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FROM THE VTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS<\/strong><\/p>\n On December 11, 2017, VTA along with the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (“CASAA”), the American Vaping Association (“AVA”), and the Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association (“SFATA”), issued our\u00a0Unified Front Letter<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to the vapor industry advising that the time was close to step up and support our call to action to change the predicate date, as part of the pending FY 2018 Appropriations process.<\/p>\n That same day, the American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association (“AEMSA”) announced that it had taken a remarkable unilateral action that directly conflicted with the will of the overwhelming majority of the vapor industry.\u00a0 Specifically, AEMSA announced that it sent a letter to House and Senate leaders in the United States Congress, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi,\u00a0directly attacking a legitimate and important legislative strategy that VTA and every other advocacy organization has been pursuing for the past three years<\/u>.\u00a0 In so doing, AEMSA purported to speak on behalf of the entire vapor industry in declaring to Congressional leaders that it would be a mistake to change the predicate date, andclaiming that our industry doesn’t need additional short-term relief<\/u>.\u00a0 In sending their letter, AEMSA demonstrated a complete disregard of the powerful Members of Congress who have graciously stepped forward to champion our industry.<\/p>\n In an effort to mitigate whatever damage AEMSA’s letter may have caused,\u00a0we were pleased send a Unified Vapor industry letter, from VTA, AVA, CASAA and SFATA<\/u>, encouraging our Congressional leaders to do the right thing and change the predicate date.\u00a0 Here are examples of the\u00a0Unified Vapor Letter (House)<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>and the\u00a0Unified Vapor Letter (Senate)<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that VTA’s team delivered to the Hill on December 14, 2017.<\/p>\n Individuals and groups may disagree on policy and strategy.\u00a0 However, nothing gives one group license to undermine years of important relationship building and issue building in Congress simply because it has a “strong belief” in another approach.\u00a0 Similarly, nothing justifies one group tearing down a legitimate legislative strategy that could be enormously beneficial to small and mid-sized companies right now, based on the notion that they have a better idea and might be able to secure something better at some point in the distant future.<\/p>\n So, if someone tells you their way is better, if they promise a “permanent” fix, if they tell you that they can solve your entire problem, or tell you that they are going to take vapor out of the Tobacco Control Act, that’s great.\u00a0 Just make sure you ask all the hard questions like, what is the strategy, who is the team that will execute it, how are you going to generate support in the House and Senate, and where are the funds coming from to make it happen? Absent answers to these questions, you are just being offered ideas and words.<\/p>\n To that end, our fights are not ideological and not hypothetical.\u00a0 They are real, they are present, and the clock is ticking.\u00a0 Effective advocacy requires that we engage in strategies that can bring relief to our industry, engage in battles that are winnable, and that we build on prior success.\u00a0 Our industry does not have the luxury of hope. We are in a pitched battle and if we are repeatedly distracted from singularly focusing on our real enemies, we’ll wake up one day with a basket full of beliefs but no believers in government.<\/p>\n As we look forward to another year, we invite all of you to join our continuing efforts to level the playing field and secure a bright future for the vapor industry in the U.S. by working simultaneously with Congress and the Administration.\u00a0 For more information on why this one prong of our multi-pronged strategy is\u00a0important to small, mid-sized and large companies alike, please read our\u00a0Changing the Predicate Date Summary and FAQ<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Thank you,<\/p>\n VTA Board of Directors<\/p>\n
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