We can get help from the CASAA!
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Hi everyone!
I happened upon this thread and I just wanted to assure everyone that CASAA is VERY active and has been for sometime. Our CASAA forum (casaaforum.org) isn't used much because we do so much on the ECF and other forums - it's easier for us to come here than to get people to come to us on yet another forum. If you'd like to see all of the work we have been doing, check out the ECF news forum along with:
CASAA.org|News
CASAA.org|Call to Action
CASAA on Facebook
We'll also be interviewed again next Sunday on VP-Live | VapersPlace
Not to mention the recent Cassie Awards, the new CASAA "No Smoking/vaping Allowed" door decals, the numerous media comments, the CASAA signature banner (like in Alberta's posts) , etc. We are also very active on forums - Vocalek, Placebo Effect, Cite-Steamer, Moonrose, PapaBloog, DevilsThadvocate and myself are all CASAA Directors, who spend time here and on other forums educating vapers, letting people know about legislation, commenting on media articles, posting CASAA Call to Actions, etc.
Please keep in mind that the CASAA board of directors is made up of 11 volunteer board members (3 who just joined the board last month, so there were only 8 of us until recently) who have a LOT of duties to share, in addition to their normal jobs and families, so we can't be everywhere at once and sometimes it takes a little time to answer the numerous emails we receive, all while writing statements to legislators and the media and organizing Call to Actions for potential bans. The board meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month and have Member Meetings every other Sunday via Teamspeak. It is a tremendous amount of work and it seems just as we are getting one done, two more potential bans, ridiculous taxes or other rules or laws pop up! (Also, last week I was sick with stomach flu, Drew was out of the country and Webby was in DC.)This is why we need more members to help!
If there is proposed legislation in your area, CASAA asks members to gather as much information as possible - a copy of the proposed bill, where it is in committee or other oversight group, who those committee members are, bill sponsors and contact info. We then organize a Call to Action page on casaa.org with all of the information, write up talking/counter points for members to use when contacting legislators and CASAA will contact those same legislators with facts and arguments against their proposed legislation. We also post the Call to Action on the forums and our Facebook page. This is where the Member Meetings come into play, where we can assign people to divide up the tasks and get it done. If something needs to be done sooner, we communicate through email or Skype.
Here is a copy of tonight's Member Meeting agenda - as you can see how active and involved CASAA is:
As I mentioned in the CASAA forum thread, we don't currently have official CASAA "chapters" yet. Basically, if you are a member, your ARE the "chapter" in your area. As we get more people agreeing to serve as a Regional Rep in their area, we may be able to tap them to head official "chapters" once we get the manpower and funding.
So, for now, just join, come to meetings and get involved. CASAA is only as effective and involved as it's members are - because as the signature banner says - YOU ARE CASAA!
We are very excited to see more Canadians joining the cause and giving CASAA a presence in your country!
I happened upon this thread and I just wanted to assure everyone that CASAA is VERY active and has been for sometime. Our CASAA forum (casaaforum.org) isn't used much because we do so much on the ECF and other forums - it's easier for us to come here than to get people to come to us on yet another forum. If you'd like to see all of the work we have been doing, check out the ECF news forum along with:
CASAA.org|News
CASAA.org|Call to Action
CASAA on Facebook
We'll also be interviewed again next Sunday on VP-Live | VapersPlace
Not to mention the recent Cassie Awards, the new CASAA "No Smoking/vaping Allowed" door decals, the numerous media comments, the CASAA signature banner (like in Alberta's posts) , etc. We are also very active on forums - Vocalek, Placebo Effect, Cite-Steamer, Moonrose, PapaBloog, DevilsThadvocate and myself are all CASAA Directors, who spend time here and on other forums educating vapers, letting people know about legislation, commenting on media articles, posting CASAA Call to Actions, etc.
Please keep in mind that the CASAA board of directors is made up of 11 volunteer board members (3 who just joined the board last month, so there were only 8 of us until recently) who have a LOT of duties to share, in addition to their normal jobs and families, so we can't be everywhere at once and sometimes it takes a little time to answer the numerous emails we receive, all while writing statements to legislators and the media and organizing Call to Actions for potential bans. The board meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month and have Member Meetings every other Sunday via Teamspeak. It is a tremendous amount of work and it seems just as we are getting one done, two more potential bans, ridiculous taxes or other rules or laws pop up! (Also, last week I was sick with stomach flu, Drew was out of the country and Webby was in DC.)This is why we need more members to help!
If there is proposed legislation in your area, CASAA asks members to gather as much information as possible - a copy of the proposed bill, where it is in committee or other oversight group, who those committee members are, bill sponsors and contact info. We then organize a Call to Action page on casaa.org with all of the information, write up talking/counter points for members to use when contacting legislators and CASAA will contact those same legislators with facts and arguments against their proposed legislation. We also post the Call to Action on the forums and our Facebook page. This is where the Member Meetings come into play, where we can assign people to divide up the tasks and get it done. If something needs to be done sooner, we communicate through email or Skype.
Here is a copy of tonight's Member Meeting agenda - as you can see how active and involved CASAA is:
As I mentioned in the CASAA forum thread, we don't currently have official CASAA "chapters" yet. Basically, if you are a member, your ARE the "chapter" in your area. As we get more people agreeing to serve as a Regional Rep in their area, we may be able to tap them to head official "chapters" once we get the manpower and funding.
So, for now, just join, come to meetings and get involved. CASAA is only as effective and involved as it's members are - because as the signature banner says - YOU ARE CASAA!
We are very excited to see more Canadians joining the cause and giving CASAA a presence in your country!
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Thanks for popping by here, Kristin! I was able to sit in on tonight's meeting, which was my first (well...my computer was dodgy so I missed a bit). I was able to see that the CASAA is, indeed, a really active group, and I'm encouraged by the confidence and savvy that the members seem to have.
I appreciated the short conversation we had regarding Canada's situation, too, and I appreciate the group's sympathies.
For fellow Canadian vapers, I'll sum up the bit that I was able to take away from the meeting...but likely tomorrow. I seem to have a rather tiring cold, and I probably wouldn't do a good job at the moment.
Cheers!
I appreciated the short conversation we had regarding Canada's situation, too, and I appreciate the group's sympathies.
For fellow Canadian vapers, I'll sum up the bit that I was able to take away from the meeting...but likely tomorrow. I seem to have a rather tiring cold, and I probably wouldn't do a good job at the moment.
Cheers!
I am glad you made it AB. I was going to attend but I am deep in this horrible cold myself. Been spending most of the day in and out of a Nyquil induced sleep.
If I understood correctly, CASAA can help us out in an advisory capacity, but we pretty much need to help ourselves first by forming a group...it would probably give them more incentive to help us if we were CASAA members (they didn't say that but that seems only fair!). Naturally, their legal knowledge is primarily directed at American users, so it's up to us to learn what we need to know.
They can get us pointed in the right direction. We've kinda been doing that part already, but it helps to be told what kind of questions we need to have answered.
Some suggestions I got:
- look for is what Canada's definition of a 'tobacco product' (or a similar term) is
- see if the same "derived from nicotine" concept that has saved vapers in the U.S. is present in Canadian law
- strive to have face-to-face meetings with legislators as well
=============
I would bet that there are other pointers that I can pick up but my computer was being glitchy and it was nearing the end of the meeting; folks were itchy to dismiss and Canada wasn't on the agenda.
I know one thing I'd really like to see is the "in print" rulebook that HC is following in order to justify their recent hardhandeness. There's no doubt that C36 gives them more power to do so but it isn't here yet!
It sort of leaves us back where we started. We are a passionate well read group who just don't have the organization to take these guys on. I am not gifted with the skills of being a leader/manager of such a group (past experience...I'm a better supporter than an organizer I'm afraid). So what now? Is there a group out there already that that I don't know about?
They can get us pointed in the right direction. We've kinda been doing that part already, but it helps to be told what kind of questions we need to have answered.
Some suggestions I got:
- look for is what Canada's definition of a 'tobacco product' (or a similar term) is
- see if the same "derived from nicotine" concept that has saved vapers in the U.S. is present in Canadian law
- strive to have face-to-face meetings with legislators as well
=============
I would bet that there are other pointers that I can pick up but my computer was being glitchy and it was nearing the end of the meeting; folks were itchy to dismiss and Canada wasn't on the agenda.
I know one thing I'd really like to see is the "in print" rulebook that HC is following in order to justify their recent hardhandeness. There's no doubt that C36 gives them more power to do so but it isn't here yet!
It sort of leaves us back where we started. We are a passionate well read group who just don't have the organization to take these guys on. I am not gifted with the skills of being a leader/manager of such a group (past experience...I'm a better supporter than an organizer I'm afraid). So what now? Is there a group out there already that that I don't know about?
Did a little Googling this morning.
This is the definition from the tobacco act:
“tobacco product” means a product composed
in whole or in part of tobacco, including tobacco
leaves and any extract of tobacco leaves. It
includes cigarette papers, tubes and filters but
does not include any food, drug or device that
contains nicotine to which the Food and Drugs
Act applies.
I found the tobacco act at:
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/T-11.5.pdf
However, do we want ecigs regulated under the tobacco act? Reading through the act we would be in trouble anyway as our laws governing tobacco are a LOT stricter than the US. We would be even more limited than we are now.
This is the definition from the tobacco act:
“tobacco product” means a product composed
in whole or in part of tobacco, including tobacco
leaves and any extract of tobacco leaves. It
includes cigarette papers, tubes and filters but
does not include any food, drug or device that
contains nicotine to which the Food and Drugs
Act applies.
I found the tobacco act at:
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/T-11.5.pdf
However, do we want ecigs regulated under the tobacco act? Reading through the act we would be in trouble anyway as our laws governing tobacco are a LOT stricter than the US. We would be even more limited than we are now.
Thanks for looking that up. I don't know if conforming to the Tobacco Act is "better" for us or not. In the US it's been the lesser of the two evils. What with the tempting 4 mg exemption that exists for inhalers, I tend to think that's the road we're headed down. If the feds get TOO hard with nicotine products, they'll be spiting BT, so they have to tread carefully.
Any constitutional vaping Canadian lawyers out there?? I wish you'd speak up, cuz we'd love to hear from you.
Any constitutional vaping Canadian lawyers out there?? I wish you'd speak up, cuz we'd love to hear from you.
We knew the e-cig was classified a drug delivery device. This is what we are fighting to change. If it stays under the drug delivery device catagory e-cigs will never be legal, if it gets classified as a tobacco product, we maybe limited and they might tax the hell out of the nicotine, but it will be legal and vendors can still earn a living. If it gets classified as a medical device again it will be legal, you will just have to go to your doctor for a presciption, the problem with that is doctors will try to force you to quit nicotine so he we limit you to the amount of prescriptions he can write, and after a couple months may refuse to write you one at all saying you should quit.
So in summation classifying the e-cig as a tobacco product is the only way to go if we want to continue vaping and have our beloved vendors still able to earn an honest living.
So in summation classifying the e-cig as a tobacco product is the only way to go if we want to continue vaping and have our beloved vendors still able to earn an honest living.
Just to clarify things - I am a founding member of the board of directors for CASAA and I currently serve as CASAA's Secretary of Directors. I also am in charge of organizing CASAA's Regional Representatives, so if anyone is interested in becoming a Regional Rep for your area of Canada, please PM me with your real name, email address (one that you actually use) and your city/province/area you can cover. And feel free to ask me any questions about CASAA! 
Thanks, Kristin!
I think you'll be hearing from at least myself before long...as for today, though, I'm afraid I'm spent. Bad cold, no sleep, too much driving...but I'll get my second wind here soon.
I think you'll be hearing from at least myself before long...as for today, though, I'm afraid I'm spent. Bad cold, no sleep, too much driving...but I'll get my second wind here soon.
BUMP for a brilliant cause!
maybe even a sticky....?
that be too kool ,even a canadian wide chapter
put all your worrys to a real alternative,
if not for now.... the future....
every journey begins with the 1st step
any1 up for the real challenge??
maybe some vendors would like to input?
just some thoughtz?..
maybe even a sticky....?
that be too kool ,even a canadian wide chapter
put all your worrys to a real alternative,
if not for now.... the future....
every journey begins with the 1st step
any1 up for the real challenge??
maybe some vendors would like to input?
just some thoughtz?..
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I just took the time to read through this thread, there's some solid information in here. This should definitely be a sticky.
A Canada-wide chapter would make sense. It's a national issue, so we're all working toward the same cause. If we can get organized, we could eventually have our own meetings and such. Either way, I just signed up for the CASAA.
A Canada-wide chapter would make sense. It's a national issue, so we're all working toward the same cause. If we can get organized, we could eventually have our own meetings and such. Either way, I just signed up for the CASAA.
"congratulations"
one of the best things to add to our plight,
as we're sure there will be a positive outcome!
better prepared than not!
our resourses grow larger....
vapehard vaporz...
one of the best things to add to our plight,
as we're sure there will be a positive outcome!
better prepared than not!
our resourses grow larger....
vapehard vaporz...
Thanks, Pipeous! I wish I hadn't missed the first 20 minutes, but at least I made it this week.
I signed in an hour early. then had my monitoring on the wrong group lol. I was late joining in but only about 5 mins. never heard of tvac until today
I couldn't get logged into it and spent the next 45 minutes trying before I gave up. Can anyone say what the main points were?
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