The Vaping Militia is not a new vaping network as much as it is a movement. I had the pleasure of meeting the founders and chatting with them at VCC in Tampa. Their goal is to create an organized and unified group of vapers and businesses who will help provide financial support and action in their fight to protect our right to vape.
The Vaping Militia has compiled an extensive collection of studies and other evidence to help prove that vaping is less harmful than traditional tobacco products and can potentially save the lives of millions of people world wide, in addition to improving their overall health. The purpose behind this collection of evidence is to educate politicians who are being lobbied by anti-e-cigarette industries that profit from disease. These industries have a huge amount of financial resources at their disposal and if we want to protect our rights, we have to present them our legislators and representatives with factual information that tells the truth about vaping and e-cigarettes.
We, as vapers, cannot take a passive approach but must let our representatives know where we stand and remind them that we are voters. We cannot stand by and wait until our local, state or federal government decides to pose a ban or unfair taxation. We must be proactive and write to them before these issues arise in our communities. The Vaping Militia has the materials we need to do this on their site and can be downloaded and used for this purpose.
It takes time and resources to wage this battle. As stated on the Vaping Militia website, "We believe that you, The Vaping Militia Member, are key to helping our Vaping Militia Vendors fund this fight. It requires both action and financial resources to fund the various costs incurred. Our premise is that our Vaping Militia Members will be in direct support of these business’, both local brick & mortar and US/Canadian based Internet vendors. Our focus in creating this support relationship is so that when the time comes for action, our vendors, will have the support of our physical bodies in their local areas."
Vaping Militia's motto is "We support those who support us." They vow to come to the aid of anyone in the vaping community that needs their help.
Think about supporting this organization as it may make a big difference in regard where you are allowed to vape, if you are allowed to vape, and how much tax you may have to pay to vape.
General membership is a mere $30 per year. Upon joining, you will receive a set of Vaping Militia dog tags. If you choose, you can reduce the cost of membership to $20 by using the code VAPINGMILITIA. If you have a business and want to provide further support, please contact Vaping Militia using their contact form. At VCC, Vaping Militia was selling tee-shirts and e-juice in order to raise money. The juice was donated by a generous vendor and was a very tasty strawberry-banana blend.
If you watch vape tv shows and see the Vaping Militia is on-line, this means something is going on. I was told that they broadcast town meetings and the like whenever a city or town is proposing a ban and holding a public meeting. You can watch these events live at Vaping Militia Network on vaper.tv
The Vaping Militia's Mission Statement
- Create a community of vapors and the businesses that support vaping.
- Provide a network of active individuals of like beliefs so that we can organize and find those with the talents to lead the efforts in each state or region.
- Assist individual advocacy groups in forming by creating tools and providing information and notifying the members of grassroots networking in their respective areas.
- Create a open collaborative environment where the resources are created once to use by any movement that identifies with our cause.
- Generate funding for direct support of efforts the falls between the scope of larger national advocacy and local advocacy.
- Maintain an immediate response presence as a communications network that is flexible and will have the flexibility to step outside of traditional roles to meet the needs of this community, including but not limited to boots on the ground organization, mailings, social media, email and news blasts at local and state advocacy levels.
The Vaping Militia's Core Beliefs
- That Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) through the use of personal vaporizers (electronic cigarettes) is shown to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with smoking. We focus on the prevention of tobacco harm and seek to cooperate with the Health Agencies to function for the greater health of the public.
- That under no circumstances shall e-cigarettes, e-liquid, accessories, or components be sold to minors. We believe that each store should adopt a strict policy to I.D. any customers who appear younger than 35.
- That business owners have the right to choose whether or not to regulate e-cigarettes and their use within their establishment based on their own beliefs and policies.
- That the City and State Government need not unnecessarily use revenue to over regulate the use and sale of e-cigarettes.
- That long-term studies must be done, but that the extensive short-term studies prove that e-cigarettes are substantially safer than traditional cigarettes and pose no risk to the user of e-cigarettes, nor bystanders (conclusions published and peer reviewed.)
- That common sense regulation regarding the safe handling, distribution, and creation of e-liquids and nicotine is necessary.
- That those who vote in favor of limiting adult access to, the unfair taxation of, or limiting the use of e-cigarettes, is a vote in support of smoking, COPD, cancer, stillbirths, SIDS, and death of citizens that desire to reduce harm.
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