Important update from ECITA: Legal advice

[doodlebug]

Hi, all,

We met with the legal team today to discuss our options in the face of the EU proposal, and the imminent MHRA position statement. (We anticipate that the MHRA will announce on the 13th March, rather than waiting until May, because they like to roll the drum on No Smoking Day.)

We discussed all the issues for both UK and EU level. The legal experts reckon we have a strong case, particularly with regard to proportionality, and we shall be getting an official Opinion from a QC in the next couple of weeks. They described the proposed Directive as possibly being 'legally flawed' in several respects, which means we have a good chance of mounting a successful legal challenge.

We shall continue to fire on all cylinders, and will be asking for your help in getting the right messages to the right people in each of your constituencies in the coming weeks. I hope we can count on your support as we all join together for this crucial fight.

This is not an industry fighting for its survival in isolation; this is a fight for every single one of us who has discovered vaping - and it is a fight for our lives. We hope you will join us as we take the fight to them, rather than waiting for them to attack us even further.

Sincere thanks to Elites, not only for providing outstanding Chairmanship of ECITA since its inception in the form of Mike Ryan, but also for providing access to a top notch legal team, with the expertise and skills to bring us ALL safely home - as an industry and as a community of vapers.

We shall keep you informed as things progress, and would be grateful if a moderator could sticky this thread.

Happy and very long-lived vaping, one and all!

Cheers,

Katherine

[captainpugwash]

Great work, sound very encouraging , whatever it takes, i'm up for it

[kibbster]

Excellent news, count me in too.

[doodlebug]

Thanks, guys. We are going to be producing a handout, and will be grateful if as many vapers as possible get it into the hands of their local MPs and MEPs. After all, they HAVE to listen to you if you are in their consituency. Obviously, we would not be asking anyone to do anything they do not agree with, but this will be a very general handout, clearly spelling out the key messages which ALL of us have been trying to get across.

We'll keep in touch.

Cheers,

Katherine

[Cammy]

I'm up for this fight too. Anything I can do to help, I'm up for it.

[Banky]

Good news, count me in aswell

[kirrielad]

Count me in!!

[hgvroy]

I have always been up for fighting for a campaign and never thought that taking up vaping would involve me in another one,I have already seen my MP and am ready for the next stage,bring it on

[chykensa]

Vaping has changed my life, so anything I can do to ensure it sticks around long enough to change the lives of others will be done!
Thanks Doodlebug for the update and keep us posted please, as I'm sure you will!
Andy

[Sandra (aka Chillax)]

Watching this with great interest. It's great news.

[jakethevape]

Feb 14, 2013 22:55:30 GMT doodlebug said:

Thanks, guys. We are going to be producing a handout, and will be grateful if as many vapers as possible get it into the hands of their local MPs and MEPs. After all, they HAVE to listen to you if you are in their consituency. Obviously, we would not be asking anyone to do anything they do not agree with, but this will be a very general handout, clearly spelling out the key messages which ALL of us have been trying to get across.

We'll keep in touch.

Cheers,

Katherine

How are thease handouts going to reach the vaping people?. As (i know this sounds bad) but if you rely on people to print it off and send it off it will make allot of people not bothered etc.

Just thinking if elites have the financial funding to post out handouts to the vaping people then we can send them on if that makes sense.

[doodlebug]

Hi, all,

I'll be posting up the link to the handout in a minute, and yes, asking people to print it out and deliver it to MPs and MEPs, but I do take your point Jake, which is why we shall be making sure that all our members send it out in floods, and we shall be disseminating it pretty widely ourselves too.

Thanks for all the support.

Cheers,

Katherine

[doodlebug]

OK, as promised the handout is up and ready for download. I know it's a bit cheeky, but if everyone here printed it out and hand delivered it to each of their MPs and MEPs, maybe, just maybe we can make a difference? Obviously, if you don't agree with anything it says, then don't, but if you DO agree, and want to protect YOUR right to vape, then please get this out there! ecita.org.uk/a4%202%20sided%20handout%20feb%202013.pdf

Also, if you supply into local shops in your area, or know the people in there, maybe you could encourage those outlets to display the information with the products? Anything we can do to get the message out there can only help.

Thank you all for your support!

Cheers,

Katherine

(MODS: I don't know if you can sticky this, or find some other clever way of ensuring every member sees it, but I'd be grateful for anything you can do in this regard. Thank you.)

[Karma]

I've ,made it a 'sticky' hope that's ok with everyone?

[kibbster]

I will be making an appointment with my MP soon as he hasn't relied to my tow letters I sent him.
I'll take this along with me along with my LT, MVP and Ego.

TBH: the opportunity to fill my MPs office with Egg custard tart vapour is worth the trip alone!