ECA urges Congress to Keep ECig Sales Away from Minors

[LaceyUnderall]

Please digg if you can!!!!

Electronic Cigarette Association Urges Congress to Make E-Ci

"“Our products are not intended for those under the legal smoking age. We are extremely careful to market only to committed, adult smokers looking to avoid the toxins found in combustible cigarettes. We would like to see legislation that will back up our efforts in restricting sales to those underage,” said ECA President Matt Salmon."

[kinabaloo]

I guess you're just trying to look responsible; just feel it's a bit dangerous to be calling for regulation; what else might get added while they're at it?

Surly, it is already illegal to sell vaping liquid to minors (?)

[LaceyUnderall]

Actually, it is not.

ECig suppliers can sell to whomever they want. There are no current laws that prohibit them from doing so.

Thus far, many suppliers have just made it an "unwritten rule" that it shouldn't be sold to minors. The ECA advocates that nicotine is an adult drug and should be viewed as such, regardless of what form it comes in.

The members of the ECA have also vowed not to sell the non-nicotine liquids to minors (or the hardware) as smoking or anything that resembles it is also an adult activity.

[Vista Chris]

Actually, it is not.

ECig suppliers can sell to whomever they want. There are no current laws that prohibit them from doing so.

Thus far, many suppliers have just made it an "unwritten rule" that it shouldn't be sold to minors. The ECA advocates that nicotine is an adult drug and should be viewed as such, regardless of what form it comes in.

The members of the ECA have also vowed not to sell the non-nicotine liquids to minors (or the hardware) as smoking or anything that resembles it is also an adult activity.

As far as I know, all suppliers have made it policy not to sell to minors. Even those not represented on this forum. Is this really the most pressing issue for the ECA right now with everything else that's going on?

Just saying... If you made some simple A, B, C priorities, I would think this would be a Z. Not because selling to minor's is ok, but because I have never heard of it happening, and like I said, as far as i know all suppliers have imposed this restriction on their companies voluntarily.

Also, putting out a release such as this I think only damages our industry. When the public see's that the ECA's biggest concern is suppliers selling to minors... that's really disappointing.

Thanks for the "help"

[Mac]

So if congress passes that law does that backdoor these things in as legal to sell and completely circumvent the fda alltogether?

[LaceyUnderall]

Mac - Considering it takes years for legislation to actually happen, I would think (and this is my opinion) that by the time it makes it to the rules committee, this will be just one of the regulations that will be created for the ecig.

What all of those regulations are at this point are still unclear, but proper labeling and age limits would definitely be on that list.

cvapure - IMHO, stepping forward and showing that as an industry we are willing to do things on the level, without being "told" to, hardly makes the industry look bad. Actually, quite the opposite. It wasn't until 1992 that Congress enacted a directive "encouraging" all states to go to 18 for the legal age of purchase for tobacco products. As the ecig is not technically a tobacco product or an NRT, we definitely need to show that we are taking initiative when it comes to what society deems as necessary for the "protection of the children".

[Minimike]

It takes days to pass legislation. The Congresscritters don't even read the majority of laws they vote on. They just do whatever their leaders tell them to do. They represent their own clique, not the people that elected them.

[ashdaburned]

Seeing as how this point is brought up in almost EVERY bad article about the e-cig it is completely understandable to do this.
With that being said i think it should also add that the liquid should also be required to be in a child-proof bottle. And if i remember correctly the ECA members do this already. Correct me if I'm wrong Lacey.
IMO I think that you should push for this common sense regulation to become effective ASAP.

[duke118]

Lets see in a year from now if you can even sell an ecig at all in the United States. May be the ECA should be a little more worried about the FDA, just because you don't sell to minors don't mean jack to them. If they have to they'll make something up.

[LaceyUnderall]

Seeing as how this point is brought up in almost EVERY bad article about the e-cig it is completely understandable to do this.
With that being said i think it should also add that the liquid should also be required to be in a child-proof bottle. And if i remember correctly the ECA members do this already. Correct me if I'm wrong Lacey.
IMO I think that you should push for this common sense regulation to become effective ASAP.

You are correct. Child Proof Bottles and Proper Labels are a must for those with liquid.

Edit: I do believe there is an allowable transition time for those just coming on who haven't and I will verify that for everyone. However, in most cases, suppliers started the shift to better bottles and labeling months ago. If they haven't by now, they most definitely should.