HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-17-2015 C9 ColeLomeli, Monique
Subject: Proposed E -cig ban
COUNCIL MEETING: 02>1 1-7115
MAR 19 2015 ITEM NO.:
From: Mark Cole [mailto:araidersfan@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 6:51 PM
To: E -mail Council Website
Subject: Proposed E -cig ban
Hello City Council members, Vice Mayor and Mayor. I am contacting you today in regards to the proposed
indoor vaping ban. This ban will essentially drive a new and growing industry underground. The ban may
close down a few reputable shops and distributors but you are going to see a similar situation we have seen
before where these products will simply be sold out of cars and on the streets. I am amazed that this industry is
receiving as many negative views as it has been lately, we are helping people quit 10 -20 year addictions to
cigarettes which are products that are proven without a shadow of a doubt to cause serious illnesses and death.
These electronic cigarettes however do not do such a thing and have yet to be proven to be of any harm or
concern for the user and for people in the vicinity of the vapor. It is a great feeling to help someone quit a
deadly addiction that they have struggled with for years with a simple product that delivers nicotine in a
propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin mist. This is an industry that cities in California and the state it self
can profit off of and help with making these products more safe by creating a certification and inspection
process that all e- liquid manufacturers would have to go through. Having an irrational and misguided idea such
as just outright banning and restricting these products to be illegal or not allowed in certain areas is an
incredibly asinine move. Why would you not actually take the time to research these products and conduct
viable traceable studies that can be reproduced? The action that you intend to take is very ignorant, this is
reminiscent of marijuana bans where there was no research done and the plant was just banned for profitable
reasons. Many of us in the industry believe these products will be banned for monetary reasons, we all know
that Big Tobacco and Big Pharma are losing an incredible amount of money to this industry. Ruining people's
lives by banning something that you have yet to do any government or locally funded studies on to determine its
health risks is an incredibly cowardly and sensationalistic strategy to take. I personally have only worked in this
industry for 18 months, I had quit an 8 year tobacco addiction with this product and I stand behind it. Will you
do the right thing and give into sensationalism and yellow journalism? Or will you make the right call and
preform studies on a product that has yet to prove itself harmful? I hope you will make an informed decision.
M.R.C.