Vaping Advocacy

[chaserich]

Hello All!

Long, long time lurker, finally decided to create an account and start participating here too.

I have been pretty heavily involved in vaping advocacy over the past 6 months now, and I'm curious to see how informed are the members in the new section.

Does anyone have any questions about the differences between CASAA, AVA, SFATA, The vaping Militia, or any other advocacy groups?

Are you wondering what you can do as a consumer to help fight for your rights to vape? If your answer is no, that's okay! If you'd like some pointers in the right direction, just ask!

-Chase

 

[Baditude]

I'm a member of CASAA myself.

(Link to join in my sig)

 

[NancyR]

Like Baditude I am a member of CASAA, I also do what I can with calls to action and educating people about vaping. I am not part of The Vaping Militia for personal reasons at this point.

 

[EBates]

Welcome aboard

 

[chaserich]

Very happy to see the first two responders are already CASAA members! Helping the Calls to Action get as much exposure as possible by sharing it around your social media is one of the bigger things consumers can easily do to help! If any of you are members of large facebook groups, especially if they're state or city based, I'd like to offer a tip that we've had HUGE success with in PA.

Create an event for the group with the CTA, which will expose it to every member and invite as many members as possible. Or get the admin of the page/group to do it so they can push it out to everyone!

Have either of you watched Attainable Advocacy? They've only done two shows so far, but they're very informative.

Thanks for the welcome EBates!

 

[chaserich]

Like Baditude I am a member of CASAA, I also do what I can with calls to action and educating people about vaping. I am not part of The Vaping Militia for personal reasons at this point.

I too, am not a TVM member for personal reasons. I know I'm not alone there, but pretty surprised to see someone else speak up so quickyl!

 

[Susan~S]

Hello and welcome to the forum chaserich. Glad to have you here!

I too am a CASAA member and respond to all their Calls to Action (for my state). CASAA also has a forum here on ECF: CASAA Forum

If you look at the top of any ECF page you will find a link to the current Calls to Action.

Here are some links to get you started on the forum.

1. New Members - "How many posts do I need to..."
2. How to do ECF - Avitar / Post Pictures / Signature
3. How to Add Images / Videos
4. Setting and Profile Features

 

[AndriaD]

I'm a CASAA member too, and participated in every fed CTA since Jan '14. I've even *tried* to participate in some of the CTAs for some of the states, and there is my problem: many state lawmakers either won't take non-state-residents' emails at all, or even if they accept it, they just send a canned response back that I should contact my own state's lawmakers -- who have exactly nothing to do with the laws of another state.

So I've pretty much given up following CTAs for states other than my own -- what good would it do? I feel bad for the residents of WA, IN, and CA, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what a resident of GA could do about those states' lamentable legislation.

It's frustrating to say the least, because I understand the concept of "legal precedent."

Andria

 

[NancyR]

I'm a CASAA member too, and participated in every fed CTA since Jan '14. I've even *tried* to participate in some of the CTAs for some of the states, and there is my problem: many state lawmakers either won't take non-state-residents' emails at all, or even if they accept it, they just send a canned response back that I should contact my own state's lawmakers -- who have exactly nothing to do with the laws of another state.

So I've pretty much given up following CTAs for states other than my own -- what good would it do? I feel bad for the residents of WA, IN, and CA, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what a resident of GA could do about those states' lamentable legislation.

It's frustrating to say the least, because I understand the concept of "legal precedent."

Andria

Actually it can do some good, like for IL where VapeBash is held every year, even if you don't live in IL, if you go to Bash contacting the lawmakers there and telling them if they do this you won't be visiting their state which means you won't be spending money there does get them to listen.

 

[Susan~S]

I've even *tried* to participate in some of the CTAs for some of the states, and there is my problem: many state lawmakers either won't take non-state-residents' emails at all, or even if they accept it, they just send a canned response back that I should contact my own state's lawmakers -- who have exactly nothing to do with the laws of another state.

So I've pretty much given up following CTAs for states other than my own -- what good would it do?

I edited my post and added: "for my state". Like you, I no longer answer the "Class to Action" for other states.

 

[chaserich]

Thank you for the warm welcome and the links! I'm not only a CASAA member, I've also donated and continue to donate to The AVA (Greg is the hardest working advocate in our industry!), as well as being one of the PA SFATA chapter signing members. I've got links to the state level CTA's on my site and post the federal ones as well.

AndriaD: Thank you for at least trying to do the state level ones as well! You're absolutely right about legal precedent. Thankfully we've had a few courts rule in our favor already this year!!

One thing you can do for the other states is this:

Make sure every site/shop you patronize is supporting advocacy in some way. If they aren't, call them out on it and ask them why they aren't involved? If they refuse to get involved, or it becomes clear they're just in this for the money, support shops that advocate instead!

I'm sure some of you here have seen this, but I want to share to be safe. This is something that should be shared around in every way possible. Vapers need to vote with their dollars, supporting shops that support advocacy goes a long way!

 

[chaserich]

Actually it can do some good, like for IL where VapeBash is held every year, even if you don't live in IL, if you go to Bash contacting the lawmakers there and telling them if they do this you won't be visiting their state which means you won't be spending money there does get them to listen.

Absolutely amazing point, thanks Nancy!

edit: Also, great signature! I was blown away by what Stefan was able to accomplish in about 38 hours!

 

[AndriaD]

Actually it can do some good, like for IL where VapeBash is held every year, even if you don't live in IL, if you go to Bash contacting the lawmakers there and telling them if they do this you won't be visiting their state which means you won't be spending money there does get them to listen.

Might be useful for others, who actually have the budget for travel... I don't. I don't go anywhere, ever, so there is nothing I can do about whatever stupid laws other states pass. My own GA lawmakers seem to be [relatively] sane, so my only advice to the residents of those bad states is "Come to GA. Vaping is welcomed."

Andria

ETA: there actually is one thing that I can do even for states where I don't live: Twitter. Huge vape community there, busily tweeting and retweeting all the idiocy going on all over the place, and vapers' response to it. It might not be much, but #notblowingsmoke has shown that social media CAN have a terrific impact.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

*waves* from Arizona. I write a good bit in my home state. Also, just trying to be easy to talk to about it.

 

[NancyR]

Might be useful for others, who actually have the budget for travel... I don't. I don't go anywhere, ever, so there is nothing I can do about whatever stupid laws other states pass. My own GA lawmakers seem to be [relatively] sane, so my only advice to the residents of those bad states is "Come to GA. Vaping is welcomed."

Andria

ETA: there actually is one thing that I can do even for states where I don't live: Twitter. Huge vape community there, busily tweeting and retweeting all the idiocy going on all over the place, and vapers' response to it. It might not be much, but #notblowingsmoke has shown that social media CAN have a terrific impact.

Yes I am a part of the twitterverse as well, and the banner in my sig links to the Not Blowing Smoke web page, it is funny how "journalists" and lawmakers have decided that because of #NotBlowingSmoke we are paid trolls of the tobacco companies.

 

[NancyR]

Absolutely amazing point, thanks Nancy!

edit: Also, great signature! I was blown away by what Stefan was able to accomplish in about 38 hours!

Yes it is awesome, I wish I had known and been able to help with it, but I know those who did and they did a wonderful job.

 

[Nicot]

Hi Chaserich and a very warm welcome.

I am fairly new to vaping and to the forum, about 3 months. I came here to learn about vaping but never expected what I have learned. I had no idea that vaping was under so many attacks. It has been eye opening.

I too am a member of CASSA and watch what is going on in my state and two states next to me. As I learn more I plan on becoming more involved.

Thank you for bringing this up. It needs to be shared!

 

[NancyR]

I wrote this a couple years ago now, but it is no less important

Why I am a member of CASAA

I am not someone who tries to tackle every problem out there, I much prefer to sit in the corner and keep to myself. So why then would I join a group like CASAA? It is very simple, I want to vape.

When I started vaping, I also joined ECF. Through them I found out about a whole community that had been growing for years right here in my own backyard that I was clueless about. So, I started reading and asking questions, trying to educate myself about this new found world and the the common thread that held us all together.

In that education I learned about CASAA, at first my thoughts where “great, here is a group of people who are dealing with it, so I don't have to”, and for another couple months I went on with just vaping and learning.

Funny thing with education, you sometimes learn lessons you don't want to learn, for me that was that I could no longer just sit in my corner and do my thing. I had to be vocal. I had to help fight if I wanted to continue on this new path.

I may not always agree with every single thing that every member of CASAA says, I may not even always like some of the people I meet, but CASAA as a whole is not just fighting for our right to vape, (yes, I said right to), but they are doing so through truth and education.

They organize people just like me, so our voices are heard, and with them we have made a difference. Is the fight over? Not by a long shot, but our voices will not be silenced. As our numbers grow so does our voice. That is why I am a member of CASAA.

 

[Nicot]

Sorry for my typing error! I meant CASAA.