The Ontario government recently proposed changes to their Smoke-Free Ontario Act and Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2015.

While some of the changes are reasonable, one key point of contention for e-cigarette vendors and users is the proposed changes that would prohibit the display, sampling and advertising of e-cigarette hardware and eliquids in specialty stores.

As anyone who has started using e-cigarettes know, brick and mortar stores are the most common point of entry for new users looking to kick the habit, and for the Ontario government to limit this actually flies in the face of the larger goal of their Smoke-Free Ontario.

There are ways to officially express one’s concerns regarding these changes. Specifically:

– Complete the Response Form provided on the Regulatory Registry in connection with this paper at http://www.ontariocanada.com/registry.

– Email comments directly to SFOA-ECA-Consultations@ontario.ca quoting this paper “Strengthening Ontario’s Smoking and Vaping Laws”

– Mail comments to:

Population and Public Health Division
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
777 Bay Street, Suite 1903, 19th Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 1S5

It’s been my experience from my old school days of public dissent that actual letter writing campaigns can be very effective. I recall a campaign organized by book stores to protest a censorship bill. Each retailer had pre-printed postcards that they would give out with every purchase, expressing a shared sentiment, and with room for additional comments.

B&M – Vendors

The image link below is a 4″ x 6″ postcard at 300 DPI. It’s ready to print at any local printer.

Please consider printing with a local printer, or I’ve attached a printable image in 4″ x 6″ 300 dpi format that I hope works as a template that shops across Ontario will consider printing up.

PNG image link 4″ x 6″ (right click to save)

If you wish to print using your own printer, Avery makes 5.5″ x 4.25″ postcard stock available (glossy or matte). It’s readily accessible via Staples.ca and will print 4 cards per standard sheet of paper, for about $16.00 per 100 cards.

Avery postcard stock link: http://www.staples.ca/postcard/directory_postcard_20051_1_20001

PNG image link 5.5″ x 4.25″ (right click to save – compatible with Avery stock above)

Added:

I’ve already had a couple of reports that 2 sided cards are being printed up, so I took an idea I had for social media cards, and tweaked it. These images are designed using the original 4″ x 6″ template, but can be tweaked for the Avery label version.

Image one direct download:

Image two direct download

Image three direct download