The Westchester County Legislature is considering a local law that would ban the sale of flavored vapor products in flavors other than tobacco. This local law is scheduled for a PUBLIC HEARING on
Please make plans to attend this hearing. Even if you do not plan to speak, your presence is important as it demonstrates the large numbers of people affected by this issue.
Prior to the hearing, send a message to the entire council.
We are providing contact information and talking points below for calls, emails, and spoken comments.
Comma delimited email list (copy/paste into the “to” field of your email):
ErikaP@westchesterlegislators.com, DebbieF@westchesterlegislators.com, CalebH@westchesterlegislators.com, CarolB@westchesterlegislators.com, gsbb@westchestergov.com, BarneyM@westchesterlegislators.com, TeresaT@westchesterlegislators.com, JohnF@westchesterlegislators.com, Mamc@westchestergov.com, ce@westchestergov.com
Westchester County Board of County Legislators
Leg. Kitley Covill (914) 995-2810 ErikaP@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Nancy Barr (914) 995-2834 DebbieF@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Catherine Borgia (914) 995-2812 CalebH@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Gordon Burrows (914) 995-2830 CarolB@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. MaryJane Shimsky (914) 995-2821 gsbb@westchestergov.com
Leg. John Testa (914) 995-2828 BarneyM@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Alfreda Williams (914) 995-2833 TeresaT@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Catherine Parker (914) 995-2802 JohnF@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Dir. Melanie Montalto (914) 995-8620 Mamc@westchestergov.com
County Executive
George Latimer (914) 995-2127 ce@westchestergov.com
Points to include in your emails, phone calls, and spoken comments:
Sample Message you can copy/paste into email forms:
(Please include your personal story about switching to vaping)
I am writing as a voter and taxpayer in Westchester County urging you to resist calls from well-meaning but misinformed activists to enact policies that would ban flavored, smoke-free alternatives to combustible tobacco. A productive path forward must include adequate representation from all stakeholders - especially nicotine consumers.
Legitimate, regulated businesses play a vital role in ensuring that consumers have legal access to well-made products and keeping adult products out of the hands of young people. If these products are pushed into an underground market--where there is no oversight or motivation to comply with sales age restrictions--purchasing and consuming nicotine will be unnecessarily dangerous.
The recent outbreak of lung illnesses being broadly attributed to "vaping" by the CDC is a direct result of overbearing drug policy that encourages products to be made and sold by an underground, unregulated industry. Pushing currently legal nicotine products into such an environment might have similar results--including exposing all consumers at greater risk.
I along with my fellow members of Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) thank you for considering my comments on this issue. Please keep me informed of developments in this matter. I look forward to your response on this issue and I am available for any questions you might have.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Please make plans to attend this hearing. Even if you do not plan to speak, your presence is important as it demonstrates the large numbers of people affected by this issue.
Prior to the hearing, send a message to the entire council.
We are providing contact information and talking points below for calls, emails, and spoken comments.
Comma delimited email list (copy/paste into the “to” field of your email):
ErikaP@westchesterlegislators.com, DebbieF@westchesterlegislators.com, CalebH@westchesterlegislators.com, CarolB@westchesterlegislators.com, gsbb@westchestergov.com, BarneyM@westchesterlegislators.com, TeresaT@westchesterlegislators.com, JohnF@westchesterlegislators.com, Mamc@westchestergov.com, ce@westchestergov.com
Westchester County Board of County Legislators
Leg. Kitley Covill (914) 995-2810 ErikaP@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Nancy Barr (914) 995-2834 DebbieF@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Catherine Borgia (914) 995-2812 CalebH@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Gordon Burrows (914) 995-2830 CarolB@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. MaryJane Shimsky (914) 995-2821 gsbb@westchestergov.com
Leg. John Testa (914) 995-2828 BarneyM@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Alfreda Williams (914) 995-2833 TeresaT@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Catherine Parker (914) 995-2802 JohnF@westchesterlegislators.com
Leg. Dir. Melanie Montalto (914) 995-8620 Mamc@westchestergov.com
County Executive
George Latimer (914) 995-2127 ce@westchestergov.com
Points to include in your emails, phone calls, and spoken comments:
- Briefly, share your story about switching to vaping and what role that flavors played in helping you switch.
- Note any health changes you’ve experienced.
- Briefly, discuss what losing access to local vape shops will mean for you (Will you shop out-of-state, in neighboring cities, or online? Will you make your own e-liquid at home or purchase products on an underground market?).
- Briefly, discuss the perils of pushing legal products onto an underground market (i.e. no accountability, no product standards, no traceability should something be contaminated … in other words, a flavor ban actually puts everyone at more risk).
- Additional talking points for testimony and emails are available here.
- Watch these comments from San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar - YouTube
Sample Message you can copy/paste into email forms:
(Please include your personal story about switching to vaping)
I am writing as a voter and taxpayer in Westchester County urging you to resist calls from well-meaning but misinformed activists to enact policies that would ban flavored, smoke-free alternatives to combustible tobacco. A productive path forward must include adequate representation from all stakeholders - especially nicotine consumers.
Legitimate, regulated businesses play a vital role in ensuring that consumers have legal access to well-made products and keeping adult products out of the hands of young people. If these products are pushed into an underground market--where there is no oversight or motivation to comply with sales age restrictions--purchasing and consuming nicotine will be unnecessarily dangerous.
The recent outbreak of lung illnesses being broadly attributed to "vaping" by the CDC is a direct result of overbearing drug policy that encourages products to be made and sold by an underground, unregulated industry. Pushing currently legal nicotine products into such an environment might have similar results--including exposing all consumers at greater risk.
I along with my fellow members of Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) thank you for considering my comments on this issue. Please keep me informed of developments in this matter. I look forward to your response on this issue and I am available for any questions you might have.
