Getting kind of tired of all the noise, so I've decided to make some of my own.
You know the noise. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). Mitch Zeller (Director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products). Your local City Council and Board of Supervisors. Every one of the uninformed people on Facebook who you're not really sure why are still on your friend list. The ones who think you're hurting them with your second-hand exhalation of radiator fluid.
They can't seem to shut up about the dangers of e-cigs, even though they've never taken the time to actually learn anything about them. They go on and on about "The Children", and how people who vape are subliminally priming these young minds to open up to the joys of nicotine addiction.
It's a one-way onslaught. A violent vomiting of misinformation and fear-mongering disguised as concern. Patronizing invitations to speak and comment are an insulting waste of everyone's time and energy. Even when you're right in front of these people, it's like talking to an image on a television set. They stare blankly back at you, with no perceptible evidence that they've heard anything you said…or even see you standing there.
I know this because I go to a lot of these meetings. I get up and I speak. And I'm ignored.
Recently, I was interviewed by the news prior to the Oceanside City Council Meeting where they would be discussing not only banning e-cigs, but also lumping vape shops in with head shops (because…?). They asked why I continued to attend meetings, when often I'm the only person there to get up and speak in defense of e-cigs. My answer was simple…this is important to me.
Let me say it again…THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
My husband - the father of my child and one of the most important people in my life - quit smoking with e-cigs. Not the disposable, convenience store kind…but a personal vaping device. His once-persistent smoker's cough is gone. He smells great. He has more energy. Barring some freakish accident or illness, it's scientifically proven that he'll live longer now that he's not smoking 1-2 packs of combustible cigarettes a day. Our son will have a father as he grows up. Because he quit smoking.
I'm going to try to stay positive here, but I'm a little cutting and acerbic by nature, so forgive me if I sound crass at times. I'm pissed. And I've decided to funnel my anger to addressing the questions, concerns, and commentary that's out there about vaping, in hopes that even ONE person understands how important this movement is to public health.
Even if nobody ever reads this, at least I get to vent a little. :)
