehow collectively approach the government with some sort of compromise?

now before everyone starts throwing things at me, hear me out. some regulation could be a good thing. examples:

1. age restriction. we can put this silliness of kids getting started smoking with ecigs to bed for good. most stores won't sell to anyone under 18 anyhow. make that a law.

2. mandatory purity testing of juices. i would happily pay extra to know that the juice i'm vaping has been tested for purity and doesn't have anything harmful in it that shouldn't be there.

3. impose a small tax. in return the govn't would give a certain amount of funding to independent research. any future decisions on regulations would be based on actual research and not the usual BS we have now.

4. make child proof caps on the juice bottles mandatory. this is self explanatory

5. any plastics used for hardware or the juice itself should be PET 1 food grade plastics to prevent unwanted chemicals from leaching out into our juice.

i understand that this is not a perfect world...i only expect an age restriction law and nothing else. maybe some outright bans and heavy taxes with no purpose. i'm just trying to be an optimist. dreaming of that perfect world...

 

[rondasherrill]

totally agree!

maybe if the community could somehow collectively approach the government with some sort of compromise?

now before everyone starts throwing things at me, hear me out. some regulation could be a good thing. examples:

1. age restriction. we can put this silliness of kids getting started smoking with ecigs to bed for good. most stores won't sell to anyone under 18 anyhow. make that a law.

2. mandatory purity testing of juices. i would happily pay extra to know that the juice i'm vaping has been tested for purity and doesn't have anything harmful in it that shouldn't be there.

3. impose a small tax. in return the govn't would give a certain amount of funding to independent research. any future decisions on regulations would be based on actual research and not the usual BS we have now.

4. make child proof caps on the juice bottles mandatory. this is self explanatory

5. any plastics used for hardware or the juice itself should be PET 1 food grade plastics to prevent unwanted chemicals from leaching out into our juice.

i understand that this is not a perfect world...i only expect an age restriction law and nothing else. maybe some outright bans and heavy taxes with no purpose. i'm just trying to be an optimist. dreaming of that perfect world...

I am sure that those will all be the minimum regulations. If we can fight hard enough, maybe it will land on those. I don't see a SMALL tax though, sadly. Realistically speaking... Look at the taxes they are losing by us not buying cigarettes. I foresee them shooting to continue getting that kind of revenue. Although I do believe they will handle it similarly to how they did cigarettes, with a small tax at first, and then every couple years increasing it, to lessen the backlash.

 

[AndriaD]

I just posted this as a response to someone else on one of my threads and I should have done this a long time ago:

STOP FEELING LIKE WE LOST BEFORE WE ACTUALLY HAVE!

My original post (adapted):

I think we should start using positive thought to help us rather than feel defeated when we are still standing and stop putting ourselves down so low the opposition will already have won before actually lifting a finger.

Just pay attention at how many ridiculous sanction ideas that have been proposed and we don't even hear about anymore.

If we are in numbers, they will have to adapt to our numbers, not the other way around! Stand proud and united! How in the world do you think countries from the Americas ever became independent? The US was the first, not the only one and the same goes for any large groups of populations. BTW, wasn't ........ just legalized in a bunch of States and Provinces? It was really illegal not long ago as far as I can tell, yet the benefits that counter-weigh problems related to medication or just no medication made the powers realize that legalization was a much better option... You might need a prescription in most places, but at least those who really need it have the right to.


I also add: positive thinking gets things done, not the other way around. No one ever got anything good out of thinking it was useless. No one ever won a conflict going into it with the mind-set that it was already a lost cause. THINK POSITIVE. Perhaps (and think to yourself using that exact word): Perhaps we might not get 100% of what we would like to have, but gaining some and losing some is not losing.

But, really, what I'm thinking of is this quote from Henry Ford:

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you're right!"

Don't take any of this personal, but a little friendly kick in the behind sometimes helps and I sure hope it does! So, please let's start thinking we can win out right to vape and be freed of burning nasty stuff! I don't care if non-smokers won't join us, they don't need it, WE do.

Thank you for reading and, please oh pretty please, stay positive!

I've said things like this a few times, but the doom-and-gloomers insist that the sky is about to fall, chicken little. One thing I'm definitely positive about: I'm positively not giving up vaping, no matter what happens. I've got 7 or 8 decent mods or battery-sticks, 10 batteries, several rebuildables, and have about 200ml of nicotine in the freezer with another 120ml on the way, and more on the way after that too, and I've finally learned to mix a decent-tasting Virginia, and we probably have at least -- AT LEAST! -- another year before ANYTHING changes, so I've got plenty of time to get lots more of all the above. So they can kiss my shiney hiney.

Andria

 

[The Torch]

But if I stay pessimistic I'll be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't end up as bad as predicted. Hoping for the best is great and all, but letting it convince you not to plan for the worst is naive. Do you even have a zombie apocalypse evacuation plan? Sheesh...

You can plan for the worst with the best of hopes... but, this is not even the point I'm trying to make. Planning to fail is failing in itself. Planning to win is really what I wish people would do, but we still should definitely plan one step ahead. Being prepared for the worst doesn't mean you have to believe that's the ONE future.

“If you expect the worst, you'll never be disappointed.”
― Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key

On the other hand:

“Pessimists are usually right and optimists are usually wrong but all the great changes have been accomplished by optimists.”
― Thomas L. Friedman

Personally, I have ABSOLUTELY no doubt in my mind that we don't have to worry about a complete and total ban. Why is that? Because e-cigarettes are proving themselves to be an extremely profitable venture. Regulation and taxation on the other hand are absolutely, without a doubt in my mind, going to be the end game. The government isn't going to give up on something they can so easily control and tax. We just have to try to keep the regulations from becoming insane.

I agree totally, but the government only has possibility of 100% control because of the direct relation to smoking. If they were to start imposing controlling laws on using perfumes, they would fail instantly because there is no precedent in that area.

I agree
There are to many of us now, and more each day. We have become to numerous to just ignore or sweep under the rug with out backlash.
That being said there needs to be regulation sadly there is no way around it. People making liquids for public consumption in unsanitary environments? It being legal to sell to minors, dangerous home made devices with the potential to not just injure the user but bystanders being sold by company's? These things are atrocious and something needs to be done about it. Now I won't get on a soap box here but I think some of the regulation could be a good thing but the vapeageddon everyone is fearing I don't believe will happen
Stay positive, we have a voice use yours and be heard

Yes, there is a need for some regulations:
-What goes in juices and what hygiene surrounds the making should be kept in check to keep it from being a health hazard (at least from being worse than vaping can be)
- Keeping the idiots from blowing their faces off... I don't care, I care about the part where they could take other people's faces with them. No need for closed tank systems, just decent circuit protections IMO

Thanks for your input

 

[flaming_gnat]

I am sure that those will all be the minimum regulations. If we can fight hard enough, maybe it will land on those. I don't see a SMALL tax though, sadly. Realistically speaking... Look at the taxes they are losing by us not buying cigarettes. I foresee them shooting to continue getting that kind of revenue. Although I do believe they will handle it similarly to how they did cigarettes, with a small tax at first, and then every couple years increasing it, to lessen the backlash.

you'd like to think that they would see that the lost tax money would be more than made up by savings on health care costs (especially in countries with government run health care) but who am i kidding? politicians are short sighted idiots.

 

[rondasherrill]

you'd like to think that they would see that the lost tax money would be more than made up by savings on health care costs (especially in countries with government run health care) but who am i kidding? politicians are short sighted idiots.

Yup. My thoughts exactly. I am optimistic that vaping won't be banned or go away, but I am realistic about how they will squeeze every last penny from it.

 

[The Torch]

totally agree!

maybe if the community could somehow collectively approach the government with some sort of compromise?
[...]
.

YES! YES! YES! we need to concede ground in order to gain some and there is much to be gained for everyone, including the never smokers (hey, no more puky cancer-causing smells with ugly butts that stain the bottom of your shoes at mall entrances is already a huge gain if you ask me!)

I am sure that those will all be the minimum regulations. If we can fight hard enough, maybe it will land on those. I don't see a SMALL tax though, sadly. Realistically speaking... Look at the taxes they are losing by us not buying cigarettes. I foresee them shooting to continue getting that kind of revenue. Although I do believe they will handle it similarly to how they did cigarettes, with a small tax at first, and then every couple years increasing it, to lessen the backlash.

They'll adapt and the backlash part might be distributed over a larger population group. It's only fair that the majority should pay for everyone rather than the other way around...

I've said things like this a few times, but the doom-and-gloomers insist that the sky is about to fall, chicken little. One thing I'm definitely positive about: I'm positively not giving up vaping, no matter what happens. I've got 7 or 8 decent mods or battery-sticks, 10 batteries, several rebuildables, and have about 200ml of nicotine in the freezer with another 120ml on the way, and more on the way after that too, and I've finally learned to mix a decent-tasting Virginia, and we probably have at least -- AT LEAST! -- another year before ANYTHING changes, so I've got plenty of time to get lots more of all the above. So they can kiss my shiney hiney.

Andria

Aww, come on! Let's gently shake the doom-and-gloomers back to reality. All change comes with opposition. Look at history; it is nothing but the norm. Whether it be the population, the government or big companies, everyone opposes the changes that forces them to adjust to a different reality. There's nothing wrong with having plenty of supplies, and I am all for it, but let's not let the downers bring us down with them: we should rather bring them up with us. I they won't come, then let them stay where they are and let's walk into the light for a brighter future (all right, even I want to kick myself for such a cliché pun, but you know what I mean and I still mean what it means...)

 

[AndriaD]

YES! YES! YES! we need to concede ground in order to gain some and there is much to be gained for everyone, including the never smokers (hey, no more puky cancer-causing smells with ugly butts that stain the bottom of your shoes at mall entrances is already a huge gain if you ask me!)



They'll adapt and the backlash part might be distributed over a larger population group. It's only fair that the majority should pay for everyone rather than the other way around...



Aww, come on! Let's gently shake the doom-and-gloomers back to reality. All change comes with opposition. Look at history; it is nothing but the norm. Whether it be the population, the government or big companies, everyone opposes the changes that forces them to adjust to a different reality. There's nothing wrong with having plenty of supplies, and I am all for it, but let's not let the downers bring us down with them: we should rather bring them up with us. I they won't come, then let them stay where they are and let's walk into the light for a brighter future (all right, even I want to kick myself for such a cliché pun, but you know what I mean and I still mean what it means...)

Actually I'm kinda hoping that the DC area and environs will get hit with one of those Hurricane Sandy events, this hurricane season. They'll be too busy trying to save their Armanis to worry about e-cigs.

Andria

 

[DavidOH]

I'm not worried about an out right ban. They waited to long to do that and I hope it takes them another year or more to figure out what they want to do. The longer they wait the more vapers there will be. And remember they are not just dealing with the vapers. They are dealing with the loved ones of the vapers that have finely seen that person give smoking. The attack I think will come more on a local level. And we can beat that also.

They thought vapeing was just a fad and would never go anywhere. They were wrong. BT and BP and BG still don't have a clue just how big this is and how fast it is growing. They might think they do now but I think they are still not fully aware of the scope of vapeing. Should we keep fighting and getting the word out? Yes on the national as well as on the local level. If you want to be prepared just in case then by all means do so. But don't stop fighting and don't give up. I know it's hard sometimes but Smile and be happy.

 

[Rickb119]

BTW, wasn't ........ just legalized in a bunch of States and Provinces?

If they couldn't have taxed it, it wouldn't have happened.

I also add: positive thinking gets things done, not the other way around. No one ever got anything good out of thinking it was useless. No one ever won a conflict going into it with the mind-set that it was already a lost cause. THINK POSITIVE.

Very true.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you're right!"

True, to a point.

I THINK I can win the lotto. (Gee, I hope this works. )

 

[tj99959]

Being a realist has nothing to do with being pessimistic or optimistic. It's just an understanding of what will be the result of 'any given action'. So yes we have a problem, and yes it's solvable.

Yes there will be local, state, and federal regulations to deal with, and if we want to continue to vape we damn well better deal with them.

 

[The Torch]

True, to a point.

I THINK I can win the lotto. (Gee, I hope this works. )

If you can switch from hoping to knowing, you'll already well on your way to win a free lotto ticket

The saying is really about the actions you can control on your end. If the other end is a random action or response, of course... that system fails. If the other end is opposition, then it is all about persistence, all the more reasons to be positive.

Being a realist has nothing to do with being pessimistic or optimistic. It's just an understanding of what will be the result of 'any given action'. So yes we have a problem, and yes it's solvable.

Yes there will be local, state, and federal regulations to deal with, and if we want to continue to vape we damn well better deal with them.

We might have to meet them partway, but as the true facts about vaping comes more and more public, nothing says we can't reclaim lost grounds.

 

[WharfRat1976]

I stopped reading when you compared the Vape Struggle to the uniting of the United States[emoji112]

 

[HauntedMyst]

Stop whining and start thinking positive!

No! Everything always goes wrong, nothing ever goes right! Remember in the 50's? They said we'd have hovercars by now. We don't have no hover cars. Damn hover car predictors! Remember the 60's? They said we'd live on the moon by now. I don't live on the stinking moon! Damn NASA! Remember the 70's? They said there would be peace by now. There is still war! Damn hippies lied to us! Remember the 80's? They said Michael Jackson was black in the 80's! He didn't stay black! Black Michael Jackson was the king of pop. White Michael Jackson was a monkey owning freak! Damn freaky white Michael Jackson! (Who am I kidding, we all loved Michael Jackson, we just liked him better when he wasn't trying to turn himself into the white Diana Ross) I could blather on but you get my point. Time to stop thinking positive and start thinking "Aim better, a civil war for freedom is coming boys!"

 

[Alien Traveler]

I agree
There are to many of us now, and more each day. We have become to numerous to just ignore or sweep under the rug with out backlash.

No. Not numerous enough.
Not so long ago there were much (MUCH) more smokers. Us smokers. And we were banned from public places and overtaxed to half death. Our numbers – now “our” means vapers numbers - are really small, compared to general population. We are not popular. Politicians need taxes, so they will try really hard to tax vapers as hard as possible, and general population will applaud them (it’s just human nature).

Be prepared.