UPDATE: The mayor vetoed the smoking ban passed by Indianapolis/Marion County Council and said he wanted exemptions for bars. The new proposal exempts bars from the smoking ban, but still includes e-cigarettes. The bill has been assigned to the Rules and Public Policy Committee for a hearing as early as April 3. It could come up for a final vote in mid-April and would take effect later this spring.
I wrote to the council (see my letter at the bottom) and received this response from Council Member McQuillen. I will be sending him the research he has requested, but we need local supporters to show up for the meeting as he has asked. If you can't go to the meeting, get on the phone and call as many council members as you can. Here is CASAA's Call to Action with all the information you need: Call to Action: Indianapolis-Marion County, IN
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Hi Elaine:
I intend to offer an amendment to exempt e-cigarettes from
the smoking ban language in committee during the Rules and
Public Policy Committee meeting (5:30pm at the City-County
Building in Indianapolis on Tuesday April 3rd.)
It would be most helpful if you would send me any pertinent
facts and figures to help to support this argument.
Also - I do not know how many local supporters of e-cigarettes
that you have here in Central Indiana, but a good showing of
concerned citizens would have the most effectiveness during
the meeting.
Thanks,
Michael J. McQuillen
Indianapolis City-County Council
District #12
POB 50022
Indianapolis, IN 46250-0022
----- Original Message -----
From: Elaine"]ekeller@casaa.org"]Elaine Keller[/EMAIL]
To: zach.adamson@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]zach.adamson@indy.gov"]zach.adamson@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; jbarth53@hotmail.com[/EMAIL"]jbarth53@hotmail.com"]jbarth53@hotmail.com[/EMAIL] ; pahickman@gmail.com[/EMAIL"]pahickman@gmail.com"]pahickman@gmail.com[/EMAIL] ; leroy.robinson@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]leroy.robinson@indy.gov"]leroy.robinson@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; info@evansforindy.com[/EMAIL"]info@evansforindy.com"]info@evansforindy.com[/EMAIL] ; angelamansfield@aol.com[/EMAIL"]angelamansfield@aol.com"]angelamansfield@aol.com[/EMAIL] ; vaughnforcouncil@gmail.com[/EMAIL"]vaughnforcouncil@gmail.com"]vaughnforcouncil@gmail.com[/EMAIL] ; cscales_2000@yahoo.com[/EMAIL"]cscales_2000@yahoo.com"]cscales_2000@yahoo.com[/EMAIL] ; CainforCouncil@aol.com[/EMAIL"]CainforCouncil@aol.com"]CainforCouncil@aol.com[/EMAIL] ; jfmchenry@iquest.net[/EMAIL"]jfmchenry@iquest.net"]jfmchenry@iquest.net[/EMAIL] ; maggie.lewis@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]maggie.lewis@indy.gov"]maggie.lewis@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; monroe.gray@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]monroe.gray@indy.gov"]monroe.gray@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; joseph.simpson@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]joseph.simpson@indy.gov"]joseph.simpson@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; william.oliver@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]william.oliver@indy.gov"]william.oliver@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; talleyjs@aol.com[/EMAIL"]talleyjs@aol.com"]talleyjs@aol.com[/EMAIL] ; mike@mikemcquillen.com[/EMAIL"]mike@mikemcquillen.com"]mike@mikemcquillen.com[/EMAIL] ; cpfist1061@aol.com[/EMAIL"]cpfist1061@aol.com"]cpfist1061@aol.com[/EMAIL] ; voposili@gmail.com[/EMAIL"]voposili@gmail.com"]voposili@gmail.com[/EMAIL] ; brian@mahern.net[/EMAIL"]brian@mahern.net"]brian@mahern.net[/EMAIL] ; mmadams@iquest.net[/EMAIL"]mmadams@iquest.net"]mmadams@iquest.net[/EMAIL] ; VABrown2022@yahoo.com[/EMAIL"]VABrown2022@yahoo.com"]VABrown2022@yahoo.com[/EMAIL] ; jeff030167@indy.rr.com[/EMAIL"]jeff030167@indy.rr.com"]jeff030167@indy.rr.com[/EMAIL] ; frank.mascari@indy.gov[/EMAIL"]frank.mascari@indy.gov"]frank.mascari@indy.gov[/EMAIL] ; bdhunter@sbcglobal.net[/EMAIL"]bdhunter@sbcglobal.net"]bdhunter@sbcglobal.net[/EMAIL] ; jasonholliday131@aol.com[/EMAIL"]jasonholliday131@aol.com"]jasonholliday131@aol.com[/EMAIL] ; jcardwell@cardwellhomecenter.com[/EMAIL"]jcardwell@cardwellhomecenter.com"]jcardwell@cardwellhomecenter.com[/EMAIL] ; jack.sandlin@att.net[/EMAIL"]jack.sandlin@att.net"]jack.sandlin@att.net[/EMAIL] ; aaronfreemanlaw@gmail.com[/EMAIL"]aaronfreemanlaw@gmail.com"]aaronfreemanlaw@gmail.com[/EMAIL]
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 11:38 PM
Subject: Amend PROPOSAL NO. 136, 2012 to delete smoke-free product from definition of smoking
Dear Council Members:
On behalf of the Indianapolis/Marion County members of the Consumer Advocates for Smokefree Alternatives Association (CASAA), we urge you to reconsider your intention to pass regulations that would prohibit the use of smoke-free electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) wherever smoking is currently not allowed. Simply stated, e-cigarettes do not produce any smoke and have never been shown to pose any risk to bystanders.
Even the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association recognize this. Earlier this month, those three organizations agreed to exempt smoke-free e-cigarettes from a smoking ban in Springfield, Missouri. Official Statement - 03.16.12 - FINAL PDF.
While CASAA appreciates the Board's desire to protect its citizens, banning the use of smoke-free e-cigarettes in public places is not warranted based upon the information currently available. In fact, CASAA believes that banning the use of smoke-free e-cigarettes in public places may actually work against the Board's stated purpose of promoting the health of its citizens.
The concept of tobacco Harm Reduction (THR)—replacing tobacco cigarette smoking with less hazardous sources of nicotine—is becoming increasingly recognized as a valid strategy in combating the crippling health problems associated with smoking. Smoke-free e-cigarettes are proving to be one of the most promising of the THR products. Both Indiana and Nebraska have passed proclamations embracing the concept of THR, recognizing that current strategies simply are not effective enough.
States such as Virginia that ban smoking but permit use of e-cigarettes indoors have had no problems with enforcement. Cigarette smoke has an unmistakable odor, and smoke lingers in the air. E-cigarette vapor is practically odorless; but, even when detectable, the odor is not unpleasant and smells nothing like smoke. Any visible vapor begins to dissipate almost immediately. Smokers who see an e-cigarette used indoors don’t light up—they ask, “What is that?” and “Where can I get one?”
Sound public health policy surely would encourage smokers to replace or reduce their cigarette consumption—not create obstacles to it. Banning the use of e-cigarettes where smoking is prohibited sends a message to smokers that they may as well continue to smoke, whereas allowing e-cigarette use indoors provides an incentive to switch to a far safer alternative.
CASAA urges you to amend PROPOSAL NO. 136, 2012: Specifically, in Section 616-102. Definitions, item (k) delete the text "the use of an electronic cigarette (also known as an e-cigarette)”.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Elaine Keller, President
The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association
CASAA is a non-profit organization that works to ensure the availability of reduced harm alternatives to smoking and to provide smokers and non-smokers alike with truthful information about such alternatives.
Our mission is to ensure the availability of effective, affordable and reduced harm alternatives to smoking by increasing public awareness and education; to encourage the testing and development of products to achieve acceptable safety standards and reasonable regulation; and to promote the benefits of reduced harm alternatives.
This was his response after I sent him the information he asked for and let him know that we had put out a Call to Action:
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Thank you!
The key is getting people there who will either testify
or at least show their solidarity.
The committee is stacked against us - but a good
showing will make it difficult for the anti e-cigarette
members to ignore the wishes of the people.
Thanks,
Michael J. McQuillen
Indianapolis City-County Council
District #12
POB 50022
Indianapolis, IN 46250-0022
Just reposting Vocalek's last 2 posts on this subject in the hope that some Hoosiers can get there.
