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Vapers are rightfully angry, anxious and shocked. What can you do?

Posted on June 22, 2020


ANGRY? YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE. Vapers are outraged, anxious and shocked at the sudden announcement banning nicotine for vaping.

For many, vaping was the only quitting aid that worked. They feel great, are saving money and are enjoying it. For many it is a lifesaver. And now this! Just look at some of the distressing comments on our last post here.

Suddenly, with 2 weeks notice, importing nicotine into Australia is effectively banned and carries a $220,000 fine. However deadly cigarettes are available at every corner store. Crazy!

Why is the government ignoring the scientific evidence? Vaping is the most popular and most effective quitting aid available and could save hundreds of thousands of Australian lives.

Many people think it is because the government is putting the tobacco tax before public health. Sadly, many are losing (have lost) confidence in our leaders and democracy.

Most vapers have told me that they will go back to smoking if nicotine is banned. It is just too hard without it

For some this will be a death sentence. Smoking kills 2 in 3 long term users. Others will turn to a flourishing black market, which will create further problems.

Big tobacco is celebrating. Criminal gangs are gearing up for a new industry. Vape shops will soon be closing.

Now is the time to act

Let’s channel the anger into something productive. Here are some suggestions.

DONATE TO THE FIGHTING FUND

We have to fight this decision. It is unscientific, breaches human rights and and will cost lives. LVA, ARVIA and PPHA have set up a fund for a legal challenge and public relations campaign. ATHRA strongly supports this fundraiser, but is not able to be involved because of our funding policy. Please make a donation here today.

SIGN THE PETITION

Senator Matt Canavan and George Christensen MP have broken ranks with Greg Hunt and set up a petition to oppose the ban here: www.vapepetition.com.au.

Please sign this today and ask your friends and family to sign as well.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP

Please write a short letter to your federal and state MPs and tell them what this means for you. Have you tried everything else to quit? Was vaping the only thing that worked? How has your health improved? What will you do if you can’t get nicotine?

Keep it short. Less than a page. Be polite. Tell it from the heart. Find your local MP’s contact details here on the Legalise Vaping’s website.

How to tell your story on the phone or in person.

  • Be polite, ask to speak to your Member of Parliament.
  • If you can speak to your MP great! If not, talk to their staff. Make it personal to them by asking them if they know any smokers and tell your own quitting story. Ask them if they wish the smoker they knew had the same opportunity.
  • Explain that vaping in Australia has just been banned out of nowhere, and it is the only thing keeping 300,000 people off cigarettes.
  • Tell them vaping is legal in every Western democracy except Australia and that smoking rates have stopped going down in Australia in recent years, but in countries with vaping they are reducing.
  • Let them know that many doctors support vaping because it is 95% less harmful than cigarettes and that Australian medical groups recommend it as a way to get off cigarettes.
  • Let them know that Greg Hunt promised that there wouldn’t be any more changes, but lied.
  • Remind them that cigarettes are legal and are available, so it makes no sense that something that is less harmful than smoking is illegal.
  • Ask them what they are going to do to help you, a local voter. Nail them down on a follow-up action – specifically ask if they will raise this issue with the Prime Minister and get this absurd ban overturned.

Let them know that you are normally a swinging voter, but that you were one of the many ‘Quiet Australian who voted for them for the first time at the last election’ (even if you didn’t).

Tell them that this is the only issue that you, your family and friends are talking about.

RING OR WRITE TO GREG HUNT

Tel: 03-5977 9082
Send an email via his website here.

MAKE A VIDEO

Some tips

  • Tell your personal story, from the heart
  • Use natural light wherever possible. Have the light coming from in front of you  (not behind you)
  • Film horizontally, not vertically
  • Keep it brief. No more than 30-60 seconds. Less is always more
  • Post your video on social media with the hashtag #VapingSavedMe
  • Tag your local MP and Greg Hunt: twitter @GregHuntMP and @scottmorrisonmp; facebook @Greg.Hunt.MP

For example:

“My name is Susan and I smoked cigarettes for 35 years. I tried everything to quit but nothing worked. Then I developed emphysema. The day I tried vaping I had my last cigarette. Vaping is the only thing that has ever worked for me. My breathing has improved and I am saving $400 per week. I have been so anxious since I heard that nicotine will be banned, I will have no choice but to go back to smoking. Please Minister Hunt, we’re asking you to save our lives”.

POST OR SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Share items on this topic regularly, if on Twitter be sure to include @scottmorrisonmp @greghuntmp as well as media and other influencers such as TV and radio presenters. Be sure to use the hashtags #VapingSavedMe #auspol #unbanvaping #DontBeAHunt

FOLLOW ATHRA

Sign up as a supporter here so we can keep you informed. Follow us on twitter and facebook. Make a tax-deductible donation here. This will support ATHRA's campaigning to protect your right to vape.

SIGN THE LVA PETITION

Legalise Vaping Australia’s petition is available here and will be presented to Parliament. Please sign it today if you have not already done so.

CALL TALKBACK RADIO

Commercial radio is powerful. Click here for the contact details of Australian radio stations

WRITE TO YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER

Letters to the editor in the local newspapers get read by local MPs and get people talking. Keep it short, 150 words. We need to put this critical public health issue on the public agenda

Don't give up! If we all show the government how strongly we feel and the harm this will cause, we have every chance of reversing it. MPs will listen if we make enough noise. Let's get started!

Posted by Colin Mendelsohn, colin@athra.org.au


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11 Replies to “Vapers are rightfully angry, anxious and shocked. What can you do?”

Ted Howard

Vaping literally saved my life.
4 years and 1 month ago I started vaping and 2 days later stopped smoking after many decades of cigarettes.

This nicotine ban is the most appalling act of stupidity and short sighted political bastadry I have ever seen.

Good citizens will be turned into criminals and lives will be lost.

The tax coffers will fill with blood money.

If this nicotine ban goes ahead I swear I will never vote for the Coalition again.

Theo

Hello.
Yes i am angry too i have quit traditional smoking over 4 years ago. I have tried them all from gum to hypnotherapy. They only work short term. Vapeing is the only one that is working. This is clearly to save the 17 billion a year tobacco tax industry nothing else. Mr Hunt you get paid a very good wage from us the citizens and thats the best you can come up with? Citizens of Australia dont tell them you are going back to smoking thats just ching ching money to their ears thats what they want us to do. The best we can do is totally quit for a whole year do not buy smokes everybody you will then see the real government. Imagine 17 billion a year lost. Thats where it will hurt them the most. Lets do this Australia…….

Sherry Faram

I was a heavy smoke. I tried patches etc but nothing worked. I have copd (emphysema etc) due to smoking. 2yrs ago I changed to vaping. It has SAVED my life. If I go back to smoking, I'll guarantee that my health will deteriate rapidly, and the cigarettes will quickly shorten my life😥😥

mario

Are international donations to the legal fund accepted? (Not sure if that's acceptable for this purpose. But some unity and part of the fees coming from Europe/US/overseas might strengthen the message.)

Julie Bennett

The use of COVID-19 as a way to force this legislation through Parliament is draconian and unjust. Greg Hunt is a Nazi in disguise and should be hounded out of politics. Legalize nicotine vaping. Stop putting more pressure on our already overworked GP's and remove nicotine e-liquid from the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations.

wendy blackford

I could not breath before but could not give up the ciggs untill I tried vaping – why why why

ASh

Ive quit smoking thanks to vapeing for 4 years. My lungs and health thank me and now the Govt decides to take it all away and put a dead sentence on me.

Adam D

I was dumbfounded by this as i too have quit smoking due to vaping and ordering have cut down dramatically even on my vaping because the habbit dissapears. I went to order more liquid today not realising what had been happening because i have been to busy following the covid, but our government is the usual and they pretend they want us to quit smokig but really its another excuse for them to put tax on an addictive product to make money out of us…i bought my first pouch of smokes today cose i dunno how else to keep reducing. People and kids can die or O.D FROM NICOTINE REPLACEMENT GUMS, PATCHES, PUFFERS, SPRAYS ECT AND NONE OF THEM HAVE KID SAFETY PROOF STUFF ON THEM!! All my liquids i order online from overseas are kid proof!! Dont say liquid kills kids or O.Ds are from vaping..our own legal nicotine replacements can kill to…think about this goverment…worry about something besides trying to make your moneY back all the time…I WILL GO BACK TO SMOKING IF THIS HAPPENS

Speedy

10 weeks ago I converted from smoking to vaping after a 40 year habit. Tried a smoke 24 hours after vaping and got nothing but the taste of chemicals, put it out after 2 drags, havn't touched once since. was on 16 mg cigs got 12mg juice. Earlier this week had a tank of 0 nic juice with no withdrawls or side effects. I have now ordered more 0 nic juice and will mix both with and without nic as I want a change of flavor. The nicotine is not a priority to me now as I have realised it is no more addictive than coffee. It was the other chemicals in the cigs I have been addicted to. As for the poisoning aspect of nicotine, fill a mug to the brim of coffee and chow down. I bet you end up in hospital with caffene poisoning. It really is a matter of quantity isn't it? Even water can poison you, so is the Government going to ban everything? Why should the majority of safe users of nicotine be penalised by a few irresponsible idiots? Why do we let a minority of people regulate what we do with our own lives? I am not dropping nicotine because of the near ban we had but because of personal choice. It may still take me 12 or 18 months before nicotine is completely out of my life, but I will not put any pressure on myself – nor should the government, this is my journey. Not theirs

Sherry Bradford

Keep working ,impressive job!

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