Time to DO SOMETHING !!!

[bassthumper]

Okay everyone- if ANYBODY knows someone or has connections to the MEDIA... we NEED YOUR HELP!!!

after reading the aol article: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...gative-article-aol-homepage-today-9-16-a.html I've come to the conclusion that we need to voice ourselves.

Somebody needs to post an article similiar to this in OUR FAVOR. But of course, it needs to be FACTUAL and not BIASED and ILL-INFORMED. We need some articles on AOL and even by AP about the benefits of ECIGS as a smoking alternative.

I think it should be about the NEGATIVE MEDIA DEPICTION of ECIGS and OTHER SUBJECTS. and the borderlined "slander" they produce and/or their effects on the industy's suppliers and vendors.

I can think of only negative things that could come from an article that clearly puts a negative and downright degrading light on these life-saving devices. I also think they are most often written by scandalous and financially-motivated authors.

Let's do something about this? Thoughts?

 

[Cyia]

Fing A! I swear I'm going to rip my hair out, hold nasa hostage, and leave the planet! I'm so sick of GRRRR (censored) people ruing my life! This is NOT what we needed and this is going to be just as 10 times harder now to combat.. My personal opinion? Bend over and kiss your .... and nic juice good bye.. -sighs- I'm already starting to do that now. This is just unreal.. and who's to blame? The parents.. I'm sorry my little girl ever did that, she would be staring at a bed and 4 walls by the time i was done with her.. ffs I give UP!

 

[t9c]

While I certainly don't disagree that PV's & juice shouldn't be marketed to children, that means you kiosk vendors, I would rather my teen pick up my PV and vape than bumming an analog from a friend. I would still prohibit them from using, however and disregard of my rules would qualify as "alone time" in MY house.

We adults need to be particularly observant of our OWN activity as well. DON'T VAPE when ANY kid is within eye-shot of you. You WILL be attracting his attention and questioning. Same applies for smoking, of course. Almost ALL teens think they are adults already and much of our culture reinforces this notion. We have to talk to children and explain our actions or they will be doing exactly the same as us. It ain't easy explaining to teens when we're doing something "adult" in their presence either.

That's my

 

[bassthumper]

Good point.
and CYIA... I TOTALLY feel you.

I just wish I had media connections. MAN I wish I did...
we'd totally have a voice...
*sighs*

Laziness SUCKS and we've had YEARS to do something about this.....
such a shame.

 

[warbdan]

If you look below the article there's a link to follow them on facebook and twitter. Click it and shame them like I just did. LOL

 

[floridamale]

I wonder if enough e-cig users e-mailed 60 minutes if they would do a segment or not, just thinking out loud. They love going after big government when they are intruding on the civil liberties of every day citizens. Somehow the FDA angle would play into it and how they are siding with big tobacco and the pharmaceutical companies.

 

[kellogg]

Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper.

Call the local tv stations in your area. They are always looking for local interest news stories. If the locals pick it up, the majors may be interested.

How about John Stossel or Geraldo Rivera? They are both big libertarians.

 

[jtcaseyjr]

I Just sent this letter to The reporter who did the article, I will let you know if he actually responds to it:

Hello Mr. Schneider,

I am writing this in response to your articles regarding E-cigarettes. I am not an owner of a company or representative of one either, just a normal everyday user of the devices. I should start by mentioning I smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day and smoked for 22 years, I am 40 years old. I have not smoked a regular "Analog" cigarette since May 15th 2010. The rising cost of cigarettes drove me to find some way to quit smoking them.

What I am writing about today is your very disappointing article regarding E-cigarettes. Disappointing because it is written with much bias and contempt. It really seems to me you have something against these, without actually knowing much about them. Also it seems to me that you were either unwilling or unable to confront the FDA on what little evidence they have against E-cigarettes. Would you Mr. Schneider prefer that I went back to my 2 pack a day habit, that actually was not only harmful to me, but to those around me and to the public at large? The FDA has no evidence that E-cigarettes are harmful and they have been around almost 7 years. I am not going to sit here and say the E-cigarette industry does not need some work, as it does. However you’re calling for an outright ban because Canada did it, without even knowing any facts? What kind of journalism is that?

I have noticed a trend in the media lately and unfortunately Mr. Schneider you fall into this category. The media seems to have forgotten how to do real investigative reporting instead they rely on what the Government tells them and put in their own bias opinions. Underneath your name on the AOL News site it says "A two-time Pulitzer winner, Andrew is an investigative reporter" What investigation did you actually do? From what I read not a whole lot. You watched some kids buy E-cigarettes which are bad from a Kiosk vendor and you spoke with one Guy. That's terrible reporting. Have you checked out any of the people that use these things? Have you tried places like http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com, According to some estimates there are 26,000 members, all of whom use E-cigarettes or any other similar places as there are many?

Mr. Schneider I am not asking that you write a glowing article about E-cigarettes, what I am asking is that you do what it says you do, and get down and really investigate this. Stop taking the FDA line and find out for yourself what the truth is Good or bad. As it stands your articles were as I said biased and full of hyperbole designed to create fear in the general public. The reason why the poll you showed has the numbers it does, is because journalists like yourself have just been reporting the FDA line, and that to me Mr. Schneider is just bad reporting.

Sincerely,

James T Casey Jr.

 

[kellogg]

Great letter, James. It will be interesting to see if you get a response.

 

[rosesense]

Thank you for taking the time to do this. I hope you get a response.

 

[jtcaseyjr]

If anyone else wants to email him here is his email: andrew.schneider@aolnews.com. I would suggest that you are professional and not spew hate as that will only fuel the fire against us. However if we could actually get a respected reporter to really investigate these things we love, that can only be helpful.

Maybe if we all fill his inbox with our testimonials, he might actually take a second look and that could be very helpful too us.

 

[jtcaseyjr]

I received a reply:

Mr. Casey,

Thank you so much for the well-thought-out note.

I appreciate your position and would never suggest, you, nor I, nor anyone else start smoking again.

You and I will differ on how I approached the stories and I won't waste your time trying to debate the topic.

Just one point, if I may. For example, I did discuss that the Canadians had banned the devices. I never suggested FDA do the same.

Again, thanks

Andrew Schneider

I then replied back with this:

Mr. Schneider,

Thank you for your quick response to my email. My concern Mr. Schneider is the very one sided reporting that I am see regarding E-cigarettes. Again I am not going to tell you they are 100% safe, nor would I want my 13 year old daughter ever to use one. But if you actually talked to some E-cigarette users you would see that, what you saw was NOT the norm. I would like to see the FDA grilled a little more as to why they are so against these, with little proof of any harmful effects. The effects you mention are common to anyone who uses Nicotine and or Nicotine withdrawl. How can they pinpoint E-cigarette usage as the cause of these effects.

One more point, I will agree that you did not out right call for a ban per say however and I qoute"

"Health Canada had no more information than the FDA does on these products, but last year the Canadian agency ordered that "persons importing, advertising or selling electronic cigarette products in Canada must stop doing so immediately" because they "may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy" by the agency.

"The prohibition on these electronic cigarettes still stands," Health Canada spokesman Gary Scott Holub told AOL News this week.

If the Canadians could do it, why not U.S. regulators?"

If you were objectively reading that, wouldn't you think the person writing wanted a ban? Again I want to thank you for taking the time to reply. My hope is that you might take a second look at this industry and press the FDA a little more, so that all of us can have facts. As long as it is fair and objective I will take good or bad.

Sincerely

James T Casey Jr.

 

[Uma]

Sincerely

James T Casey Jr.

Mr. Casey! You have earned my utmost respect. Thank you for writing with such calm collection and for voicing what many of us fail to express due to stress. Kudos!

 

[Puffice]

I won't write this to them but I am going to rant a minuet. First of all I smoked for over 25 years up until a year ago and neither of my children smoke (at my instance) but I always said if I ever quit I would defend the smoker to the end of days since I think they have been walked over. I also said back many years ago that they would never make cigarettes illegal, too much of a cash cow but over time when those that did the tax then would raise until it got to the ridiculous level it is. I am sure many of you remember the 6 cents tax they were for years and the millions of people that smoked then. I have heard all the hog wash about how smoking raised health care, the second hand smoke myths (though most know better) and ect, ect. The philology play that was put out there to smokers was a insult to ones intelligence especially coming from a country that made it legal years ago and didn't bother testing on it to see if it was addictive. My point is the concern for the smoker has always came last even with all the people that have died from cancer, when it should of been first. Now this, like any previous smoker wants to be addicted to vaping, smoking or anything, just because they like spending dollars and helping with tax dollars? I have never defended smoking itself, but the smoker and now the vaporor. When are they going to get it and better yet when is the smoker (or vaper) going to quit turning the other cheek.
Sorry about the rant but yes I agree vaping needs a voice.

 

[jtcaseyjr]

An update that he did reply to my second email, It was shorter this time around:

Mr. Casey,

I do understand your point of view and I will carefully consider anything else you send my way,

Be well,

Andrew Schneider


That to me sounds like an invite to prove him wrong. Perhaps we should do as he says so he can perhaps reconsider

 

[jtcaseyjr]

I won't write this to them but I am going to rant a minuet. First of all I smoked for over 25 years up until a year ago and neither of my children smoke (at my instance) but I always said if I ever quit I would defend the smoker to the end of days since I think they have been walked over. I also said back many years ago that they would never make cigarettes illegal, too much of a cash cow but over time when those that did the tax then would raise until it got to the ridiculous level it is. I am sure many of you remember the 6 cents tax they were for years and the millions of people that smoked then. I have heard all the hog wash about how smoking raised health care, the second hand smoke myths (though most know better) and ect, ect. The philology play that was put out there to smokers was a insult to ones intelligence especially coming from a country that made it legal years ago and didn't bother testing on it to see if it was addictive. My point is the concern for the smoker has always came last even with all the people that have died from cancer, when it should of been first. Now this, like any previous smoker wants to be addicted to vaping, smoking or anything, just because they like spending dollars and helping with tax dollars? I have never defended smoking itself, but the smoker and now the vaporor. When are they going to get it and better yet when is the smoker (or vaper) going to quit turning the other cheek.
Sorry about the rant but yes I agree vaping needs a voice.

You know one of the things that bothers me, is as a group of Vapors/Smokers, We talk a good game here in the forums, but none of us actually take any real action. Then we are left to wonder how it all fell apart. Smokers, Which most of us were at some point, got walked all over, because they were for the most part silent. I am in no way defending smoking as healthy or safe, Just making a point here. The same is going to happen to vaping. As the old saying goes talk is cheap, and we can rant and rave here in these forums, but how does that change public preception? We can't wait for someone to do it for us, because that is Not going to happen. If we don't come together as one voice, then we lose.

I don't mean just us as customers either. Those lists of Vendors that are on these pages, they need to start organizing too! They need to talk to each other and work together. I understand they are in competion, but soon there will be no buisness then they all lose. The ECA was a start, but it quickly fell apart. Something needs to replace it and soon.

I know there are people on here that say, its not that bad, it will be okay. They very well may be right, however they may be wrong too. I don't like our odds at the moment and we are losing in the court that really matters. The court of public opinion. Journalist like the one who wrote those articles know it, and believe me the FDA knows it too. If they get enough public outcry for regulation, they will use it as a mandate.

 

[Puffice]

Well I agree with everything you say and really I just needed to get that out. It is true that everyone else expects someone else to do something and just assumes someone will but I do believe as with tobacco most people believed that the vendors would not let it get to where it did. Plus it is completely understandable that it is hard for the normal person to get involved too much due to busy lives, lack of legal knowledge, ect ect though people do know right from wrong and I am not referring to "guilt" wrong that some tried to pitch. The thing is, that is all in the past but I don't believe anyone hear want to see history repeat itself and to me the only way to prevent that from happening is to have a group be the vapors voice and stay on top of it and realize they are not going away at least not easily.

 

[CaptJay]

An update that he did reply to my second email, It was shorter this time around:

Mr. Casey,

I do understand your point of view and I will carefully consider anything else you send my way,

Be well,

Andrew Schneider


That to me sounds like an invite to prove him wrong. Perhaps we should do as he says so he can perhaps reconsider

Talk to VocalEK and/or Kristin on the forums about getting some CASAA stuff - real reports and studies to send to him. They are very professional and eloquent.

 

[rosesense]

We already have a group that speaks for us...CASAA. They need donations in order to do their work and more volunteers. I wish I could give time to it, just isn't possible right now. If I ever get to retire, I will be on it. In the meantime, I will try to send some money their way.

 

[PoliticallyIncorrect]

We already have a group that speaks for us...CASAA. They need donations in order to do their work and more volunteers. I wish I could give time to it, just isn't possible right now. If I ever get to retire, I will be on it. In the meantime, I will try to send some money their way.

I expect most of us have seen the ongoing bump evertime you buy something new thread. I mention it just as an illustration of the kind of money we're spending collectively. Forget the expensive mod purchases; just look at the daily avalanche of cash spent on juice and replacement attys.

Nero staked out his mailbox waiting for his shipment of Wyatt Earp mix & spare eGo battery, while Rome burned.

If he and all the rest of us--we number in the millions--were to siphon off even a negligible percentage of what we spend on consumables, the amount accumulated would be a very muscular number, a latent power that, if properly harnessed, could do something--something of substance. Let's face the reality that doing something requires fuel, and that we carry in our wallets the high-octane variety.

There's a handful of organizations that speak in our interest. CASAA has been mentioned, and they'd get my vote; the battlefield is in the arena of public opinion, and in the courts. CASAA is composed of attorneys and PR professionals, and these are the foot soldiers who, ultimately, will win or lose the battle.

I hope the vendors read this thread, because they're in this to at least the same degree as the rest of us, and could make this easier for all; you're familiar with the boxes at the bottom of tax forms that plead to be checked off, so to donate to some state-supported cause? If Nhaler and MadVapes and AltSmoke and LiteCig and all the rest were to add such a thing to their checkout pages in which $1, $2, $5 or whatever would be added to the total but donated to CASAA, I'd have no problem clicking on it--nor, I believe, would a lot of other vapers.

And I'd log off with the satisfaction of $5 well spent--of having done something.