Ashtray Blog: An Electronic Cigarette Blog

Disagree with Smokefree Legislation? You could go to Jail!

barnaby1 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:09 +0000

In perhaps one of the most horrific statements I have seen in the smoking wars, the government has instructed courts, when sentencing, to consider whether or not the person:

agrees with smoke free legislation
supports smoke free legislation
is campaigning against smokefree legislation

Let’s paraphrase:

YOU CAN GO TO PRISON FOR DISAGREEING WITH GOVERNMENT POLICY.

Here is the text, which I found on Old Holborn’s blog:

In addition to the evidence of smoking taking place, the Courts have also indicated that they are taking into consideration the following matters:
• the number of occasions on which the council is able to demonstrate that information and advice on the smokefree requirements have been provided to the person in control;
• the failure by the person in control to take action after the receipt of such information and advice;
and
• public statements made by or on behalf of the person in control:
• that they do not agree with or support the smokefree legislation;
• that they are actively campaigning against it; or
• that they do not intend to do anything more than simply inform people that they should not smoke.

Officers of LACORS and the CIEH are continuing to closely monitor prosecutions and may be able to provide information on trends, levels of fines and costs, etc but not of course advice to councils in preparing their own cases. Of particular interest are those cases brought against repeat offenders which test the ability of the council to secure penalties prescribed in the legislation which will act as a deterrent against further offending as this information may be used to inform responses to further consultations by the Government.

And here is the original document.

Submit Your Electronic Cigarette Video Testimonials

barnaby1 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:12 +0000

A British blogger/vaper who works in TV is asking e-cigarette users to submit their video testimonials.

All you have to do is answer several question on YouTube and then upload your video.

Humphrey Smiths bans Electronic Cigarette

barnaby1 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:34 +0000

Humphrey Smiths of Sam Smiths breweries has banned electronic cigarettes, according to one of his (and our) customers, who was most upset.

We’ve written a letter to him asking him to reconsider:

Dear Mr Smith

We are writing on behalf of one of our – and your – customers.

We were astonished to receive a letter from him telling us that Sam Smith’s brewery had banished our electronic cigarette from your pubs.

He, and we, believe this is an unreasonable demand.

Electronic Cigarettes

Electronic cigarette are legal indoors and in places where the smoking ban prevents adults from engaging in smoking. Therefore, there is no legal need for your demand.

Read the rest of this letter…

Welsh National Opera Turns to Electronic Cigarette

barnaby1 — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:45:50 +0000

It’s a proud week for E Cigarette Direct as the Welsh National Opera uses electronic cigarettes to beat the Welsh smoking ban.

Unlike the English ban , the Welsh smoking ban even forbids smoking on stage.Which can be tricky when you are performing an opera about a cigarette factory!

Below is a picture of the gorgeous opera singer, Fiona, during dress rehearsals.

Opera singer Fiona Harrison smoking an e-cigarette on stage.

Fiona usually has to use talcom filled powder sticks, but non-smoker Fiona told us the electronic cigarette was a vast improvement.

Below is a picture of our MD, Jean, with her partner Mike on stage with Fiona.

The E Cigarette Direct Team on the stage of Carmen.

According to Jean, Mike just couldn’t stop himself from flirting with Fiona…

Mike flirting on the stage of Carmen.

Freedom to Choose – as long as you don’t choose an electronic cigarette!

barnaby1 — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:37:32 +0000

E Cigarettes are an “Object of Coercion” state pro-choice group

Last week I interviewed David Atherton from Freedom to Choose.

David Atherton was immensely likable, and I found myself agreeing with everything he had to say.

However, I find his organisation’s position on the electronic cigarette astounding.

Smoker’s Against Electronic Cigarettes

David told me that he personally had no problem with the electronic cigarette, but that Freedom to Choose opposed their usage.

Freedom to Choose later clarified their position, writing:

“They [the electronic cigarette] are a product of coercion, who would use them anywhere you could smoke? our policy is detailed on the website.”

E Cigarettes A Product of Coercion?

I must admit I do not fully understand this statement. I have requested a clarification (but have not yet received one) and searched for their policy, but not yet found it.

I can only imagine that they see it as an instrument (of anti-smoking groups? the government?) to persuade people to accept the smoking ban.

Of course, if everybody used them, Freedom to Choose might lose support for the ban to be revoked. But that is different from arguing they are a deliberate act of coercion!

Liberty

Opposing the right to choose an alternative to smoking seems strange indeed given Freedom to Choose’s name.

Indeed, as David Atherton said in the interview:

“I think it is a personal choice, isn’t it?…I am really not here to dictate to people how they should live their lives.”

Which should be his organisation’s position – because for a group called Freedom to Choose to oppose the choice of using electronic cigarettes is a contradiction in terms.

Who would use them anywhere you could smoke?

Thirty thousand e-cigarette forum users, for a start!

There are a huge number of dedicated e-smokers who would prefer to use their electronic cigarette to using a real cigarette.

And with no tar, no toxins, no odour and costing a fraction of what traditional cigarettes do, that’s no surprise!

One could be forgiven for asking who would use cigarettes when you could use an electronic cigarette!

Threatened

For all the anti-smoking movement’s exaggeration, there is little denying that cigarettes are dangerous, expensive and odorous.

Electronic cigarettes, which offer the nicotine without the combustion and toxins that make cigarettes dangerous, are the perfect alternative.

Perhaps a useful comparison is Communist Russia after the second world war. They felt threatened most not by capitalist America – their ideology predicted that capitalism would lead to its own demise – but by Britain, a country which combined socialism and capitalism in one system.

For the same reason, both the anti-smoking movement and Freedom to Choose appear to feel threatened by the electronic cigarette, a device which keeps the pleasure of smoking while removing its disadvantages.

Sticking Together

It’s perhaps ironic that this position came clear after Paul Bergen wrote on our website calling for unity, writing:

“If they are not already, vapers and smokers must stay united as individuals who happen to enjoy nicotine without it implying anything about them as people.”

(See Vaping: Just another word?)

If vaping threatens pro-choice smokers, it also gives them an opportunity.

For the first time, tens of thousands of people, stunned by the hypocrisy of a movement which, in return for massive funds, promotes nicotine cessation aids but attacks the electronic cigarettes which contain the same ingredients, are openly discussing the lies of the anti-smoking movement.

That’s why Freedom to Choose should abandon their Luddite position and openly engage with the e-smoking community.

Bloggers Raise More Money Than Ash

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:56:59 +0000

Interesting to note that that pro-choice smoking bloggers have raised more money from the public than ASH.

The Velvet Glove Iron Fist blog pointed out that ASH Wales raised just £2,697 from donations last year.

More than £45,000 came from Pfizer.

The rest was paid for by you and me – £115,800 came out of the tax we pay.

Bloggers, however, have managed to raise more than £9000 for a fund to help release Nick Hogan, a British Publican jailed for 6 months for not stopping adults from enjoying their cigarettes on his private property.

Freedom to Choose Interview

barnaby1 — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:00:08 +0000

Our latest interview, with David Atherton of Freedom to Choose, is now up on the website.

In the interview we discuss the anti-smoking movement, the fallacy of third hand smoke and the threat that the anti-smoking movement poses to individual liberty.

And of course we also talk about the electronic cigarette.

To check out the interview click here: Freedom to Choose Interview. (If you have a blog or website and are looking for free material, you’ll also find a summary of the interview for your use.)

I’ll be writing more about their position on the electronic cigarette shortly.

New NJOY Electronic Cigarette Released – with 10 Day Discounted Price!

barnaby1 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:49:29 +0000

The New DUO : £45.00 £39.50

The New NJOY Electronic Cigarette has now been released – and, for a short time, you can buy it at a discounted price.

Even better, if you already have an NJOY NPRO e-cigarette you don’t have to invest in a whole new kit to take advantage of the new technology. Just buy a new DUO refill and attach it to your existing NJOY battery!

New Electronic Cigarette – no more fiddling with atomisers!

The new NJOY DUO seamlessly merges the NJOY atomiser and cartridge into one piece, minimising the chance of atomiser failure and making changing cartridges a smooth and simple one step process. The new cartridges are also are best yet, with each one equivalent to a massive 30 + cigarettes.

Huge Annual Saving

We estimate that with the improved cartridges a smoker on 7 1/2 packs a week would save £1,500 a year after the initial outlay. A 40 a day smoker would save 3,000 pounds.

Limited Special Offer!

For a period of ten days only we are launching the DUO at a special reduced price. The full kit will cost £45.00, but currently costs £39.50 – that’s a saving of more than 11 percent!

Or just buy the cartridges!

The NJOY Duo cartridge/atomiser has been specifically designed so that it will match your existing NJOY NPRO electronic cigarette batteries.

Check it Out

Click here to check out the new NJOY DUO and take advantage of our limited special offer.

Vaping versus Smoking

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:24:07 +0000

Our latest article, Vaping by Paul Bergen, is now up on the website. Click here to check it out.

The article is part of a new magazine section of our website we are developing. To check it out see The Smoker’s Angel.

Cigarettes as Grenades

barnaby1 — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:27:54 +0000

This made me laugh:

And of course electronic cigarettes blow your heads off: