ANR writes to alert its constituents as follows: “We want to alert the field that the “Electronic Cigarette Association” (ECA) is lobbying against the Marion County/Indianapolis smokefree bill. The fast growing electronic cigarette industry is trying to be sure that its products will circumvent smokefree workplace and public place laws. The Indianapolis bill would strengthen the city’s law to include bars and also add electronic cigarettes to the definition of smoking. Just to clarify, this isn’t saying that people can’t use these products, but rather – that electronic cigarettes should be treated like traditional cigarettes and should not be used indoors or in any way that may put others at risk. While the e-cigarette industry claims their products are “safe”, the health risks are still unknown — both to the smoker and those around them.”

To see Dr Michael Siegel’s opinion on this, visit his blog – The Rest of the Story.

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 400 without my signature.

While I support restricting access of electronic cigarettes to children under the age of 18, I cannot sign a measure that also decalres them a federally regulated drug when the matter is currently being decided through pending litigation.

Items defined as “tobacco products” are legal for anyone over the age of 18. If adults want to purchase and consume these products with an understanding of the associated health risks, they should be able to do so unless and until federal law changes the legal status of these tobacco products.

For this reason, I am unable to sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Subject: Please veto Senate Bill 400.

Senate Bill 400 is designed to ban electronic cigarettes which are, according to all preliminary studies performed by the Food and Drug Administration, a safer alternate to tobacco cigarettes. Placing a ban on them now will force many users to go back to regular cigarettes at the expense of their health, their loved ones health, and the health of those around them. Rather than banning them at the request of Big Tobacco, we should embrace them, regulate them, and help forward their acceptance for their positive health benefits.

Signed,
–Your Name Here–

That could be the easiest email for you to copy and paste. It’s not to late and we still have a little time.

Use this link to email the Governor: http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email
When choosing a subject from the drop down menu use “Governor”

Let’s fight this before it’s to late. Remember many other states follow suite with California. Your state could be next if this isn’t stopped.

ALSO:

Anyone in California, please call 916-445-2841 (the Governors office) and request him to veto the bill. Don’t be afraid to call, he’s an elected official and it is his duty to serve the people. Make sure you get your opinion known. If you can, talk to the Governor himself. You never know!

If we can get the staff talking about SB400 you can bet he will hear about it!

Don’t sit there hoping someone else will make this go away, let’s make them hear our voices!

-Chris

(Special Thanks to Bornbjorg)

“My board is very concerned about potential health risks,” Hopper said.

If the ordinance is passed, Hopper said, those who violate the law would be subject to fines. Businesses that don’t practice the law can be fined as well.

Karen Blumfeld, executive director of New Jersey Global Advisors of Smoke Free Policy, said diethylene glycol is an ingredient in e-cigarettes that raises a red flag. She says the ingredient is used in anti-freeze and can trigger asthma.

“Our main concern is minors being exposed to it and using it,” Blumenfeld said.

They are still droning on about diethylene glycol, 13 Guys Named Ed explained this well :

I must concede that diethylene glycol is indeed toxic. That much is true. But how toxic is it? It possesses one-tenth the toxicity of household aspirin, not to mention one-fortieth the toxicity of nicotine, the primary component of e-cigaratte vapor which is administered in much higher doses. So why is the FDA focusing on diethylene glycol? Because if they told you that e-cigarettes contain trace amounts nicotine, you’d stare blankly, shrug your shoulders, and take another long satisfying drag off of your e-cigarette before blowing a bunch of vapor in their faces. But when somebody starts throwing around a term like ‘diethylene glycol,’ people pay attention. Nobody knows what the hell it means and it doesn’t sound like something you’d necessarily want a tall frosty mug of.

Or does it? Diethylene glycol is also an ingredient found in toothpaste, mouthwash, cough syrup, dog food, wine and cigars among plenty of other consumer products. Do you know what it is not an ingredient of? Antifreeze. Propylene glycol is used in antifreeze. Diethylene glycol is used in coolants. Let’s get our scare tactics straight, shall we?

Establishments already have the power to stop you using an e-cigarette inside, why do they need to make it law and dish out fines for it?
What does it matter if vapers who have stopped smoking have to suck in a little more second hand smoke, it won’t hurt them right?

Their main concern is the children, I guess I’ll just go back to my favourite pass time of blowing smoke into cots.

Amazon.com has reportedly begin sending the following message to merchants. “We are writing because it has come to our attention that you have listed a product that we have determined is inappropriate for Amazon.com. We have prohibited the sale of electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes, nicotine nebulizers, refill material for any of these, and similar products on our site. A list of ASINs removed from our catalog may be found at the end of this message. Amazon.com reserves the right to remove any listing we determine to be illegal or inappropriate for our site. For more information, please see the Restricted Products section of our Help pages. To avoid the blocking of your selling account, please do not relist this product or any other prohibited content on our site.”

Amazon’s action was taken after receiving a notice of potential liability from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a national antismoking organization, which earlier filed a legal petition urging the FDA to take action against the products until they were approved for sale by the agency. ASH also sent a very similar warning letter by Certified Mail Receipt Requested to PayPal before that organization likewise cracked down on e-cigarette sales.

The 12-1 vote, with four abstentions, puts the so-called e-cigarettes on par with traditional cigarettes, barring their use in Suffolk’s indoor public spaces.

“This vote signals that our local government will not hesitate to take steps to protect the next generation of Suffolk residents from the newest health risks,” said the bill’s sponsor, Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor).

Electronic cigarettes, which are battery-powered devices that typically look like a traditional cigarette, allow users to inhale doses of vaporized nicotine. Advocates tout them as safer than cigarettes, since there is no tobacco or smoke involved in ingesting the nicotine vapor. Electronic cigarettes have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Also Tuesday, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger sued to stop a Florida company from selling electronic cigarettes in his state. He accused the company, Smoking Everywhere, of making false claims and targeting unsafe products to children.

County Executive Steve Levy is “inclined to look favorably” on the bill, said spokesman Dan Aug.

Tuesday’s vote came after a dozen members of the Long Island Vapors Club, a group of e-cigarette enthusiasts, pleaded with legislators to spare their hobby from public restrictions.

But Cooper said the devices are dangerous and need to be barred from the county’s buildings. “They will be free to use these in the privacy of their own homes, but they will no longer be able to subject innocent people around them to these dangers,” he said.

Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk), who voted for the bill before changing his position to abstain after the vote total was announced, said he doesn’t believe electronic cigarettes are as dangerous as traditional cigarettes.

“This may be one of the best ways to quit smoking,” said Schneiderman, a hotel owner. “It might be good for the economy to create vapor lounges as well.” – With AP