Vapor Digest #3 The Trade Publication For The Vapor Products Industry
Issue link: http://vapordigest.epubxp.com/i/504729
beautiful thing happened on Nov. 4, 2014. An anti-vaping fearmonger named Liz Thompson (D- New Mexico) was voted out of office. Now, we can argue the statistical variances of this closely contested race, but in the end, her demise has been publicly attributed to the vaping community showing up in force and voting for her opponent. This is important to us. It's the first instance in our short industry history where vapers swayed the outcome of an election. I have been a life-long Independent who generally leans Democrat - sorry if I lost you my fine R e p u b l i c a n friends, but stick with me. It's simply I believe there is more to life and more to people than who they tick in the voting booth. That is, unless that tick is for another ignorant anti-vaping grandstander. It's time we stood up and let these politicians know that if they like their jobs, they better fall in line and leave our vaporizers and delicious flavors off the agenda. The FDA will take care of that in due time, and we're prepared to fight them too. We can argue back-and-forth as to whether or not the vaping element was statistically significant to tip this election, but the matter stands – vapers now have political power and it has been perceived as such. What troubles me is these victories are few-and-far between, and we still behave as a largely fractured political power. Which leads me to the point. Where is our NRA, where or rather who is our Wayne LaPierre? It doesn't matter if you're pro or anti-gun. You have to admire the NRA's approach to keeping gun owners' freedoms secure. Politicians are scared senseless of the NRA as they know full-well come election time, if you stand against gun freedoms in any fashion, Wayne and his agenda will show up in force to blow gold all over their opponents. I understand the NRA also has the might of the second amendment on its side when it comes to gun regulation, but that said, it doesn't muddle our message if we as vapers seek to adopt the same "don't tread on me" approach to our freedoms. We must. If I were to accidentally ingest a 10ML bottle of e-liquid and end up in poison control, city councils across the nation would use it as a rally cry to ban e-liquid or propose unnecessary and u n r e a s o n a b l e controls on the products. But say I was clean- ing my handgun and I accidentally shot myself, then that's bad on me. Politicians wouldn't dream of touching it or suggesting gun regulation. Why? Because of the work done by Wayne LaPierre and The NRA. There's absolutely no way any office-seeking politico would risk the political firestorm of suggesting a ban on handguns. They know full well it's a political death sentence. Which is why I believe it's time we switch the core focus of the vaping debate to that of personal liberty en masse. Yes, there are minor health concerns. Yes, politicians are shuttered in the wake of the 450,000 annual deaths attributed to tobacco related illness each year in the US alone that we're erroneously taking the heat for. But that is not the actual issue. The issue is personal liberty. The issue is freedom. We as vapers must align under this message. 00 Are You There, Wayne? It's Me, Brian... by Brian Gage Brian Gage President, FireBrand A "The issue is personal liberty. The issue is freedom. We as vapers must align under this message." 29