Big Tobacco pulling out all the stops to block or water down LA ecig law

While I have not been directly involved in the debate over the efforts to include e-cigarettes in the Los Angeles smokefree ordinance, it is clear from reports I am getting that the tobacco/e-cigarette industry is pulling out all the stops to block or water down the ordinance. 
 
Here is a summary of the information that has been sent to me:
 
Yesterday (February 27, 2014) they started RoboCalls to all members of the City Council.
 
They hired campaign consultants (many of whom are fund raisers for Council members) to lobby the Council.
 
In advance of the committee hearing the e-cig companies started running ads on local radio stations encouraging e-cig users to attend the hearing, including on  Jack FM and KNX 1070.
 
Here is the Blu e-cig (Lorillard Tobacco Company) Freedom Friday alert and the Protest Pro Tip and their Los Angeles specific alert. and the one SFATA put out.
 
In addition to simply trying to stop the ordinance, they have been pushing two important exemptions, one that would permit onstage use in theatrical productions (that would allow them to keep using LA media to promote e-cigs) and one for vaping lounges.
 
Any exemption for shops that sell e-cigarettes needs to be very narrowly cast to limit any such exemption to stand-alone businesses that only sell e-cigarettes.  Places that do more, for example that  have a cafe atmosphere and offer entertainment, should be treated just like other cafe's, restaurants, and bars, and be smoke/aerosol free.  (Here is a video on Volcano ecig Vapor Lounges opening across the country where you can get food, coffee and hang out and vape and buy e-cigarettes.  Such places should not be permitted.)
 
Health groups response
 
The health groups have also been giving this ordinance high priority.
 
Local AHA, ACS CAN, and ALA representatives submitted a letter of support and provided testimony during the public comment period.  Jonathan Fielding, the LA County Director of Public Health, and other experts testified for the ordinance. 
 
The state's Tobacco Education Research and Oversight Committee submitted a letter of support.
 
What's next
 
The big fight is next Tuesday, March 4, starting at 10am.
 
People and organizations who want to express and opinion can write:

Council Member Mitch O'Farrell
Chair of the Arts, Parks, Health, Aging and River Committee
Los Angeles City Council
200 North Spring Street, #450
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7013
[email protected]

It would also be helpful to send a copy to City Clerk [email protected] so that it is entered into the Council File.
 
Here is the ANR action alert on the ordinance.
 
Some of the media coverage:
LA Times: Panel Backs Limits on E-Cigarettes
CBS: City Council Recommends Limits on E-Cigarettes in Public
Daily News: City Panel Wants Same Rules for E-Cigarettes as Tobacco
NBC: City Council to Vote on E-Cigarette Ban
 
If people have more details on what is going on, please post your information as signed comments in response to this post.