NotBlowingSmoke has raised $25,000 in one month thanks to contributions from 144+ individuals. Many of the donations were $5, $10, $20. The GoFundMe campaign was setup by Stefan Didak, the creator of the notblowingsmoke.org website.
Didak created the first notblowingsmoke.org website. He did this on a $0 budget as a direct response to the #StillBlowingSmoke campaign by the California Department of Public Health. The site has seen a rise in popularity as vapers have rallied around #notblowingsmoke.
His plan is to use the money raised to create what he calls #NotBlowingSmoke 2.0.
Some of the goals stated on the fundraising website for #NotBlowingSmoke2.0:
• Legitimize NOTBlowingSmoke by creating a 501c3 non-profit organization around it. This is a necessary step to create the infrastructure needed to implement our short and long term goals and to provide transparency to those who contribute to the efforts.
• Bring NOTBlowingSmoke to a national audience with a most robust, fresh, and expandable website, with social media presence.
• “Export” NOTBlowingSmoke into the offline world to reach a larger segment of the public by providing a range of free, up to date educational materials (print, video, images, etc.) for vapers and shops to raise awareness and reach into the non-hobbyist vaper demographic.
• Expand NOTBlowingSmoke into additional projects covering important and pressing areas of concern to both vapers and the vapor products industry.
Also mentioned on the website:
One of primary goals following incorporation is the creation of a number of full time jobs in the field of advocacy.
There is a demand by the vaping community to setup billboards and television ads. Vapers want representation. The grassroots support for this campaign seems like a step in the right direction. Vapers have always had power in numbers. The next logical move is to get organized and raise funds for future campaigns.