Vaping is starting to be talked about in the mainstream media- finally- and much of the reporting has been informed and balanced. We need this kind of press to reach the public outside of the vaping community, and to help inform health advocates and government representatives.
Check out the Fifth Estate's program on YouTube here. I was put-out by the show title, "Welcome Back Big Tobacco," initially. It's sensational and misleading, but it does the job of grabbing attention. And having watched the program (which was informed and well-documented), I'm glad they went with the headline they did. It'll attract people who are already anti-smoking and/or have misgivings about vaping and I think by the end of it, it will have changed or at least opened some minds.
CBC's The 180 podcast also recently featured a segment on vaping that you can check out here.
And the A Billion Lives team have been getting some positive press, including an article in the LA Times titled, "Pro-vaping documentary A Billion Lives makes a compelling case."
I strongly believe that if all of the information is out there so that people can make up their minds for themselves, based on the evidence, a lot of the public will support keeping vaping available. The more evidence-based reporting, the better. Read, watch or listen to these reports, by all means, and give the media outlets your feedback. Even better, share the media with smokers and nonsmokers alike.
And for our Canadian vape community, don't forget that our Federal Health Minister is promising regulation this fall. Regulation on its own is not a bad thing, so long as it's reasonable. Get in touch with your MP or the Health Minister herself to make your opinion known.*
Not sure who your MP is, or how to get a hold of them? Click here. Want to get in touch with Health Minister Jane Philpott directly? Click here.
*As always, we advocate respectful engagement. Our individual actions reflect on the community as a whole and respectful dialogue is always the most fruitful.
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