This day, 5/10 was initially set to be Vapers Appreciation Day, but it looks as though it became the day vapers declared war. The fact that the FDA chose to publish their regulations today was a slap in the face of the millions of people who switched from combustible to these products. Just 24 hours ago, a coalition of major advocacy groups were announced across social media, declaring that they will be standing shoulder to shoulder on behalf of the consumers who will be affected by this onerous overreach of power. (Full article).
This morning, we awoke to the news that Nicopure Labs LLC., was filing suit against the federal government, making claims that the FDA was an overreach of power and hoping that the courts would be helpful in resolving the situation. As the morning was closing out, a great friend, fellow vapor, and political ally, Delegate Larry W. Faircloth (State Representative, WV) posted the following:
Larry W Faircloth came out swinging
I was hesitant to start a war, but after spending a half an hour on the phone with Danielle Grote of the FDA who is in charge of handling other politicians, she made it perfectly clear to me. In fact, she challenged me to go against the FDA. Big Mistake! I cited them for unconstitutional overreach, unconstitutional attacks on a persons 4th amendment rights, attacks on the state’s 10th amendment rights, their collusion to use enforcement by using the Health and Human Resources division (which oversees every state, and every state health department), and the fact they were going to use them for macro enforcement all the way down to a county level in each state…
SHE NEVER DENIED ANY OF IT, MY FRIENDS…..NOT ONE CHARGE.
She only cited that she doubted I could do much more than leave a ‘public comment in the public comment section’ which they delete each day. My response to her was….”you have no idea what you just started. If you want a war, you have one…I oppose this, and I oppose your FDA. If you doubt my abilities…I am sure there are few Governors who will be happy to enlighten you quickly, do you need their numbers?”
So my Friends….Here is my PUBLIC STAND of where THIS elected official is standing…and I can assure you, if you stand behind me on this…it will NOT fall on deaf ears. You have my commitment now to fight…unite…and conquer!
For obvious reasons, it is not often that we here at Guide To Vaping share petitions as the majority of them have little value in the political realm.
The link I am going to give to you, below, will be instrumental in the fight going forward. It will be put in front of Governors, Senators, Congressional members and we need your mark on the paper.
Not just your signature, but the signatures of your family and friends as this is not just a vapers issue, it is an issue that can and will affect the lives of every American from this day forward.
What about joining forces with CASAA, etc. that also joined other advocacy groups to form a coalition in order to fight the deeming regs. Will you try to join with them, too? Because I worry that if our small group of vaping advocates do not band as one we will not have the numbers you need to fight this. You ask for 100,000 signatures which is not a lot but it is in our vape scene.
Angela, this directive is not from me personally, I am just a messenger in this case. Everyone is currently fighting together, many branches of the same tree looking for alternative ways to get the job done. Believe me when I tell you that right now, all of the groups are working in concert to save our community. In response to your other point, 100,000 signatures may be a lot to ask, but I seem to remember last year that a white house petition that had no effect dwarfed that number.
Hello;
My name is Christopher Carter,and I too am a avid vaper, and cloudchaser.
I started smoking at the age of fifteen. At fourtyone, October 2015 I began vaping. At that time I was smoking a pack and a half a day, within two months I was completely off of cigarettes. I have now been vaping for eight months and feel much healthier. My bronchitis doesn’t bother me as often as it did when I was smoking cigarettes. I can breathe better, I have fewer sinus problems, and feel much more comfortable in knowing that I’m not running the risk of cancer.
I Pray that we prevail over this malicious over stepping of power the FDA has committed, all in the name of money.
It is very sad to know that our government favors money over the health of the public.
Why do you chase the clouds? They cannot be caught. There is help for your kind 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpSfbeFJmc8
My story is almost exactly the same. Same ages quit smoking Feb 2015
Larry, I am so grateful to have you standing up for what is right.
Thank you so much
Cindi Kinch
I am an EX SMOKER that smoked cigs for 30 yrs. i have completely quit as of 7/18/2015. I was able to quit because my medicine is vaping. I started at 18 and quickly moved down to 1.5 nic with intentions of going to zero very soon. I have been to the dr and my lungs are clearer and my heart is healthier. Big pharma and bug tobacco hate it because im not a slave or dependent on your drugs and toxins. Greed is killing us and we are taking BACK OUR RIGHTS TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE! My family is grateful and I am grateful for the vaping community and all the #vapefam #vapeislife #ivapeivote
Vape A Palooza in Atlanta the first weekend of August is being held to raise money and awareness to the advocacy groups
Larry William Faircloth will be speaking at the central pa expo this Friday at 1 pm during b2b
I can’t wait!
I applaud this, I myself am a army veteran for years I followed blindly, obeying orders never once speaking up. Well now we have the ability to speak up for something that is a cleaner solution to big tobacco’s solution to make a healthy paycheck. That you for your ability to stand up for what is right in our courtrooms. I will back this 100% for a healthier way to end this non-sense.
In this age of technology where smoking has evolved into something so much better, safer, cleaner,healthier and fun so why do the people who choose to move with the times can’t , because tobacco and pharmaceutical companies want us to be sick so they can make money off our suffering
Soo mense kan ma stink en dood gan van sigarette maar om te vape is onwetag asb
It won’t work.
As much as I am passionate about vaping and our community, I really think forums, blogs, petitions will fall on deaf ears. Let’s face facts – we are a minority.
As I see it, the only thing of any benefit is media strategy. We need more advocates like Phil, Mikey, Brian, Grimm, DL, all writing, joining forces to imploring media about the injustice and downright stupidity of the new laws. Any opportunity to debunk the absurd strategy and findings of the FDA. Sadly, vaping will never have the money to stand toe to toe big tobacco giants and big pharma.
How ironic that a week prior the Surgeon General in the UK completely endorses vaping as an effective cessation method. Makes the FDA policy look even more outrageous.
I wish we heard more from high profile, celebrity vapers. We need them.
Steven, last week I would have agreed with you. As soon as the FDA made their regulations public, they managed to wake up a lot of sleeping people. Not only the news media who are seeing one group of scientists say something while our own are trying to bury the data, but politicians, like Larry, who are seeing the disconnect between the truth and the reality. The “petition” discussed in this article is actually a letter that will be hand delivered by one politician to many others, not some hope and pray spray to the White House.
While I agree we need to join forces, a few individuals that we look up to within the industry will make no difference to the outside world: as much as I hate to say this, to Mrs. Jones at number 42, Grimm Green is probably the Joe Camel of 2016.
We need the average vapers story in the mainstream, which according to the CDC is the 35+ ex-smoker who made a healthier lifestyle choice.
This battle is going to require fighting on many fronts, and while you state correctly that WE ARE A MINORITY, the truth is, we have a lot more support out there than you may think. Once again quoting the CDC, 1 in 6 Americans smokes, so by proxy this regulation affects them, and their families and everyone we know.
If we can turn the corner on public perception, using scientific data, trained medical professionals and “A Billion Lives”, those deaf ears are going to prick up and start listening quickly.
Signed, shared, and donated!! Get on board now!!
After the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement in 1998, many state and local governments chose or were lured into selling so-called tobacco bonds. This securitization often permits the transfer of risk of decline in future payments to bond holders, however it also represented a cash boon to governments, governments used these funds to cover budget shortfalls, fund public works projects, or otherwise spend money as not originally intended. The bonds were backed by, in some cases, pledges of state and local tobacco revenues, incentivizing support for the tobacco industry.
These governments have continued to bumble. Thanks to increased interest in personal health many have sought the means to quit. Many have succeeded in leaving the tobacco revenue stream in one way or another. As they did, govenrnnents foolishly increased taxes on tobacco products on the dwindling population giving an economic advantage to quitting. Most smoking households have lower incomes.r A downward spiral in income to back Tobacco Bonds was assured.
Enter us. We’ve further accelerated the decline of billions of dollars of outstanding tobacco bonds. States with larger populations (California, New York) are hit harder. Mismanaged states (New Jersey) are hit harder. Here, prior to Deeming Regulations, is where we saw the most draconian legislation.
Financial analysts have now seen or predict that these bonds will default entirely and have downgraded them to junk status. Measures to overtax or ban e-cigarettes are seen as a way of offsetting loss in revenue.
But an all-out ban and decimation of the market? That would be the fait accompli! No more worries about this pesky rapidly accelerating threat to the state and local government’s cash cow.
NEWS FLASH: BANNING E-CIGARETTES WOULD PROMOTE THE SALE OF COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTES!
They didn’t even leave us a note on the pillow the morning after. Vapers scorned.
You tell ’em we’re coming, and HELL’S COMING WITH US!
I think this a bunch of bullshit! The fda all they care about is the old mighty dollar! That’s what this is really about. The Fda wants in on all the money vaping is making! That’s what this all comes down to is the dam money. As always and it will only always be about the money! How much they can get and keep on getting! The Fda could give a rats ass about anyone health issues! Because if they did they would not let big Tabocco companies sell those Nast stinky cigarettes! But that’s ok for million and millions of people to get sick and die from smoking then sick cancer sticks. Vaping has saved my life and a lot of my good friends lives! I’m just so dam angry about all this shit!!!!
I VAPE. I Vote. Period
I have been a vapor for 3 years now. It has truly saved my life. I cannot believe that big tobacco and the FDA want to take this away from us. How is something that is saving lives be so misconstrued. I really pray that vaping stays around for many years and that tobacco is the one that has to go through this. Cigarettes are the real killers here! Proven
Hello there! I am from Romania, I start smoking when I was 7 years old, I quit first time when I was 9. I start again at 14, why, because I could and nobody, not government, nor state, said different. Now I am 46, so I smoke already for 31 years. A week ago I found a cheap e-cigarette, I didn’t thought I will like it! Surprise, I love it and I vape now from a week, 0.8 nicotine, and no need for combustibles! You have to do something and win this WAR, as you will be an example, for our politicians. If you lose I lose, if you win, I win! Good luck and I hope your result will be positive!
The regulations came out last week, not today. The FDA has a history of releasing things on random days. In this case it was Cinco De Mayo.
Its also detrimental to the industry to use immature and unprofessional language. The representative from West Virginia may mean well but “Declaring War” will not accomplish anything. The industry needs to be regulated, the current environment of juice being made in garages is not safe nor sustainable. The FDA knows this and needs to be lobbied for fair changes. Threatening them wont accomplish that.
Shouldnt a class action lawsuit be filed by a coalition of advocacy groups so one firm does not block the ability of the whole industry a fist in the fight?
Say, if people who don’t live in the U.S. sign the petition… does that help the petition, or does that hurt the petition?
I’m a 35+ and then some ex-smoker who made the healthier and life saving choice to vape after nothing else helped me quit smoking. But I also am discouraged with petitions that no one is looking at, making noise that no one is listening to. I will continue to vape regardless of what the FDA or the government says or rules. But its not about me, or even the millions of vapers who have quit smoking along with me. Its about the shops that helped us, and even more about the future smokers who will die from tobacco related diseases because they have no real alternatives. I try to be optimistic, but its difficult to be heard over the clanging sound of money that rules Washington DC.