Wow... Local B&M creates program for homeless

[DavidOck]

Get the county health board to fund it as harm reduction? Similar to what many places now do for other concoctions...

 

[FlamingoTutu]

Get the county health board to fund it as harm reduction? Similar to what many places now do for other concoctions...

Perhaps with the other NRTs but don't see them, or any other government entity, doling out ecigs unfortunately.

 

[eyerhere]

Most homeless people suffer from mental illness, especially schizophrenia. People with extreme mental illness have an astronomical rate of smoking. This is thought to be because the nicotine helps them deal with their issues, in other words it's a form of self medicating.
.

What a load of crap. Many people are homless because they are out of work and broke. That is like saying all schizophenics are potenital serial killers.

As far as the program I would have to agree that cggalikes would be the right way to go. And I would make them pay somthing. a quarter of 50 cents so that they will appriciate what they are getting.

I would also try to work through the local shelter or soup kitchen. This type of program can bring in some very undesireable charecters into your buisness every day.

 

[ProjektMayhem]

How are they going to distinguish the homeless from the hipsters???

LMAO! This is literally the funniest thing I've ever seen typed in this forum only because I can relate. My sister is a "hipster" and I've thought to myself that she looks homeless lol.

I just got back from a visit to my local B&M, which happens to be right across the street from where I work. Great shop with great people working there. I go over there a lot of times at lunch just to chat and vape. They have a nice tasting bar and lounge area set up so it's pretty awesome.

So anyway, I didn't get any details yet, as they're still being worked on, but anyway, while I'm over there I find out that they are setting up a program for the homeless to supply them with starter kits for vaping. Possibly with a "swap out" program for dead batteries, i.e. swap your dead ego for a fully charged one which gets charged and then put back in the "bucket" to go out to someone else.

I'm torn on this.... On one hand I can't help but feel like if you're homeless your priorities need to be on something other than smoking or vaping... But let's face it, they aren't. So the other part of me says this is a really great idea to help those less fortunate.

Anyway, just thought I'd share and see how others feel!

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I'm always for helping people out. Yeah they might just use them because they're free. But on the other hand, I know when I sometimes give homeless people money I know what some of them are going to do with that money. But for me it's not what they're going to do with the money, I don't care what they do with. It's more for me and it makes me feel good. It makes me feel selfless and to me that's a good feeling. Because even if they do go buy alcohol or drugs at least they know I cared enough that day to think about them.

 

[Racehorse]

While admirable, any effort w/harm reduction usually requires quite a large volunteer staff and more resources than a vape store would have.

I agree, they should create a program, get other vendors involved w/donations of $, then let an AA or NA type group or local clinic who has experience in large scale harm reduction initiatives to run it.

 

[Racehorse]

But for me it's not what they're going to do with the money, I don't care what they do with. It's more for me and it makes me feel good. It makes me feel selfless and to me that's a good feeling. Because even if they do go buy alcohol or drugs at least they know I cared enough that day to think about them.

bravo. very nice thoughts

 

[danibanani]

Why not use cigalikes? Instead of them having to worry about dead batteries and refilling tanks, the shop could donate a percent of sales to purchase disposable no-name cigalikes for them at wholesaler cost. They're crazy cheap at wholesaler. Plus have a donation jar from customers. If my local B&M had one, I'd drop my change on every visit.

Much easier on both ends and sustainable. The homeless are issued two to three cigalikes - their choice of regular or menthol, and turn them in when dead to receive more. Swaps could be regulated to a certain time of day in order to make it easier. Maybe branch out to a few fruit flavors once the program gets rolling. They could even have a referral system with the local shelter handing out coupons to the people staying there to be able to get in this program, to weed out the freebie hunters. That ensures they only get people who actually want to quit, and helps control the flow so they don't get overwhelmed. (Can only support five people? Only print and issue five coupons.)

With disposable cigalikes, that also helps kill what everyone seems to be thinking will happen. They're really not worth a lot, and with a referral system, you know exactly who is who and who never turned in swaps, so they don't get more. Plus with swaps only at, say, 2-3 pm or whatever, they're not inconveniencing that many regular customers.

Many people don't give homeless a chance. A few bad apples made the whole bushel look bad. Why not take the time to check each one? There might be a few that surprise you.

I really, really like this idea.

 

[TomGeorge]

What a load of crap. Many people are homless because they are out of work and broke. That is like saying all schizophenics are potenital serial killers.

As far as the program I would have to agree that cggalikes would be the right way to go. And I would make them pay somthing. a quarter of 50 cents so that they will appriciate what they are getting.

I would also try to work through the local shelter or soup kitchen. This type of program can bring in some very undesireable charecters into your buisness every day.

Its not the same as saying that they are potential serial killers. It is a factual statistic. Unfortunate or not, many people with severe mental illness end up homeless and on the street and have to/ choose to self medicate with whatever they can find. Nicotine just happens to be readily available and very effective for some of those illnesses.