Petitions and Letters

[gibla53]

As a novice vaper

I have read many articles about

proposed regulation of nicotine strength

the politics involved with governments , influential bodies like WHO., and tobacco +  pharma. companies

letters to MP and MEP

petitions - the point made by one poster about diluting the effectiveness of a petition by having a multitude of them I think is very valid . Could this

forum not co-ordinate with other vaping forums to draft ONE common petition . Probably the same as anyone who reads this I belong to a number of

non-vaping forums  and if all of us posted some links on there about a "common" all embracing single petition or am I just talking b.......s?


Alan

[kibbster]

There is a fairly coordinated campaign at the moment, well coordinated for the interwebs anyway
But it's generally been decided that everyone writing to their MPs as individuals with their own life story and views will be much harder to ignore than a mass petition.
I think it's still cool to sign a petition but we don't really have numbers on our side.
Estimated 650k vapers in the UK, teeny tiny fraction of them on forums, smaller amount again passionate enough to stop this happening.
Not sure how much impact a petition with a few thousand signatures would have, but a few thousand letters and meetings with MPs... that would be noticed

My thoughts are sign any petitions you want but MP letters and visits are going to really get the message across.
There's also the fact that signing a petition takes no effect but writing letters and speaking to MPs actually shows the MPs we are serious about this

[Banky]

I'm with you on this Kibb, The more individual and personal letters sent to our political parties to me
would be better than a petition.

[gibla53]

HI 

I  have written to my MP and MEP's , I was not advocating not sending e-mails or hand written letters .

The only clumsily made point I was trying to make is that there seems to be a multitude (exaggeration!) of petitions where  ONE would be more effective ?

Alan

[kibbster]

Mar 4, 2013 22:58:12 GMT gibla53 said:

HI 

I  have written to my MP and MEP's , I was not advocating not sending e-mails or hand written letters .

The only clumsily made point I was trying to make is that there seems to be a multitude (exaggeration!) of petitions where  ONE would be more effective ?

Alan

I agree, spreading ourselves thin does lessen the impact we can have

[Cammy]

Do you not think tho that the amount of templated, mis-informed replies means that they aren't even bothering?

Most MPs don't give a t0ss about anything other than their spin, fancy car and three plus houses.

I think we should have a mass rally, fight the power and show these limp, stuffy MPs in Edinburgh, London and Brussels that we ain't taking this lying down and we certainly are NOT going away after a paltry reply to our emails.

Viva la revolution

[kibbster]

Ask the ones camped out at St Pauls cathedral how their camping holiday worked out.
I've never known protest marches to change policy.
They often reduce sympathy for the cause because of the costs involved in policing them, the clean up afterwards and the way they are generally just a nuisance for others and have a way of attracting a minority that aren't interested in the cause just vandalism and anarchy.

[gibla53]

Despite personal, respectful, non-abusive e-mails to my local MP and 4 MEP. each one totally different . Response so far .......zilch

2  automated replies  only .

I shall write off to them all again this time by letter .

We the public are accused of voter apathy by our so-called representatives ...... is it really any wonder with such disinterest in topical issues that affect their constituents ?

In each e-mail I asked for 3 things

personal position on nicotine strength regulation , party position on same , requested a personal face to face meeting ....

Alan 

[kibbster]

Mar 5, 2013 13:41:44 GMT gibla53 said:

Despite personal, respectful, non-abusive e-mails to my local MP and 4 MEP. each one totally different . Response so far .......zilch

2

[gibla53]

Mar 5, 2013 13:43:34 GMT kibbster said:

Mar 5, 2013 13:41:44 GMT gibla53 said:

Despite personal, respectful, non-abusive e-mails to my local MP and 4 MEP. each one totally different . Response so far .......zilch

2

My neck won't bend enough to see if that is a sad or happy face !!!

Alan

[MarkS]

The thing about protests and petitions are they are faceless.
Protests can and frequently are easily be spun by the media against the protestors no matter how legitimate the cause.

The petition that seems to be getting the most publicity and signatures is the German one:
www.change.org/petitions/e-zigarette-in-gefahr

20,000+ signatures so far, but I think it needs around 5,000 more signatures before it can be submitted.

[kibbster]

Mar 5, 2013 14:18:25 GMT gibla53 said:

Mar 5, 2013 13:43:34 GMT kibbster said:

My neck won't bend enough to see if that is a sad or happy face !!!

Alan

It was a sad face because I have the same problem.

[gibla53]

Cheers for that one .......... another petition signed

Alan

[MarkS]

No problem Alan.

We have to do what we can to help those who are at the front of this and are speaking up for us.