Dear Governor Quinn,
I'm not a constituent of yours, nor will I probably ever be. I'm not a resident of Illinois. I do however travel often for both work and recreation to what up until recently I regarded as your fine state.
Recently, however, I became aware of a great matter of public health concern as well as economic concern. That concern is bill SB3174 which is currently in your state House of Representative. More importantly to me is how this bill concerns electronic cigarettes and other smokeless tobacco.
You probably have very limited exposure to facts about these devices, as do most legislators. The
FDA and several states are attempting to ban these life-saving devices, forcing thousands of smokers (who have successfully switched completely to these safer devices) back to smoking deadly tobacco cigarettes. The legislators of these states appear to be placing the health of their tax revenues over that of the health of their constituents. While the
FDA released a statement denouncing them last year, they failed to mention that e-cigarettes contain no more carcinogens than nicotine gum or patches. They also did very limited testing on only 2 brands. There are other COMPLETE studies available that directly refute the
FDA claims about e-cigarettes. A federal judge has recently ruled that e-cigarettes are a form of a "tobacco product," as they are not for quitting, necessarily, but as a less harmful alternative. The case is currently in appeals court. The results of that case as well as the pending PACT act may well invalidate this bill before you anyway resulting in a tremendous waste of time that could have been better spent. The American Association of Public Health Physicians is endorsing the use of electronic cigarettes as a reduced harm alternative for those who can't or won't quit. They have recently petitioned the
FDA to retract their deceiving statements and to reconsider their stance that these are drug devices vs. a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Both the state of California and the state of Utah have rejected bans placed before them outright. Seemingly these states legislatures prefer to have all their facts before jumping to action.
Now I'm sure what this really comes down to the state's revenue. I am not so naive as to believe that bills like SB3174 are anything more than an effort to recover taxes the states are losing by decreased tax revenues due to a decrease in cigarette sales. But by all means if anything, propose a tax on the e-cigarettes or the liquids they use, don't just ban them altogether! There are quite a few in the state of Illinois that have made a business of selling these devices and they create jobs, eliminating their business would also cause loss of revenue and jobs in your state.
Let's face facts, many Americans these days are becoming disenfranchised with the course that our government is taking. We have Illegal drugs and guns on our streets. We have millions of Americans unemployed. We are at war (does anyone remember this?) and the US is in a never ending spiral of depression, both economic and personal. And our elected officials are wasting time with healthier alternatives which could potentially create jobs and tax revenue? And it is to my understanding that you are up for re-election. Realistically, are you willing to throw away the votes of those that are trying to become healthier, and less socially unacceptable as well as small business owners that are helping to stimulate the economy in your state. They WILL remember your actions on this issue.
I, personally am an electronic cigarette user. I switched from combustible cigarettes on 11/23/09. I am a cancer survivor. I was encouraged to quit smoking by my oncologist and doctor. All the "traditional" nicotine replacement therapies with their proven, dismal failure rates failed to help me quit. I then discovered the electronic cigarette which because of it's design and the ability to still take in nicotine I was able to eliminate all the additional chemicals and tar and carbon monoxide. My doctor and my oncologist are thrilled with this. I'd also point to the fact that NRTs like the patch and gum are not approved for long term use. I will also point to the fact that with the turmoil that the Nation's health care system is in, people tend to self medicate. It is being found that there are benefits to nicotine in the treatment of people with illnesses such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Alzheimer's, and mental disorders such as ADD, ADHD, and schizophrenia. Often they self medicate with cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes give these people a possibly better alternative to those combustible cigarettes. Do you really want to be the politician up for re-election that takes that option away from them?
Those in power may well, indeed be trying to get us back on regular cigarettes to raise their tax revenues by eliminating the availability of alternatives like electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. But, please keep in mind that the ultimate passage or failure of this bill will not result in my cessation of using this device. It will probably not result in the cessation of it's use by thousands of your constituents. I am not going back to smoking, so you still will not get that tobacco tax revenue from me. I will continue using my electronic cigarette in the state of Illinois whenever I visit, whether you ban them being sold here or not. If it means obtaining them illegally through black market means, then I will become a criminal. Passage of this bill WILL inspire me to spend less time and money in the state of Illinois.
In short Please Veto Bill SB3174 if it crosses your desk... For the sake of the health, happiness, and well being of your constituents; For the good of your re-election efforts; For the good of your state and the revenue it generates. Bill SB3174 will hurt the state of Illinois more than it helps.
Sincerely,
"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual." -Thomas Jefferson
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