Los Angeles, listen up. Your rights to use ecigarettes are being threatened and we want you to know how to take action now. 

As a consumer of electronic cigarettes, you know better than most that these products are NOT tobacco and are NOTHING like combustible cigarettes. YOUR story must be heard by the legislators to make positive change, so make sure your voice is heard.

We hope you would take this opportunity to respectfully educate these lawmakers that bans on the usage of smoke-free products like electronic cigarettes are bad for both consumers and small businesses. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Contact the Los Angeles City Council

The Arts, Parks, Health, Aging and River Committee of the Los Angeles City Council is expected to hold hearings on an ordinance that would ban ecigarette usage wherever smoking is banned in Los Angeles on Monday, February 24th at 2 pm at the Los Angeles City Hall (200 N. Spring St in Los Angeles) in Room 1060.

We need vapers to attend and speak out against this senseless ban. Vapers are encouraged to show up outside City Hall beginning at 12 pm to meet with other vapers and rally against its passage.  [Optional: RSVP on Facebook here]

Comments should be directed to committee members:  

Councilman Mitch O'Farrell, Chair 213-473-7013, councilmember.ofarrell@lacity.org

Councilman Tom LaBonge, 213 485-3337, councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org

Councilman Joe Buscaino, 213-473-7015, councildistrict15@lacity.org

Councilman Gilbert Cedillo, 213-473-7001, councilmember.cedillo@lacity.org

Councilman Curren D. Price, 213 473-7009, councilmember.price@lacity.org

Comma delimited list: councilmember.ofarrell@lacity.org, councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org, councildistrict15@lacity.org, councilmember.cedillo@lacity.org, councilmember.price@lacity.org

WHAT TO SAY IN YOUR E-MAILS / PHONE CALLS

 1. Be RESPECTFUL but firm and let them know you ask them to OPPOSE the proposed ordinance to define "smoking" to include use of smoke-free electronic cigarettes.

 2. Tell your personal story on how switching to an e-cigarette has changed your life or the life of someone you love. [If you are pressed for time, you can stop here and send your e-mail -- even short e-mails to the legislators will be helpful. Be sure to let them know your name and what city you live in.]  

3. Explain how smoking bans are enacted to protect the public from the harm of secondhand smoke, but that there is currently no credible scientific basis demonstrating that e-cigarettes cause harm to bystanders.

4. Inform them that the ability to use electronic cigarettes in public spaces may actually improve awareness of the alternatives to deadly combustible cigarettes.

5. If the convenience of not being forced to the curb was a motivator in your own decision to switch, be sure to highlight this.

6. Passage of this ban would force you back outside to breathe in secondhand smoke in designated smoking areas.  If you don't want to be exposed to secondhand smoke, or worry that sitting in the outdoor smoking section may tempt you to return to smoking, it is imperative you make that known.