{"id":14573,"date":"2024-02-06T13:12:32","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T13:12:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/advocacy-for-beginners\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T15:00:59","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T15:00:59","slug":"advocacy-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clearingtheair.eu\/en\/post\/advocacy-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"Advocacy for Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, you\u2019ve got strong feelings about vaping. Maybe vapes helped you or a loved one to quit smoking when nothing else worked. It\u2019s a common enough story. Maybe you\u2019ve gone on to be frustrated by the fear-mongering narratives dominant amongst the media and political classes, despite the fact that even pillars of public health \u2013 such as NHS and ASH \u2013 acknowledge vaping\u2019s role within the realm of tobacco harm reduction.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What do you want to do with your new energy and conviction? Perhaps it\u2019s time to exercise your civil rights as a member of a liberal democracy. Advocacy is a subject that is deliberately mystified by those with power and influence as a means to \u2013 well \u2013 maintaining their power and influence. In reality, it\u2019s not that complicated, as long as you have the right guide. <\/p>\n

That is exactly what we offer here. As firm believers in the life-saving intervention that vaping can offer, we want to empower those whose stories bear out this truth to join us in fighting the good fight. <\/p>\n

Before you reach out to an MEP, we advise you to hone your personal story, join a movement, figure out who to contact and choose an approach that suits your character. <\/p>\n

Then it\u2019s about adopting a diplomatic voice and communicating with simplicity.<\/p>\n

Finally, persist and keep the faith. Good luck.<\/p>\n

PART I \u2013 BEFORE YOU REACH OUT<\/h3>\n

Be authentic<\/strong><\/p>\n

A  handwritten letter from a man in Warrington – a small town in the North of England – opened the eyes of former MEP Chris Davies to what vaping could mean for tobacco harm reduction. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat letter had a big impact upon me,\u201d says the Liberal Democrat who served in the European Parliament from 1999-2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018Mr. Davies, I was a heavy smoker. I’ve tried everything to give up. Then I started vaping and I can’t say what a difference it made to my life. My breathing is better. I feel better. I’m still addicted to nicotine, but it’s made a huge difference to my sense of health and well being\u2019\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Davies went on to lead the campaign to prevent EU legislation that would have banned vaping way back in 2013. His efforts as a Member of the European Parliament were pivotal, and the fact that we have vaping available for smokers today is as a direct result of his taking action.<\/p>\n

This case is not unique. <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be deterred by the misconception that the only way to persuade politicians is through science or data; or that you have to be a political insider to do so. While that is a legitimate approach for those in the know, those brand new to lobbying can take heart. An emotional story with the ring of truth has a fighting chance of cutting-through. <\/p>\n

There are several reasons for this. <\/p>\n

First, although it can often appear otherwise, politicians are human, and most want to help. If you give them a human reason to take action, they often will. <\/p>\n

Second, if your story is built on having your life or health saved, ignoring it presents a potential problem, especially if you anecdotally mention that you are one of many in your area with a similar tale to tell. Even a cynical reader may have to ask themselves: if I’m going to prevent them from doing that, what do I say to this person \u2013 and people like them \u2013 in future?\u2019. <\/p>\n

And third, politicians need to get elected. They don\u2019t want to accidentally annoy large parts of their electorate; and they often change course if they feel like they are about to do so.<\/p>\n

DO:<\/strong> Be polite, compelling and real.\u200d<\/strong><\/p>\n

DON\u2019T:<\/strong> Use a mass template letter, it will be ignored.<\/p>\n

Join a movement<\/strong><\/p>\n

The good news is you don\u2019t have to figure out the mechanics of EU institutions all by yourself. Most EU Member States have a vaping consumer organisation with a mailing list you can join. They will let you know when you need to take action to protect your right to vape. <\/p>\n

There is a distinction between the relatively quiet \u2018hearts and minds\u2019 period in which it\u2019s valuable to reach out to MEPs as an early bridge, and the feverish \u2018crunch time\u2019 as decision makers are approaching a major decision and all hands are needed on deck. <\/p>\n

As Davies says, \u201cTiming is always important, you can make the point but if it’s not on the agenda of the politician, then how relevant is it?\u201d. Imminent threats of bans or taxes are a good reason to reach out, but there are others. Press coverage of vaping that is biased and misrepresents vapers is a good example. <\/p>\n

The important thing is to seek advice about the most impactful times to make yourself heard.  Consumer forums are useful for pooling information, contact details and feedback on conversations with politicians that serve to assure members that two-way dialogues are happening. It\u2019s smart to track down these sources of solidarity. Fighting for what you believe in is a beautiful thing, but it can get frustrating at times. A small, yet organised and devoted community can achieve unexpected results. <\/p>\n

Figure out who to contact <\/strong><\/p>\n

There is an element of trial and error \u2013 of knocking on doors and seeing which ones open VS which ones stay shut \u2013 to connecting with a politician. Still! There are some ways to pare down every possible decision maker to those most likely to care. Doing this comes down to asking yourself two questions.<\/p>\n

First, who are my representatives? <\/strong>If a politician isn\u2019t answerable to you, they won\u2019t listen quite as closely. Make sure you\u2019re talking to the right representative: that could be a Minister, or the member of Parliament that represents the ares where you live or work<\/p>\n

And second, who is interested?<\/strong> Parliaments in Europe divide themselves into committees that examine specific issues. When it comes to vaping, this is usually the health committee, so you are more likely to find interest there.<\/p>\n

The vaping community is a great place to ask some of these questions. The hivemind may even have compelling information about your representatives, like what motivates individual decision makers in your area of concern.<\/p>\n

Advocacy dominoes: We spoke to a community advocate in the UK  who used a meeting with his local MP to successfully ask him to write to the Department of Health. The take-away here: if you build a rapport with one MEP, that relationship can be a portal to connecting with  their colleagues.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Choose an approach that suits your character <\/strong><\/p>\n

Some have the gift of the gab and are confident picking up the phone. But the safest approach, especially if it\u2019s the first time you have done this or you are nervous, is writing and email. This gives you time and space to draft and edit what you want to say. This is useful because, as we will cover in part two, there are skills along the lines of diplomacy and simplicity that boost the art of politician whispering.<\/p>\n

PART II \u2013 WHEN YOU REACH OUT <\/h3>\n

A crash-course in diplomacy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Crossing the rubicon from privately venting about a politician to trying to engage them as an ally requires a mental shift. Coming out swinging in your most colourful language may just mean they hit \u2018delete\u2019 or their assistant filters the correspondence and they never even see your letter.<\/p>\n

The right amount of passion will help you tell your story. Too much can mean you risk sliding into harassment. That goes for your experience of vaping and your political views writ large.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave your own more general political views at the door,\u201d advises Stefan*, a longtime consumer advocate and public health influencer, who believes that teaching advocacy is a form of advocacy itself. \u201cAssume that the people that you’re communicating with are well-intentioned and will do the right thing if only they hear the right messages. Be scrupulously polite.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Appeal to a politician\u2019s better nature, and massaging an ego never hurts, but do so convincingly. Stefan* cautions against being too reverent. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be deferential. Be respectful and firm in your opinions.\u201d Treat your new politician friend as if they are willing to do the right thing if only they’re persuaded.<\/p>\n

Even if you think that a person is a moral vacuum, or you would never vote for them, write with an open mind, or, so it sounds like you have an open mind.<\/p>\n

You might not see eye-to-eye with the person you\u2019re lobbying. Even so, it\u2019s a good idea to build a positive relationship, if possible. People respond better if there is mutual respect, so remember that when reaching out.  The best arguments are forged with humanity intact. <\/p>\n

KEEP IT SIMPLE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Politicians are time poor, and need to hold a lot of information in their head at any one time. Keeping your story simple is key, so here are some pointers:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Respect the MEP\u2019s time by making everything to the point-Consider starting each paragraph with a bolded one sentence summary of the paragraph, e.g. a flavour ban will cause more people to smoke as this enables people to rapidly scan the guts of your argument <\/li>\n
  • Go the extra mile in terms of making your letter easy to read and understand <\/li>\n
  • Ask an ally to read it over before you send to make sure all is crystal clear<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    DON\u2019T:<\/strong> Water down your opinions by being deferential.<\/p>\n

    DO:<\/strong> Be respectful and firm.<\/p>\n

    PART III \u2013 FOLLOW UP<\/h3>\n

    Be persistent<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Follow up on initial correspondence after ten days to a fortnight. It might take a Politician years to respond, but once you\u2019re in the door, you can build momentum. <\/p>\n

    Former Liberal MEP Chris Davies says it\u2019s not unusual for ongoing relationships to be forged with sympathetic advocates. This kind of leverage is worth low-level, long-haul persistence. Not least because we’ve elected these people to serve our interests. They work for us, we don’t work for them.<\/p>\n

    Keep the faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Not every action or communication you take will result in your desired outcome. This is part and parcel of the work. It means that you\u2019re doing it, it means that you\u2019re trying. <\/p>\n

    \u201cYou never know quite where the breakthrough will come,\u201d says Stefan*. \u201cSo, I always think of it as a statistical thing. You know, you’re gonna try a lot of things. Most of them won’t work. Some of them will. It gets down to this old adage: \u2018Advocacy is not about brilliance. It’s about persistence.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Know how change comes. It can come very fast but it can also come over decades. You have to hold on to the righteousness and rightness of the cause, and if that starts to waver, that\u2019s a sign to sit back and take stock. <\/p>\n

    Meanwhile: take comfort, solidarity and strength from the idea that you’re pursuing a right cause. Per Stefan, \u201cPeople say to me, \u2018Why are you spending your life fighting over vaping, you idiot?\u2019 In my mind, I’m fighting for many millions of lives worldwide. To me it’s the biggest public health issue of the early 21st century.\u201d <\/p>\n

    He continues, \u201cThere’s a billion people who smoke, there’s hundreds of millions more who start each year, and there is an enormous agenda to fix that problem with these innovations. So, you have to see yourself as battling a massive beast to try to do something that is right for you as an individual, right for people, you know, but also right for the whole world.\u201d <\/p>\n

    *Stefan is a pseudonym <\/p>\n

    \u200d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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