3/23/09 | Senator seeks to halt sales of 'e-cigarettes'

[halopunker]

I consider this thread to be of very high importance, and as such will be heavily moderating it to keep it as densely packed with relevant information - SmokeyJoe

Please do the following:

1. Sign the petition
2. Write to the Senator

- thanks for posting this Halopunker.

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Stearns shot back at Lautenberg on Monday, saying that there is no evidence that the device is harmful.

“Before the FDA takes any immediate action, it should put forward scientific evidence that these products are harmful or unsafe,” he said in a statement.

“These e-cigarettes are smokeless and do not produce carcinogens. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is controlled in a capsule that can help in smoking cessation by allowing the user to reduce gradually the nicotine level, hopefully to zero.”

Stearns has sent electronic cigarettes to House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and President Obama to help them quit smoking. He’s been seen using the device in the Speaker’s Lobby, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) banned smoking two years ago. Her office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

A longtime opponent of smoking, Lautenberg authored the law that banned smoking on airplanes and a law that banned smoking in federal facilities that serve children.
News Link

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Mar 24 12:20 PM US/Eastern
Statement of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

WASHINGTON, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applaud Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey's call for the Food and Drug Administration to exert its authority and immediately remove e-cigarettes from the market.

FDA officials have been quoted numerous times in many publications during the past few weeks saying that e-cigarettes are "new drugs," which require prior approval from the FDA before they are allowed to be sold. Without this approval, e-cigarettes are illegal to market or sell. Despite these statements, no action has been taken to remove e-cigarettes from the market.

Currently, e-cigarettes are being sold in 62 kiosks at malls across the United States, with plans to expand to another 55. E-cigarettes are also being marketed towards young people, who can purchase them in fruit flavors and online, without having to verify their ages.

Makers and retailers of these products have been making unproven health claims about their products, claiming that they are safer than normal cigarettes and asserting that they can help people to quit smoking. Absent scientific evidence, these claims are in blatant violation of FDA rules.

In fact, no studies have been done on e-cigarettes to date regarding their health effects or their effectiveness as cessation aids. Like the "light" and "low tar" cigarettes that tobacco companies claimed were healthier for consumers, there is no evidence to back up the claims made by e-cigarette makers. In September of 2008, the World Health Organization stated that they have "no evidence to confirm the product's safety or efficacy."

Our organizations thank Senator Lautenberg for his leadership in urging the FDA to remove these products from the market and echo his call that the FDA move quickly to remove these products from the marketplace.

While the FDA currently does not have jurisdiction over tobacco products, it does have jurisdiction over other products that contain nicotine including e-cigarettes, which have been marketed as delivering nicotine without tobacco.

SOURCE American Lung Association

News Link
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Senator seeks to halt sales of 'e-cigarettes'
By KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press Writer
Posted: 03/23/2009 12:27:29 AM PDT


WASHINGTON—A senator is asking the government to prevent the sale of so-called "electronic cigarettes" until more is known about them. E-cigarettes are marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking and as a way to kick the habit. They are smokeless and battery-powered, releasing a nicotine vapor into the lungs.
New Jersey Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg sent the Food and Drug Administration a letter Monday saying that the agency should ensure e-cigarettes are not sold until they've been studied more.
An FDA spokeswoman says the agency will respond directly to the senator regarding his concerns.
News Link
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[Rockbassray]

well FDA Spokesmen stated they will address this directly to the Senator, just hope we get to hear the answer to.

[Exylis]

I suppose I'll be killing my lungs for the next 4 years then while the FDA takes its time figuring this one out.

[syntaxevasion]

Wonder who's been talking him into doing that and how much BT/BP is padding his pockets with?

[yvilla]

Well, I just sent our member uberjaeger another pm with a link to this news article!

(See, Important to Read!)

[strayling]

Wonder who's been talking him into doing that and how much BT/BP is padding his pockets with?

I'll take a shot in the dark and say about $128,250. Just a wild guess.

[TropicalBob]

This is the ONE move I feared more than any other. This might just be all it takes for enforcement to ramp up until supplies are shut down.

I've said before that the FDA wouldn't really respond to health groups, anti's , etc. but if one senator questioned e-smoking, that would mark the beginning of the ban. So .. it has happened ...

[strayling]

When I click on the link I get something about the 2010 Census... Am I missing something here?

Here you go, straight from the horse's ass.

[TropicalBob]

Try this: Senator seeks to halt sales of 'e-cigarettes' - San Jose Mercury News

[strayling]

This is the ONE move I feared more than any other. This might just be all it takes for enforcement to ramp up until supplies are shut down.

I've said before that the FDA wouldn't really respond to health groups, anti's , etc. but if one senator questioned e-smoking, that would mark the beginning of the ban. So .. it has happened ...

Well, the FDA said they would be responding directly to him and I see reason for cautious optimism there. They *might* be planning to discreetly tell him not to be such an idiot.