Death by Whippit

Whipped cream chargers

What is a whippit?

Deadly.  And for sale at a smoke shop near you.  Your kids may be buying and using them.

Hooray for Barbara Lodge, a friend in my writing class, who published this article in the Op-Ed pages of the Los Angeles Times today.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-lodge-nitrous-oxide-smoke-shop-law-20190429-story.html

We all need to support Senate Bill 193 in the California Senate, written by Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) representing farming counties near Sacramento.   

But the manufacturer is lobbying heavily against the bill.  

It's stuck in the Appropriations Committee, where the decision on whether to send it to the senate will be made by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada-Flintridge) and other committee members. Technically, the bill's status is "suspense" and it will be decided on May 17.

We have 19 days to call and send emails/tweets to Portantino 916-651-4025 and Nielsen 916-651-4004 and members of the Appropriations Committee, who include:
Senators Patricia C. Bates (R-Laguna Nigel) - 916-651-4036,
Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) -916-651-4035,
Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) - 916-651-4013,
Brian W. Jones (R-Santee and Escondido) - 916-651-4038, and 
Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) - 916-651-4010.  

Twitter handles are @portantino, @senatorpatbates, @stevebradford, @senbrianjones, @bobwieckowskiCA, and @CASenatorJim.  (Apparently Jerry Hill does not use Twitter.)

You should also contact your own state senator and representative by using this link:  http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

Ten facts to know about whippits.

And another fact: the manufacturer is making big money.  

Whip-It! Brand cream chargers are sold around the world, both for legitimate and illegitimate uses.

You can even buy whippits online--just $7.99 for ten of them.  Risk your life for a low, low price.  

As Barbara points out, a common result is permanent brain damage.

See this article in The Daily Beast:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know-about-whip-its

One distributor to smoke shops makes $60,000 per month distributing the cannisters.

Contact Sen. Anthony Portantino at:

Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 3086
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4025
Fax: (916) 651-4925

 

Glendale District Office

116 E. Broadway, Suite 204

Glendale, CA 91205

Phone: (818) 409-0400

Fax: (818) 409-1256

 

Satellite Office
201 East Bonita Ave
San Dimas, CA 91773
Phone: (909) 599-7351
Fax: (909) 599-7692

Contact Sen. Jim Nielsen at:

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 5064
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4004
Fax: (916) 651-4904

Roseville District Office

2200A Douglas Blvd. Suite 100
Roseville, CA 95661
Phone: (916) 772-0571
Fax: (916) 772-0589

Chico District Office

2635 Forest Ave, Suite 110
Chico, CA 95928
Phone: (530) 879-7424
Fax: (530) 879-7437

Yuba City District Office

1110 Civic Center Blvd., Suite 202-A
Yuba City, CA  95993
Phone: (530) 751-8657
Fax: (530) 751-8865