96% of the bills proposed never become laws...
BUT... Every bill has the opportunity to become one of those 4% that actually make it.
But we have a marketing problem here.
Imagine, if you will... the effect that 100,000 needle junkies would have in an argument for the legalization of opiates... they could make a very loud noise, but they would be powerless to fight... they lack credibility based on their attachment to the outcome. Of COURSE an addict will be in favor of legalization of their drug of choice!
So here we are... the afflicted, addicted and conflicted... making a loud noise that nobody hears. To the uninitiated, we are a dirty and vile group, trying to cast our evil vapor on unsuspecting innocents... our plight is self-serving. We're not trying save owls or furry woodland creatures... we're trying to save OURSELVES... How dare we?
Government feels our addiction blinds us to the truth, and we cannot decide for ourselves what is good for us or bad... and they will reserve the right to protect us from ourselves... They view themselves as the protectors of the downtrodden...
We can say it sucks... we can get angry... we can scream about wanting smaller government and death to big brother... but at the end of the day, the stage is set by Government and we have no choice but to fight on the battlefield of their own creation. They are quite literally telling us what our next move should be, in so few words that we cannot hear the message.
What I am about to propose is absolutely what I feel is the correct course of action.
Let them ban eCigs.
Before you reply to this... keep reading... Don't hate me for saying it. Read... it's brain time.
They want to ban eCigs...
Let them.
An eCig is a device with a battery and nicotine in it... it looks like a cigarette because it's a substitute for a cigarette.
I have been vaping half a year now... I have not used an eCig in 5 months.
I have several exceptional PVs that could be used to deliver virtually ANYTHING that will turn into mist when heated. I choose nicotine, of course... I'm a Nicotine addict, it's my drug of choice...
But these folks in Albany are waging war on the eCig. The FDA is waging war on the eCig. The public that doesn't get is waging war on the eCig...
I know I've lost some of you already... but I'm going to continue down my slippery slope...
As an entire industry... we need to create a dissassociation with analogs... and further, we need to fully remove the nicotine component from the marketing of these devices.
A PV can be used for aroma therapy... and whatever else you may want to do with it... it is NOT strictly a nicotine delivery device. Every vendor should IMMEDIATELY stop selling eCigs... and START selling Personal Vaporizors... IMMEDIATELY... and further they should NEVER sell nicotine if they sell hardware. Sure, they can sell flavor pre-mix... but the Nicotine that is added LATER should be sold elsewhere... perhaps on companion websites owned by the suppliers.... HOWEVER.... the PV sites should ALL carry warnings stating that the use of Nicotine is dangerous... please vape responsibly and avoid nicotine at all costs.
If we remove Nicotine from the marketing of PVs, the FDA will have WHAT power over us? The Government will ban WHAT?
We need to, industry wide, fully separate the DEVICE from the DRUG.
Ever walk into a "smoke shop" only to see hundreds or even thousands of devices that are designed for the singular purpose of smoking herbacious drugs? In nearly every state it is flat-out illegal to use those substances... yet there is all the tools to use them... And how does Government STOP them? They don't. They can't... because the devices are marketed for another LEGAL purpose... we all know it's not REALLY for smoking tobacco... but they say it's for tobacco... so be it.
Part of our problem is that tens of thousands of people have quit smoking using PVs and eCigs... and we screamed that from the highest mountain... and the FDA listened... and they said.... WHOAAAAAAAA.... smoking cessation is OUR domain.... if you want to claim that you can quit smoking with these... WE will say if you are allowed to do so. Let the banning begin!
See... we're proud of quitting... and we didn't think about the consequences of shoving this in the face of the FDA... and like it or not... WE DID THIS! And we CONTINUE to do this when we tell our lawmakers "If you BAN these we will have to smoke cigarettes and we will DIE"...
We need to PAY ATTENTION TO THE PLAYING FIELD AND DO WHAT OTHERS BEFORE US HAVE DONE!
Separate the DRUG from the DEVICE...
OK, so you're a Juicemaker... Fine... make and sell juice with NO NICOTINE... PV sellers... sell PVs with NO NICOTINE.... OK... now... where will we get Nicotine?
We're clever enough to figure out that move, aren't we?
So who loses if this happens?
Let them pass the bill... Stick an LED on the end of a PV and it's a flashlight... Seriously...
They say you can't fight city hall... I agree... and WHY FIGHT if you DON'T HAVE TO?
The problem as I see it, is that we're willing to play THEIR game...
Make them play ours. We will LOSE on their playing field.
We can WIN on ours.