Vegas VapeFest: Vape Advocacy notes

Vegas VapeFest: Vape Advocacy Notes

by J.G. Founder of VapeSling LLC

On Feb 26th and 27th 2016, Vegas VapeFest was held once more. This year the National Vapers Club (NVC), organizers of VapeFest and Vape Activist events/meetings, decided to take the Vape Advocacy Seminar to the public! Previously, the valuable seminars were scheduled to be held in private rooms. The new public format was a welcome sight.

Yes, there were minor distractions on the show floor, however, the majority of the Vape Guests and Vendors attended the gathering held in the middle of the show floor. The Panel was filled with Vape Advocate celebrities: Julie Woessner (CASAA President), Cynthia Cabrera (SFATA President), Stefan Didak (Founder of NotBlowingSmoke), Cheryl Richter (NVC President), and Alex Clark (CASAA CTA publisher). This elite panel shared many points for our #2016VapeFight.

The following are my notes:

Julie Woessner (CASAA President), Alex Clark (CASAA CTA publisher) CASAA:

1. Calls to Action (CTA): All vapers must react to every single CTA published for their region.
2. Subscribe to CASAA. There are only 100k of subscribers. There should be 9 million. Sign up for the quarterly emails as well.
3. Vape responsibly: Clouds are great! However, when in a public area of non-vapers or smokers, keep your cloud down. Use low volume devices or as Grimm Green once demonstrated, blow the vape into your shirt. The clouds are causing some form of hatred towards vapers, so please keep the clouds rollin, but not in others faces.
4. Don’t support any business that does not Advocate for Vaping.
5. Don’t support any business that irresponsibly makes Child friendly products. However not intended for children, the product still hurts our vaping community and fight. We are under microscopes these days. These cereal and child favorite labeling is Ammo for the opposing parental view.
6. Educate vapers, however, more importantly, educate the non-vapers. Engage non-vapers to hear your story and correct any misinformation they may have stored. The people, not just government, can be informed and persuaded to help save billions of lives.
7. Print CASAA flyers and take to your Vape Shops. Activate and Advocate.

Cynthia Cabrera (SFATA President) SFATA:

1. The FDA deeming regulations are inevitable. They will be enforced sometime this year. It’s just a matter of when. Vape Businesses need to engage with SFATA for every CTA needed from them. Join SFATA now if you are a Vape Business. Unfortunately, time is running out, however still more action to be done. Every vape business will be required to win.
2. Child friendly labels are hurting our Vape business. This irresponsible behavior must cease to gain notoriety with the public. As of now the public has waned towards opposition due to our many flavors. Now this is the icing on the Kid Cake for the opposition. Vape Businesses, please wake up and label responsibly.
3. OMB meetings and Washington D.C.: If you are a e-liquid maker and you haven’t flown to Washington D.C. for a meeting, you are due. These meetings, however inconvenient, are the main fight businesses have. Take advantage while you still can be heard. Organize with SFATA for an OMB/OIRA meeting.
4. Get in Front of your Reps: If you haven’t met your Senators or Representatives, fly to D.C. to do it ASAP. If you absolutely cant do this, call and write as much as possible.
5. Vape Shops: You are at the public end. You are extremely important to our vaping community. You can educate the public best out of all businesses. Local Neighborhood: Everything you do is being watched closely by opposers and vape advocates the same. Set example for the rest and be the best. Print and post flyers for CASAA, SFATA, NotBlowingSmoke etc.
6. Vape Shops: Battery Safety: If you don’t have liability insurance, get it immediately. Also, provide a “Battery Safety” sign off card for your protection of frivolous law suits. The signed document will help prove your concern for the customer’s safety.

 

Stefan Didak (Founder of NotBlowingSmoke) NotBlowingSmoke:

1. Common Sense: — USE IT!!! Vape responsibly and Advocate. Educate everyone.
2. Post and repost on social media. Social Media reaches many.
3. Donate to the “Go Fund” me at https://www.gofundme.com/notblowingsmoke
4. Join No Casualties Campaign.
5. Print NBS Flyers for your vapeshops and other vape gatherings, such as cloud comps.
6. Go to D.C. if possible. Speak to your Rep or Senator face to face. Call and write your story.
7. Support all your local vape businesses that Advocate.
8. Conserve your clouds. Clouds in non-vaping public is tainting our image more than ever. Refrain from intimidating behavior towards non-vapers and smokers.
9. Wake, Vape, Advocate, every day. Always have a thought saved everyday for advocacy. This year we need all the help we can get. You may come up with a brilliant solution to our Vaping woes.

Cheryl Richter (NVC President) National Vapers Club (NVC):

1. A study will be conducted by NVC from donated funds (VSLLC and many vape businesses). The study will be to determine once and for all, if 2nd hand vapor is harmful or lingers. The study will involve an apartment building. Rooms in the building will be exposed to vapor. The vapor will be measured in intervals for dissipation and density. A very valuable test. We are all sure the scientific facts will prove in favor of vaping. Misinformation needs to be crushed immediately with scientific facts. This will be one of them.
2. NVC will continue to organize informational advocacy and vape activism throughout the year. They always involve SFATA, CASAA, etc. for more effect.
3. Support VapeFest wherever they show up. Attend the advocate seminars provided. Stay informed and respond to all calls to action.
4. Cheryl and NVC joined CASAA and SFATA on their OMB meeting visit to D.C.

 

My Summary:

Vaping is in serious danger. All vapers and their non-vaping friends need to get involved…NOW!!!

Keep the clouds within friends and not out in public.

Support your Vape Community by patronage to Vape Advocate Business only. Forget the rest till they past the test.

Misinformation needs to be crushed with scientific facts:

Fact #1: Smoking TAR is proven to Kill 400k a year. Vaping has no casualties, for any year!!! (Drops the mic and walks off)

The notes taken and published here are solely of VapeSling founder J.G. As with any human, his text may have an error or 2. In context, the text is his written recollection of what was said at the seminar.