GENERAL INFORMATION

Virginia Group to Alleviate Smoking in Public, Inc., Virginia GASP®, was founded in late 1985, and it issued its first newsletter in early 1986.  Virginia GASP® is the group which achieved the first no-smoking law in Virginia (1990) which protects people in many public places.  A copy of the brochure outlining this law is available in this web site.

Information on the 2009 legislative events, the  2008 efforts, and past efforts, to increase the protections for people are available in this web site.

Virginia GASP
4856 Haygood Road  #102
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455
1-757-490-0126

Virginia GASP is an autonomous statewide organization, nonprofit, all volunteer, and does not solicit funding.

The text of the brochures is available online.
   Virginia law - Indoor Clean Air Act
  Virginia law - on tobacco sales and gifts to youth

Purpose

Virginia Group to Alleviate Smoking in Public, Inc., Virginia GASP®, is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization.  In 1986, Virginia GASP became an organization of nonsmokers and smokers working together to provide that every nonsmoking child and adult be permitted to access every enclosed public place, including the workplace, without ever having to breathe secondhand smoke, and to protect the ultimate nonsmoker -- youth.

Virginia GASP® is the group which achieved the first no-smoking law in Virginia, 1990, which protects people in many public places.  A copy of the brochure outlining this law is available in this web site.

After the passage of the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act, Virginia GASP® moved further into its primary role of an information providing source, utilizing the internet to provide information to students and other citizens of Virginia, the USA, and indeed across the world.

Virginia GASP® is concerned for the civil rights of all nonsmokers, including the ultimate nonsmoker -- youth. This includes the right to civil action lawsuits, including no cap on liability.

There is no constitutional or ethical right to harm another person.

There is no right to smoke in public.

Smoking is optional.  Breathing is not.

And breathing is a very popular thing to do.

The words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American writer and also an asthmatic, summarize our commitment:
    " ... to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded."

No Funding

There is no funding for Virginia GASP® at this time.  
Virginia GASP® does not solicit funds.  All efforts to provide information are done on a volunteer basis. 

In the past years, Virginia GASP® was financed through contributions from the public, tax deductible, and all work was done on a volunteer basis. 

A financial report has been on file as required by law with the Virginia Division of Consumer Affairs for many years.


Updated 24 August 2009
 


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