California or Bust

It is time to turn our attention to the special session in California, where the e-cigarette has a HUGE battle on their hands with several bills to fight. All eyes should give this situation a lookie-lou. If you are in Cali, YOU NEED TO FIGHT THIS. It is time to e-mail, fax, call, etc. Get Wednesday off of work and GO to the special session. Dress nice, and GO GO GO. Bring family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow vapers, customers by the car, van, truck, or bus load. GO GO GO. This one is HUGE folks. If you don't know what's going on, hit the web, check out your favorite advocacy group for updates, SFATA, CASAA, Notblowingsmoke, AVA, Vaping Militia and others have all been posting info. People outside of Cali, do what you can, spread the word, share facebook posts, tweet to the CA Legislature #CALeg, send a e-mail or fax if you vacation in Cali and tell them you're not coming anymore. Now is NOT the time to leave the fighting to somebody else. Now is the time to join your brothers and sisters and use your VOICE. NOW, before there isn't a "Later".

~ Momma Vape

Day 30 - Who Won The Bet?

WOW, this blog started 30 days ago because of a bet. The bet was that Momma Vape had to prove that there were easy advocacy projects a person could do and develop the habit of advocating to become a part of a person's daily routine. We did say "almost daily" because sometimes, life gets in a person's way. We defined advocacy as: advocating for vaping, raising awareness about vaping, or educating ourselves and others about vaping. The bet was to last 1 month, and we defined that as 30 days. Before we get to who won the bet, Momma Vape who said it was possible, or negative nanny who said it was not possible, we need to finish out the bet by posting our 30th project.

If Momma Vape has said it once, she has said it a thousand times... "TELL YOUR STORY". Type it up and save it to your computer so you can copy and paste it when ever it is needed. Today, Momma asks you to share your story, your "testimonial" with CASAA. They have been working for months to collect testimonials and are thousands shy of the number they hoped they would get. Click here to go to CASAA and tell your story. If you've done a previous project and saved your story, this will be a fill in the blanks, copy paste and done. If you have not created a copy of your story, now would be a good time. Momma Vape submitted her testimonial back in February 2015. (Click here to read Momma's Story). I look forward to having your story join forces with mine!!!!! A couple of short sentences is all you need.

So, who won the bet? Momma Vape or Negative Nanny??? Neither of us did, all of vaping has won!!! This blog has received 1058 page views as of 12:22 pm CST on 8/16/2015. Each post was read. Each post was acted upon. The seed has been planted for many that advocacy is easy to do and can be done in a short period of time. The crazy bet planted the seeds of an idea with the fine folks at #NOTBlowingSmoke.org and they created a handout that shops and consumers can use with ideas of ways you can advocate in 15 minutes or less a day. If at least 1 person has joined the ranks of vaping advocacy because of this blog, then all of vaping has won! Speaking of #notblowingsmoke, I think they said it the best when a person wonders if they should join the ranks of vaping advocates!!!!

Thanks for going on this adventure with me!
~ Momma Vape

Today's post is dedicated to the strong Vaping Community in Minnesota. You welcomed me with open arms and made me one of your own. It was OK when I agreed with you and it was OK when I didn't. We have supported each other, we have bounced ideas off each other, we have accepted each others march to their own drum, we have fought the fight together, we have laughed and cried together, we have bonded and become family. We are One. The dedication then spreads to vapers around the world, as we have also become family. At 56 years old, I still struggle in life finding that place where I fit in. You have all made me feel like I belong amongst you. I love you for that and I appreciate it beyond what my words can express.

Here's the road we traveled, proving we can advocate in a few minutes a day (almost) every day...

Day #1 - Vote No Day
Day #2 - Surgeon General Seeks Quit Smoking Stories
Day #3 - The Truth About Vaping Emergency Alert
Day #4 - Today is Spread Awareness Day
Day #5 - Who Can Give Me 5 On Donut Day
Day #6 - We All Have A Story To Tell
Day #7 - Try It You'll "LIKE" It
Day #8 - Is It The Nicotine?
Day #9 - Our Tax Dollars Pay For What???
Day #10 - Attainable Advocacy Tonight!
Day #11 - Learn A Little Share A Lot
Day #12 - FDA and HR2058
Day #13 - Momma Needs A No Juice Jar
Day #14 - Lend Me An Ear
Day #15 - Alabama Tweet Fest
Day #16 - Profile Picture Day
Day #17 - Be Grateful
Day #18 - Fire Up Those Pens and Keyboards
Day #19 - Where the Heck is Momma Vape?
Day #20 - Stop The Madness Right Now
Day #21 - Just A Quickie Today
Day #22 - Who is Who? Let's Talk About Togetherness
Day #23 - We ARE Family
Day #24 - How Did YOU Quit Smoking?
Day #25 - I LOVE This Website
Day #26 - CASAA CTA for FDA
Day #27 - Let's Talk About Addiction
Day #28 - Adopt / Sponsor A Smoker
Day #29 - Age To Vape - SFATA
Day #30 - Day 30 Who Won The Bet

I LOVE this website

Today, Momma Vape suggest you go browse the Not Blowing Smoke (click here) and educate your self on some very useful points that are helpful when talking to people who know nothing about vaping, or the only thing they know is the false information they have heard.

Oh, and hug somebody you love. Enjoy your day!
~Momma Vape

Our Tax Dollars Pay For What?????

By now, many of you are aware of the campaign by the California Department of Health spreading outright lies about vaping. We are so blessed that #NOTBlowingSmoke has come about and the folks over there are busting their butts to try and counter the lies with the truth. Not only in California, but across the land. I just wanted to tip my hat to those fine folks, I really like the job they are doing.

Departments of health must feel the need to copy each other, as Pierce County Washington has joined the anti-vaping smear campaign. Go ahead, say it, we are all thinking it........ UGH! Here's a video put out by the folks from Pierce County: E-Cigaretts Are Harmful - Think Again Pierce County. I don't know about you, but I'm not excited to see our tax dollars used to create such.... well, I can't think of a lady-like word, so I'll let you fill in the blank. Feel free to leave that video a thumbs down and an educational comment. :)

Then, I stumbled upon a couple of Billboards put out by these folks...........

Is anyone's blood pressure going up yet? Mine is!!!!!

Today's project is to let Pierce County know how vaping saved your life.

Here is their website if you'd like to use the "contact us" link ThinkAgainPierceCounty.com

Here is their facebook page: Think Again Pierce County on Facebook

Here is Pierce County Health on Twitter: Pierce County Health Remember to use: @TPCHD

PLEASE keep all posts to Pierce County respectful and professional. Calling them names does NOT prove we know what we are talking about. Share YOUR story, share facts with sources, EDUCATE don't ALIENATE!

#vapingsavedmylife
~Momma Vape

Is It The Nicotine?

What do you know about nicotine? Is or was it hard for you to quit smoking because of a nicotine addiction? Today's project will take you less than 5 minutes, watch this video The Truth About Vaping - The Nicotine Misconception" and see if you feel the same about YOUR "nicotine addiction" when your done.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!
~ Momma Vape

Try it, you'll "LIKE" it!

For those of you on facebook, find an advocacy group you haven't participated in yet, give them a "LIKE" and then be sure you click the option to "follow" or "get notifications" so their posts show up on your news feed. There are TONS of active advocacy groups on facebook. You should be able to find one for your state and national ones. There are some for consumers and some for businesses. If you don' know of any, ask your vaping friends or at a local shop. I'll give a couple of national ones below. Feel free to leave a comment with your favorite facebook advocacy groups! (Local, State, National, or World)

The Vaping Militia
CASAA
NOT Blowing Smoke
AVA
SFATA

Wishing you all a smoke free day!
~ Momma Vape

Who can give me 5 on Donut Day??

We're not talking a High Five, or 5 pushups, or 5 minutes. Today, we're wondering who can toss at least $5 into the hat for the benefit of vaping?

OMG, I just realized I typoed the title, it's DONATE DAY, not Donut Day! LOL guess I've got breakfast on my mind. :)

$5.. can you imagine what would happen if each of us could donate $5 to the cause? What is $5? A hamburger, a flavored coffee, a coil or 2, or even a couple of donuts. I'm betting most of us could find a way to squeak at least $5 out of our budgets.

Advocacy can be expensive. Paying for lobbyists, printed material, websites, advertising and travel expenses are just a few of the things that advocacy organizations need funding for.

So how about it? Can you give vaping advocacy a 5? I'll give you a virtual high 5 in return! I'll suggest a couple of possible advocacy organizations below, you will also find organizations specific to your state and other national organizations if you search for them. It's not important to me which one you give to, as long as you give!


#NOTBlowingSmoke

The American Vaping Association

The last one I'm going to list is not for a vaping organization, even though it is run by vapers. 4 little vape shops in a small community are putting community FIRST and raising funds to help local residents recover from a devastating storm that dropped thousands of trees on homes, cars, power lines, businesses, etc. They have set a goal to raise $1000. You can find it here: Brainerd Lakes Area Storm Relief Fund As soon as the vapers in this area are done helping their community get back on their feet, this merry band of vapers WILL return to the fight, as they are facing local anti-vaping ordinances in the near futre.

It will only take a couple of minutes to pick an organization, click on "donate" and contribute to the cause. Feels good doesn't it? It is so easy to be an active, daily advocate!

~ Momma Vape

Truth About Vaping - EMERGENCY ALERT

Sometimes politics leaves me with a really rotten taste in my mouth. Current events in California is just the type of politics I'm thinking of. I get really frustrated when it's all about the money and not about the people!

Today it does not matter if you're in California or somewhere else. Today's project is to spend a couple of minutes and watch a video and educate yourself. Any one who has watched old movies has heard the expression "READY, AIM, FIRE!". Watch the video and start following the groups it mentions, and be ready for the next step. It's very true, "if it can happen in California, it can happen anywhere". It's a train we must all work together to stop!

Video: Truth About Vaping - EMERGENCY ALERT

Other useful links....

NotBlowingSmoke.org on facebook
NotBlowingSmoke.org Official Website
NotBlowingSmoke.org on twitter

The Vaping Militia on facebook
The Vaping Militia official website
The Vaping Militia on Twitter

CASAA on Facebook
CASAA official website
CASAA on Twitter

SFATA on facebook
SFATA official website
SFATA on twitter

AVA on facebook
AVA official website
AVA on twitter



Let's aim our sites on unfair anti-vaping legislation!