Even if you haven’t been paying very close attention to California’s legislature this year, you are probably still aware of the relentless attacks on vaping and vapers at both the local and state levels. You may have also heard that by the grace of procedural magic, Senator Leno and others have raised several bills from the dead and are bringing them back to the table during a “special session” which is expected to begin on or after Monday, August 17th, 2015.

 

Chief among CASAA’s concerns is the repeated effort to redefine vapor products as tobacco products — SB 5 and AB 6. If adopted, this definitional change would automatically subject these smoke-free, tobacco-free products to the same regulations as combustible cigarettes (i.e. place bans, licensing, and eventually taxes).

 

Please take action NOW by sending a message to California Lawmakers urging them to oppose this collection of anti-vaping legislation.

 

 

• Oppose Special Session Anti-Vaping Bills – Send an Email

 

 

For those of you who are on Twitter, we have provided a collection of pre-filled tweets to send to Assembly members and Senators that will be participating in the special session.

 

 

• Fight for Your Right to Vape – Send a Tweet

 

 

California SFATA Chapters have done a lot of the legwork on this issue and continue to be heavily engaged. For more details, opportunities to take action, and updates, please follow NorCal SFATA and get involved.

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“Calif. Democrats Reintroduce Package of Tobacco Bills”

http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2015/7/17/calif-democrats-reintroduce–package-of-tobacco-bills

 

“Special Session Allows an End-Around; Tobacco Bills Avoid G.O. Committee”

http://www.californiahealthline.org/capitol-desk/2015/7/special-session-allows-an-endaround-tobacco-bills-avoid-go-committee

 

“E-cigarette restrictions among six tobacco bills proposed for special session” http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-e-cigarette-bill-revived-in-special-session-20150716-story.html

(Writing Tip #1) If you have a lot to say, please craft your email in a separate word doc and then copy/paste it into the field provided.  If you take too long, they system will time out and you will lose your work.

(Writing Tip #2) Although we’ve provided a prewritten email with compelling talking points, we would strongly encourage you to edit the email because personalized communications to legislators are far more persuasive than form letters.  At a minimum, PLEASE INSERT YOUR PERSONAL STORY (just a few sentences) in the text of your email.

This article originally appeared online at http://blog.casaa.org/2015/08/california-special-session-bills.html .

 

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