CLASH at New York Hearings on Anti-Smoker Legislation

[Vocalek]

Facebook Message from NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harrassment (CLASH)

**ALERT**ALERT**ALERT**

While New York oriented it concerns out of state members just as much. What happens in New York DOESN'T stay in New York. NY is the prime exporter of anti-smoker legislation!

(Edited reproduction of a notification from NY Tobacconist Assoc.):

The NYS Senate Health Committee will be holding a public hearing on September 23rd at 10 AM at 250 Broadway, 19th Fl., New York City. The Committee's purpose is to "learn how the state’s regulation of smoking and tobacco product...s works to improve the health of all New Yorkers and any actions needed for continued benefits."

On the table are the following items:

Smoking on playgrounds during the day when children under 12 present but prevents fineable/jail enforcement

Smoking near playgrounds

Smoking in cars with someone under 14

Raises age 18 to 19 for tobacco statewide

Definition of e-cigarettes

Prohibition of tobacco sales in pharmacies

Statewide flavor ban bills

We need every individual to attend this meeting. We must overwhelm them and show the legislators that enough is enough and we are not going to put up with the endless harassment, persecution, and discrimination. This prohibition by increments stops now. Failure is not an option!

/notice

You can sign up to speak (Sept. 10th deadline) or just be in attendance. You can also submit written testimony without speaking. NON-New Yorkers can submit written testimony too!

For details (including submission forms, contact info) go to:

New York State Senate

No Retreat, No Surrender

Audrey Silk
NYC C.L.A.S.H.

What this is all about is that there are a number of legilsative bills regarding tobacco and smoking that were presented during the last session in the New York State Assembly and Senate. The hearing is envisioned as a way to try to gain a comprehensive view of what the issues are so that the Senate and Assembly can decide which bills they might want to reintroduce in the next session.

Actually, it is more than the "definition" of e-cigarettes lurking among the existing legislative bills. There is one that simply would ban sales to minors. There is another that was passed in the Assembly (but did not make it out of the Senate) that would have outlawed all sales of e-cigarattes that were not "approved by the FDA" in the state of New York to anyone, regardless of age.

Several groups have sent off requests to send speakers to this hearing, including Smokefree Pennsylvania (our friend Bill Godshall), CASAA, and various Vapers Clubs.

If you live near New York City and can spare some time on September 23, you might want to think about attending the hearings to provide support in numbers to those who will be speaking to help preserve your ability to continue using e-cigarettes.

 

[Lil' Lou]

I sure hope they allow some of the groups mentioned above to speak at the hearing! The PDF notice states that the committee is encouraging the submission of written testimony. http://www.nysenate.gov/files/Senat...oking Public Hearing Notice for 9-23-10_0.pdf[URL="http://www.nysenate.gov/files/Senate%20Health%20Committee%20Smoking%20Public%20Hearing%20Notice%20for%209-23-10_0.pdf"] [/URL]
It must be emailed as a Word or PDF document to Cecelia Pelkey, pelkey@senate.state.ny.us[URL="pelkey@senate.state.ny.us"][/URL] 5 days before the hearing.
I'm going to assume this is for anyone who wishes to make their voice heard. ??

The bill Elaine is talking about, A9529, not only passed in the Assembly - it passed with no opposition whatsoever! Luckily, the Senate left for summer break before it had a chance to be brought to the floor.

 

[jimho]

Last day for written submissions is tomorrow. I'm going to try to be there and planning on writing a brief submission. With the thousands of other NY'ers here I'm wondering how many others will do the same.......