Free sign up date for the April 2012 NATO Show extended.
The National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) launched a new initiative in response to the wave of local ordinances being proposed in cities in Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, Illinois, Pennsylvania and other states.
“These local ordinance are the latest in the attempt by the anti-tobacco advocates to restrict our legal and constitutional right to sell legal tobacco products free from undue regulation,” said NATO President, Andy Kerstein.
Fueled by $245 million in Obama stimulus money, local anti-smoking groups are the recipients of federal grants being paid to lobby local officials to pass these ordinances. In some cases, what President Obama could not accomplish at a federal level he would like to see done at a local level, NATO reported.
“NATO is committed to stand by and stand with its members all over the country in opposition to these unnecessary ordinances,” Kerstein said.
To be successful in this new initiative, NATO will require retailers all across the country to become more involved in their local politics. It will depend on educating NATO members how to combat these proposed regulations, almost always based on unscientific data, with cold hard facts. This is set to be a key theme of the upcoming 2012 NATO Show’s educational seminars.
So that as many members as possible can come to the show and learn how to be prepared to fight these ordinances, NATO is extending the period for retailers to register for free access to the trade show floor and the educational seminars until March 22, 2012.
To register to attend the NATO Show, NATO retail members should visit www.NATOShow.com and will need to input their NATO member number, which was sent via a separate e-mail by the NATO Show office. If you do not know your NATO member number, call the NATO Show office at (770) 932-3263.