New Utah Legislation

[Christopher]

From ECF

It appears that HB 170 in Utah (the last third of the bill) at:

H.B. 170 Bill Documents - 2011 General Session

would not only ban sales of flavored smokeless tobacco and cigars, but also flavored e-cigarettes.

HB 170 also appears to require face-to-face sales transactions for e-cigarettes.

To lobby for this legislation, the Utah Dept. of Health has grossly exaggerated (i.e lied) about the health/safety risks and the marketing of flavored smokeless tobacco products in attempt to ban them (while keeping far more hazardous cigarettes legal)

There are no safe tobacco products! | Street Smart Utah

Last week, the health dept and the state poison control center held a press conference to scare the public about flavored smokeless tobacco products and to urge the legislature to ban them (and apparently flavored e-cigs).

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51230518-76/adults-candy-center-cigarettes.html.csp

Last year the UT legislature banned the sale of e-cigarettes to youth, after the original legislation (which I believe was sponsored by the same legislator who just introduced HB 170) that would have banned all e-cigarette sales was amended.

It would be helpful if others would carefully review this legislation.

[ElectroNicStix]

yes i was getting ready to post this etc.. been on the national vapers club board meeting call. Been in touch with cassaa etc.. wheels in motion.. im so sick of mr. paul ray... this is getting ridiculous..

From ECF

It appears that HB 170 in Utah (the last third of the bill) at:

H.B. 170 Bill Documents - 2011 General Session

would not only ban sales of flavored smokeless tobacco and cigars, but also flavored e-cigarettes.

HB 170 also appears to require face-to-face sales transactions for e-cigarettes.

To lobby for this legislation, the Utah Dept. of Health has grossly exaggerated (i.e lied) about the health/safety risks and the marketing of flavored smokeless tobacco products in attempt to ban them (while keeping far more hazardous cigarettes legal)

There are no safe tobacco products! | Street Smart Utah

Last week, the health dept and the state poison control center held a press conference to scare the public about flavored smokeless tobacco products and to urge the legislature to ban them (and apparently flavored e-cigs).

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51230518-76/adults-candy-center-cigarettes.html.csp

Last year the UT legislature banned the sale of e-cigarettes to youth, after the original legislation (which I believe was sponsored by the same legislator who just introduced HB 170) that would have banned all e-cigarette sales was amended.

It would be helpful if others would carefully review this legislation.

[Luke]

yes i was getting ready to post this etc.. been on the national vapers club board meeting call. Been in touch with cassaa etc.. wheels in motion.. im so sick of mr. paul ray... this is getting ridiculous..

"Dislike" oh wait thats facebook..

on a serious note, this is bs and just keeps on lingering...

Luke

[Christopher]

I feel for you man this is ridiculous. No merit or reason for this at all.

[ElectroNicStix]

Whats funny is its the same guy tacking it onto the bill as last year.. and i KNOW where he lives lol muahahah

I feel for you man this is ridiculous. No merit or reason for this at all.

[deadeye]

wow i just read most of it and how the hide things is scary and yes absolutely bull

[rguevara]

From ECF

It appears that HB 170 in Utah (the last third of the bill) at:

H.B. 170 Bill Documents - 2011 General Session

would not only ban sales of flavored smokeless tobacco and cigars, but also flavored e-cigarettes.

HB 170 also appears to require face-to-face sales transactions for e-cigarettes.

To lobby for this legislation, the Utah Dept. of Health has grossly exaggerated (i.e lied) about the health/safety risks and the marketing of flavored smokeless tobacco products in attempt to ban them (while keeping far more hazardous cigarettes legal)

There are no safe tobacco products! | Street Smart Utah

Last week, the health dept and the state poison control center held a press conference to scare the public about flavored smokeless tobacco products and to urge the legislature to ban them (and apparently flavored e-cigs).

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51230518-76/adults-candy-center-cigarettes.html.csp

Last year the UT legislature banned the sale of e-cigarettes to youth, after the original legislation (which I believe was sponsored by the same legislator who just introduced HB 170) that would have banned all e-cigarette sales was amended.

It would be helpful if others would carefully review this legislation.

After reading the entire bill, at the end I believe it was initiated by The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel and here is what they do:

The mission of the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel staff is to: 1) assist the Utah Legislature in the development of sound public policy; 2) ensure the integrity of the legislative process; and 3) preserve the legislative branch in its proper constitutional role in state government.

To accomplish this mission, we pledge to provide objective, accurate, concise, and timely information that facilitates informed decision-making and effective policy development by the legislative branch, and to create a dynamic working environment of cooperation, competence, initiative, respect, integrity, and teamwork.

Now not being good at government stuff, should we send our disapproval to the Utah Senate or the Utah House?

The section they need to take out is: Part 30. Protection of Children and Adults from Nicotine Addiction Act

They may be able to "control" the adults in Utah, or atleast attempt to, but those of us adults that are already addicted need a way out! Pills, patches, hypnosis etc, doesn't work...... I'm using vapor to get off cigarettes 100%, then slowly move down in mg. of nicotine to get to 0 mg.

So, like you said they are just trying to keep us addicted to the really hazardous tobacco cigarettes!

If anyone, who is good at government and how it works, lead us to who/where we need to write and flood emails to, I'm game!

Thank you!

[ElectroNicStix]

It will be the house just like last year.

[aglethebagle]

This is the last straw. Utah has the worst government. I need to know how to fight this.

[Christopher]

Well Jason I'm sure you'll be watching this close. If and when it hits the house feel free to post a list of emails (perhaps in a new topic) with contact information. We'll have to make sure we give them a piece of our minds.

May also want to find out whos voting in favor to make sure you vote against them in the next election.

[juliery]

May also want to find out whos voting in favor to make sure you vote against them in the next election.

THIS is the MOST important thing. In IL last year it was easy because only a few were against an e cig ban....so I voted against every single person that I could who supported a ban. Not only did I do that but I wrote every single person in my address book (a lot of non smokers who SUPPORT my vaping) and made them aware of this idiocy. I also plastered it on myspace and facebook. I have NOTHING against the bans barring kids from buying this stuff, but anything that applies to adults is ridiculous....we can decide for ourselves what products to purchase. If you don't use your voice (which is your vote) then you really can't complain when these people that are supposed to be representing us pass laws we don't like. I also make it VERY clear in my emails that I will know who is actually looking out for me and who is not and I will vote accordingly. That is all they care about.....their perceived "power" and they want to keep it. I wrote and sent TONS of email last year to the senators and reps in IL and made it clear I would know who supported the ban and who did not...and then I followed through in the mid term elections. You have to make it your business to know what stand all these people have on the issues you care about...not just the vaping, but anything that is important to you. I know a lot of people feel that their vote is only one vote and it doesn't matter....but if EVERYONE thought that way then no one would vote. You might be one, but combined with other it becomes thousands and many more. We have to stop being complacent and just complaining but doing nothing. It takes time to write letters, make phone calls, etc. but if we don't we have no right to complain. You have to channel that passion into a useful action. (and I am not saying that this applies to anyone here, it is just a general statement). Just my opinion.

[dinarzan]

Looks like his biggest contributors are alcohol and tobacco.

[dinarzan]

Looks like his biggest contributors are alcohol and tobacco.

Sorry, here's the link to Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ray#Alcohol_and_tobacco

[easilyamused]

on the one hand im thinking to myself, of course they will approve the ban, its Utah...

on the other hand im thinking to myself, wait... what happened to freedom and consumers rights? our government is totally out of control....

and yet, did i see that bill includes smokeless tobacco? well, at least we will have big tobacco fighting on this one, that effects their snus line as well as those icky mints, they have a dog in this fight too

[ElectroNicStix]

Yes i know it includes snus etc. This happened last year too. same guy snuck it onto the bill "Paul Ray" nice find on the wikipedia dinarzen. We have known since last year about the tobacco companies and him etc. Its very frustrating because we went through this last year too. But i am hopeful that we can beat him again!

[Gweetus]

I remember this crap from last year . Well, Chris or Jason or anyone really, if you find some email addresses or online petitions or personal cell phone numbers before I do that I can use to calmly and succinctly explain my point of view here I'll post my bit again. I hate to say it but this state need checked short SOMEWHERE. In a state government for an extremely conservative and right wing population they can get away with a lot of crap for 'Moral' reasons, or 'Citizen Safety' or whatever. UT State Gov will not be happy till they have banned or tacked a huge tax to every supposed vice in existence, and they have a mostly uninformed but rabid voting base to make that happen.

[miniman82]

Obviously whoever wrote the text in this bill is retarded, or I'm interpreting it incorrectly. What is the purpose of this passage:

"prohibits and provides penalties for the sale of a cigar, cigarette, electronic cigarette, nicotine product, or tobacco by a person under 19 years old to a person who is 19 years old or older."

Isn't it supposed to be the other way around, I.E. to prevent the sale of nicotine products to minors? Why would they prohibit sales to older folks? Makes no sense.

[ElectroNicStix]

Mini, The law is odd here when it comes tobacco. Most states you have to be 18 to buy smokes. here it is 19. You also have to be 19 to work in a store that sells tobacco. So it is saying that a person under 19 caught selling to someone under 19 will be fined. But hell if you are 35 and sell to someone under 19 you can still get a hefty fine.

Obviously whoever wrote the text in this bill is retarded, or I'm interpreting it incorrectly. What is the purpose of this passage:

"prohibits and provides penalties for the sale of a cigar, cigarette, electronic cigarette, nicotine product, or tobacco by a person under 19 years old to a person who is 19 years old or older."

Isn't it supposed to be the other way around, I.E. to prevent the sale of nicotine products to minors? Why would they prohibit sales to older folks? Makes no sense.

[egoluvr]

You know what- I'm all for keeping this crap away from kids but come on. Ban the sale to minors just like we do with cigarettes, and alcohol. The government just wants to control everything. It's bad enough cigs are legal and they've pushed us out of everywhere, but now they want to take away ecigs? I love my eGo I don't think I could live without it.

[DerStadtschutz]

I'm all for keeping them away from kids too to a degree, but in all honesty, kids are gonna smoke. And because of that, I'd much rather have them be able to vape. They're gonna get a hold of nicotine one way or another whether we restrict it or not, and considering the fact that it's much safer, I'd rather have them vaping. But nobody's gonna allow that, and I don't propose to try to get anybody to allow it either.

[egoluvr]

I'm all for keeping them away from kids too to a degree, but in all honesty, kids are gonna smoke. And because of that, I'd much rather have them be able to vape. They're gonna get a hold of nicotine one way or another whether we restrict it or not, and considering the fact that it's much safer, I'd rather have them vaping. But nobody's gonna allow that, and I don't propose to try to get anybody to allow it either.

Excellent point, they will find a way, and better that they have access to vape rather than smoke. Obviously i'm not pushing one way or the other either but I hadn't even considered that, thanks for pointing it out.

[Scrapman]

From ECF

It appears that HB 170 in Utah (the last third of the bill) at:

H.B. 170 Bill Documents - 2011 General Session

would not only ban sales of flavored smokeless tobacco and cigars, but also flavored e-cigarettes.

HB 170 also appears to require face-to-face sales transactions for e-cigarettes.

To lobby for this legislation, the Utah Dept. of Health has grossly exaggerated (i.e lied) about the health/safety risks and the marketing of flavored smokeless tobacco products in attempt to ban them (while keeping far more hazardous cigarettes legal)

There are no safe tobacco products! | Street Smart Utah

Last week, the health dept and the state poison control center held a press conference to scare the public about flavored smokeless tobacco products and to urge the legislature to ban them (and apparently flavored e-cigs).

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51230518-76/adults-candy-center-cigarettes.html.csp

Last year the UT legislature banned the sale of e-cigarettes to youth, after the original legislation (which I believe was sponsored by the same legislator who just introduced HB 170) that would have banned all e-cigarette sales was amended.

It would be helpful if others would carefully review this legislation.

Hi Chris,

Have some questions I would like to discuss over the phone. How do I reach you

[SmokeSkins]

That is just plain ridiculous. When is that man's term over?

[Gweetus]

Just in case for any of you Utah folk that want to help fight this, Here is a link to help you find your district rep. I plan to call my Representative tomorrow to voice my opinion on this matter. Funny how in this day and age of newsposts and text messages, that a simple phone call can still be the most effective way outside of a face to face conversation to get your point heard.

[Christopher]

Hi Chris,

Have some questions I would like to discuss over the phone. How do I reach you

You are welcome to reach me via Private Message