THR Rendez-vous

Mark Slis testifies in Lansing (Michigan) against the proposed ban of flavors

This testimony by Mark Flis is the best I have heard. I am sure it will get viral (the viewership is already picking up). What he says is badly needed as so many elected officials, state health officials, journalists are repeating without any serious independent thinking "ban, ban ,ban" :( 

Here a Seattle Times editorial or this article in The Guardian about California :(

Why no new rendez-vous since May 9, 2019?

I have reached out to several people during the last months, who at first agreed to participate. I emailed them the questions then did not hear from them (despite several reminders) or they requested delays but eventually did not respond. Considering the vehemence of the anti-vaping groups I can imagine that most more moderate tobacco control advocates are now reluctant to say anything that could incriminate them and lead to ostracism or else. As for people in favor of vaping I don't know why they 'bail out'. I am therefore suspending my attempts. I recommend following Mike Siegel's blog and I wish you good luck in these very troubled times.

Rendez-vous #25 with David Goerlitz

Rendez-vous #25 with David Goerlitz.

David used to be a model for Winston cigarettes, then he became a tobacco control advocate as he told in this rendez-vous we had 20 years ago in May 1999. As a self introduction can you tell us a bit when/how and why you transitioned from tobacco control to vaping activism?

Rendez-vous #24 with Lindsey Stroud

Rendez-vous #24  with Lindsey Stroud

Lindsey  produces the audio-podcast Voices of Vapers. She is a state government relations manager at The Heartland Institute and a policy expert on tobacco harm reduction.

The rendez-vous that did not take place with Richard Peto

Below is the content of the email I sent to Richard Peto on April 11, 2019.

Rendez-vous #23 with Kim Shilling Manor

Rendez-vous #23 with Kim Shilling Manor
Owner of Moose Jooce Vape Shop in Lake Station (Michigan) Follow her on twitter 
First is there anything you would like to add to your self introduction on twitter: "I smoked 35 years...lost my husband to lung cancer..still smoked. Tried vaping on 10/21/2013 and quit overnight! Now I own Vape shops geared towards smokers 40+".

Rendez-vous #22 with Marie Maurisse

Rendez-vous #22 with Marie Maurisse
Author of the investigative report The blazing success of Swiss cigarettes in Africa

May I first ask you to introduce yourself by telling us a bit about your personal and professional background and how and why you got interested in the cigarette industry in Switzerland and their sales in Africa?

Rendez-vous #21 with Miroslaw Dworniczak

Rendez-vous #21 with Miroslaw Dworniczak
Thank you, Mirek for accepting this rendez-vous.
May I first ask you to introduce yourself by providing some personal background including when and why you got involved in vaping advocacy (if that's the right term to use).

Rendez-vous #20 with Alex Clark

Rendez-vous #20 with Alex Clark
Alex is CEO of CASAA
Can you please start by introducing yourself, telling us why and when you started vaping, how your journey evolved and your role in CASAA, the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association?

Alex Clark: My name is Alex Clark and I quit smoking by accident in 2013. After attempting to quit smoking with nicotine gum (which I used as a bridge between cigarettes for three years), I felt defeated and resigned myself to the notion that I would remain a smoker until my likely early death.

Taking a break from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World

As of today, January 2nd, 2019, I have resigned from my position of 'online community manager' with the Foundation for a smoke-Free World.

Why? It's a bit too early for me to explain the mix of internal, external, professional and personal reasons that led me to make such a decision. 

In the short term, I plan to try to publish a few more rendez-vous, write about my experience in the tobacco harm reduction universe on my blog mythrjourney and  see if some ideas I care about in this field can become reality. I'll also try to keep an eye on what's happening in Africa, in my blog Tobacco Control in Africa.

My best wishes to all readers for a happy new year.

Philippe 

PS: you can find a more detailed explanation of why I joined and left the Foundation here. 

 

April 23, 2019: Reading an article in The Guardian this is how I felt and still feel today :(

"People who stand up and report discrimination, abuse, and unethical conduct are punished, sidelined, and pushed out. Perpetrators often go unimpeded, or are even rewarded.”

From the article in The Guardian about retaliation at Google