To the 172 people who signed the petition in a 4 day period!

[Canute]

(Moderators: Would you please leave this in General at least long enough for the 172 people who cared about it to see it)

To all Petition Signers:

I came home today to find many e-mails. Some from people who repsonded from other forums thanking me for starting it. And some from people on this forum wanting to know what happened to it!!!! I went to check what was going on and while it say's that it has been moved....THE ACCOUNT NO LONGER EXISTS! No record of my username...no record of my asociated e-mail! Furthermore the site which is suppose to be a free site which allows you to petition on any topic that matters to you (Care2 - largest online community for healthy and green living, human rights and animal welfare.) did not even have the courtesy to send an e-mail or notification of any kind. All 172 of our opinions....all your testimonials....simply erased.

Note however that this one which was already up when I made ours (and still only has 9 signatures) is still available (---REMOVED LINK CUZ PRO-VAPERS WERE SIGNING IT---) THIS WAS TO BAN E-CIGS PEOPLE!!!! DON'T SIGN IT!!!! I WAS JUST POINTING OUT THAT THEY LEFT UP THE ONE TO BAN E-CIGS!!!! LOL!!!!

Be it a decision by Care2.com or influence by an outside entity I doubt I will ever know but apparently we have been shooshed! I'm guessing Care2 has decided that a method of helping one in five Americans quit tobacco is not considered to be within their claim of promoting health or human rights. I will attempt to get an explanation from Care2 however it will have to be done manually as any automatic help has been disabled due to the fact that it seems I have never been a member! So disgusted at the moment I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

Incidentally the ONLY negative response I received from ANYONE regarding that petition came from a member of this site who I will be big enough not to name. (Don't believe for a second though that like minded individuals are the only ones here)

Reading all your comments was making me very proud that I had started that and I was becoming extremely active in promoting it. Apparently someone heard! I am absolutely sickened! Welcome to America people and I suggest you stock up!

(feel free to click on my signature link and see where it gets you)

 

[Pyrate]

I'm guessing Care2 has decided that a method of helping one in five Americans quit tobacco is not considered to within their claim of promoting health or human rights.

That seems strange because I saw another petition on their site with the same "theme" as yours, though it was many months old, and it got 18+k signatures.
I dont understand why they would delete yours and let the other one run until the OP closed it.

 

[the86d]

Power trip of an Anti-Smoker with some OPs/MODerator upgrades?

 

[helix]

Absolutely ridiculous. Isn't there another petition site? I have never used Care2 before.

 

[Canute]

That seems strange because I saw another petition on their site with the same "theme" as yours, though it was many months old, and it got 18+k signatures.
I dont understand why they would delete yours and let the other one run until the OP closed it.

Again the operative word there is "guessing". I do have an e-mail in to them but have not received a response (not that I'd expect one so quick). Only alternative I can see is that someone hacked it and honestly anyone who read all the testimonials you guys (and others) wrote would have had to have been pretty twisted to have a bug up their .... so bad as to do that. At first I thought perhaps some kind of site error but everything else seems to be working fine. I tried to verify that there wasn't something in the petition that broke some kind of website rule as well but I see nothing of that nature.

Are you sure that that petition with 18k was through Care2? I think I saw a link at some point to the one your talking about but honestly can't say for sure it was through the same site.

Don't mean to sound so ridiculously put out by all this. I do understand the number of signatures we had wasn't exactly a "voice" yet but ya gotta start somewhere. We would have had three times as many if I had allowed non US citizens to vote (initially was getting a ton of signatures but figured we needed US only). Not to mention it was great to see so many people so passionate about something in which I am. Ironically when I was searching for the petition on the Care2 site tonight one of the Care2 pages had a list of top discussions on the right hand border. At the top was a promotional letter I wrote for the petition entitled "45 Million Americans need your help" (I posted a copy under the petition post on the forum here). I clicked on it and it was a copy of the letter with one response under it that came from a woman out of one of Care2's cancer groups. All it said was "Thank You". Not sure if it's still there or if it was just the most recent post or exactly what put it at the top of the discussion list....I was too busy trying to figure out where the petition was. As a side note both of my parents either had or have cancer so perhaps you can see why I'm a little fired up about something that has enabled so many to kiss the tobacco companies goodbye!

Funny thing is I was doing some work outside tonight all spun out that someone for whatever reason would do this and realized all the sudden.....I still don't want a cigarette!

I will let you guys know if I actually am able to determine if this was no fault of Care2 or if it was their decision or what the deal was.

 

[Vocalek]

1. Canute, copy your OP here and paste it as responses to the threads where you asked folks to sign. The General Forum has so many new threads added all the time that this post quickly falls off onto the 2nd or 3rd page.

2. Go to this address:Help Form
If they destroyed your account, you might have to create a new one. But anyhow, when you get there, you have to give the correct respnses to a series of choices to get to a point where you can type in your problem.

a) For Your Main Concern, select "Petition Site"
b) For Your Specific Issue, select "Technical Issue"
c) Froggie will appear, giving you directions on what to tell them, but no space to enter that info. There are two buttons, click the button that says "No" for "No I still need help".
d) In the Detailed Description field that (finally!) appears,
(1) paste in the URL of your missing petition.
(2) If you did have to create a new account, give them the First Name / Last Name / and email address that you used when you created the petition.
(3) Explain that the petition can no longer be accessed and
(4) ask them to retrieve the petition, complete with existing signatures and comments.

[Can you tell that I write job aids and user documentation for a living? I'm an expert at poking around until I figure out how things work.]

 

[helix]

I hope it was a mistake/misunderstanding. Otherwise, I'm tee'd off.

 

[skinnie]

Canute it appears that the care 2 petition for the BAN that had 9 signatures on it is being signed. I hope that people going into that site from your post realise it is for a BAN of electronic cigarettes, not another PRO ecig petition. Just thought i'd bring this to your attention.

 

[Canute]

1. Canute, copy your OP here and paste it as responses to the threads where you asked folks to sign. The General Forum has so many new threads added all the time that this post quickly falls off onto the 2nd or 3rd page.

2. Go to this address:Help Form
If they destroyed your account, you might have to create a new one. But anyhow, when you get there, you have to give the correct respnses to a series of choices to get to a point where you can type in your problem.

a) For Your Main Concern, select "Petition Site"
b) For Your Specific Issue, select "Technical Issue"
c) Froggie will appear, giving you directions on what to tell them, but no space to enter that info. There are two buttons, click the button that says "No" for "No I still need help".
d) In the Detailed Description field that (finally!) appears,
(1) paste in the URL of your missing petition.
(2) If you did have to create a new account, give them the First Name / Last Name / and email address that you used when you created the petition.
(3) Explain that the petition can no longer be accessed and
(4) ask them to retrieve the petition, complete with existing signatures and comments.

[Can you tell that I write job aids and user documentation for a living? I'm an expert at poking around until I figure out how things work.]

I unfortunately already did that only rather than paste the link I gave them the name of the petition. I have received absolutely no response however. All other instructions on your list were completed last night. I will do it again if not responded too in a couple days (trying to give them the benefit of the doubt...off for Thanksgiving perhaps??) but honestly.....it appears intentional to me.

Again you just can't imagine how sick this makes me. Everyday I pass smokers as I go about my business on my lunch break and intentionally make sure to puff away at my 510 thinking "you have no idea how much you could benefit if you just asked". I personally will say nothing unless approached as I hate the idea of being "that guy". I do however have a co-worker and a good friend with kits on order at the moment who should be receiving them any day. I want to make sure I do absolutely nothing to make them feel pressured to quit so I plan on just sitting back and seeing how it goes for them when they are ready to tell me. If they make the switch as easy as I did and feel the benefits I have it will strengthen my resolve even further to get the word out!

So you know, I do have other plans to make sure we get a voice and won't just give up. Let me give it a few days (and get through the holiday) to see if any response comes on the petition first though.

I will paste the initial post in the normal petition thread as suggested.

 

[Canute]

1. Canute, copy your OP here and paste it as responses to the threads where you asked folks to sign. The General Forum has so many new threads added all the time that this post quickly falls off onto the 2nd or 3rd page.

2. Go to this address:Help Form
If they destroyed your account, you might have to create a new one. But anyhow, when you get there, you have to give the correct respnses to a series of choices to get to a point where you can type in your problem.

a) For Your Main Concern, select "Petition Site"
b) For Your Specific Issue, select "Technical Issue"
c) Froggie will appear, giving you directions on what to tell them, but no space to enter that info. There are two buttons, click the button that says "No" for "No I still need help".
d) In the Detailed Description field that (finally!) appears,
(1) paste in the URL of your missing petition.
(2) If you did have to create a new account, give them the First Name / Last Name / and email address that you used when you created the petition.
(3) Explain that the petition can no longer be accessed and
(4) ask them to retrieve the petition, complete with existing signatures and comments.

[Can you tell that I write job aids and user documentation for a living? I'm an expert at poking around until I figure out how things work.]

Did it again with the petition URL. Also important to note is that after submitting grievance (both times) it say's "Thank you! You will recieve a tracking number at [my correct e-mail]". Yet I receive nothing. And yes I'm checking my spam folder as well. Error of some sort or put on ignore??? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Canute]

The exact text I sent to Care2 this evening:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/electronic-cigarette---pro

It say's the petition has been moved.

I am the creator of the petition yet it appears my account with you has been deleted.

I am trying very hard to give Care2 the benefit of the doubt here but am receiving numerous e-mails from people wanting to know what happened to this very important petition. I sincerely hope this is simply some kind of technical error and that Care2 is not a site that decides which petitions meet it's own agendas. If that is in fact the case I suggest reading the petition as well as the comments by the undersigned to see what a crucial and life saving cause you have decided to stand against. I sent you an e-mail yesterday evening regarding this and have yet to receive a response. If in some way this petition violated some form of rule, or if promoting it did, I would appreciate the courtesy of an explanation.

(then I added my e-mail, user name and password again even though it was placed in the form as well.)

 

[cgrl]

Just a quick congrats on realizing you no longer wanted cigarettes....keep on vaping..wtg canute!

 

[Canute]

Just a quick congrats on realizing you no longer wanted cigarettes....keep on vaping..wtg canute!

No doubt in my mind that cigarettes are a thing of the past for me. Unless of course they take away our ability to obtain them and the necessary supplies. (the thought just kills me...and the actual action probably literally would eventually)

 

[Nursetripp]

I'm one of the people that signed the ban petition! Oops! I typed up some comments to go with... however they dont really match the purpose of the petition LOL That will have them scratching their heads. Too bad I didnt read what I was signing. I did however get on care2 and sent some nasty feedback to the owners of the petition! As long as we keep using our voice they cant shut us down! Power in numbers folks. Just this past month I have converted 3 people and have gotten another 3 very interested. I imagine many of you have done your fair share of ecig evangelism as well!

 

[Vocalek]

Did it again with the petition URL. Also important to note is that after submitting grievance (both times) it say's "Thank you! You will recieve a tracking number at [my correct e-mail]". Yet I receive nothing. And yes I'm checking my spam folder as well. Error of some sort or put on ignore??? Your guess is as good as mine.

I had left a complaint, too, on the day I posted the directions in here. I got the same message as you that I would receive a tracking # email. That has never arrived.

 

[Vocalek]

I sent a message to the young lady (Beth-Missouri Western State University) who is the sponsor of the Ban petition.

This was the text of her petition overview:

Electronic cigarettes are being lauded as the "life-saver" for cigarette smokers everywhere. They claim to be clean, save lives by helping people quit, and taste good too! Sounds like a miracle. Gues what? They aren't. These are a very dangerous product. They have not been evaluated by the FDA and so no one knows what is really in these things. There is an unregulated amount of nicotine in them, which could lead to MORE of an addiction and there are reports of chemicals in them that are used in such things as anti-freeze. Another huge problem is the availablity of electronic cigarettes to children! The FDA just banned flavored tobacco in September of 2009. But loo and behold all of a sudden flavored e-cigs suddenly come along to replace that niche in the market. Several stores have been caught selling e-cigs to minors and that is a sad thing. These products are just like the candy cigs, bubble gum cigars and chololate cigars that used to be marketed to youngsters. They are a gateway to a lifetime of addiction later in life. One of the hardest habits to break for smokers is the oral fixation, so now they are offering a product to foster this??!! This is not a smoking cessation product, it has not been evaluated by the FDA (who saves our lives from dangerous products), and they could lead our childen into a lifetime of addiction. Sign my petition if you agree electronic cigarettes need to be banned until they are regulated by the FDA and after they are, they need to be sold in the same manner as regular cigarettes and not at kiosks in malls.

And this is my message to her:

Hi there: Since you have personal knowledge of these incidents, can you provide the names of the vendors who sold electronic cigarettes to children, please. Several organizations I am connected with are opposed to such activity and would like to contact them personally. Also, who provided you with the incorrect information that electronic cigarettes with flavors were not introduced to the market until late September of 2009?

Here are some information sources you might want to take a look at:
FDA smoke screen on e-cigarettes - Washington Times
http://www.tobaccoharmreduction.org
The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary: Comparison of Carcinogen Levels Shows that Electronic Cigarettes are Much Safer Than Conventional Ones
Sweet lies about kids, smoking -- chicagotribune.com

You might also want to read some of the comments that were left by mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-life-saving-electronic-cigarettes-available

NOTE: In my message to her, only the URLs displayed. This forum looks up the page title and displays that, if available, rather than the URL.