Tips/Help with an e-cig ban at my university

[CaptainMauzer]

First and foremost this was just put up by my university: July 1 tobacco ban could inspire quitters | UIC News Center

I tried searching this forum but didn't really find the sort of help I was needing. I find it ludicrous that my university (home of the nation's largest medical school) is banning these devices. Generally I'm just looking for some general advice on how to garner support for myself and some tips on how to bring this issue up with my univeristy in a respectful (but stern) manner.

(Sorry if this wasn't the "correct" subforum for this, but figured CASAA would have some resources available).

Thanks in advance for any help, my previous community college banned the use of e-cigs as well, and I am just SO tired of having to hide in the dark corners of buildings with the smokers.



Update: I found this little gem while doing some additional research: http://news.uic.edu/uic-researchers-to-study-how-young-adults-use-e-cigarettes-snus The fact that they are even grouping snus and e-cigs together just furiates me with how ignorant this university is -_-

 

[kristin]

CASAA has created a paper for colleges in PDF form called "Promoting campus Health and Electronic Cigarettes." This can be printed out at a copy/printing store and put in a binder to be given to university officials. email us at board@casaa.org and I can email the file to you.

Other things you can do:

- Find other vapers in your school to help you with your cause
- Put together a (paper) petition and get signatures opposing the ban
- Ask for a meeting with officials to argue the case for e-cigarettes
- Contact the media to create public awareness and support

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Regarding the article "grouping snus and e-cigs together," CASAA endorses snus as a low-risk, safer alternative to smoking. There is actually far more research on the safety of snus than there is on e-cigarettes. In fact, before there was any e-cigarette testing, the safety profile of snus was used as an argument for e-cigarettes to also be considered very low-risk.

What is infuriating is Mermelstein's lie that would cause people to believe that snus and e-cigarettes aren't actually safer than smoking.

“What’s intriguing and potentially challenging about the introduction of these new products is that they are perceived by many people as being safer products and alternatives to traditional, combustible tobacco,” says Robin Mermelstein, director of the UIC institute and principal investigator of the National Cancer Institute-funded study.

The people who perceive snus and e-cigarettes to be "safer products and alternatives to traditional, combustible tobacco" are absolutely correct, but she makes it sound like they are wrong to have that perception. Not surprisingly, Mermelstein has a long history with anti-nicotine and tobacco zealots, such as the American Legacy Foundation and as a director with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - an anti-tobacco organization funded by Johnson & Johnson (makers of Nicoderm.)

 

[Nkayy]

- not sure how to delete this post-