I spoke with the FDA yesterday

[syntaxevasion]

I just spent the last 2 hours looking through the FDA's site only to find 10-12 documented seizures in the past 4 months. The common tread to them is the manufacturer's description. They all have electronic cigarette or similar description. I wounder if that is the key...at least for now?

I find the best way is to search by the manufacturer's name, this way you'll find if "electronic cigarettes" called something else were seized... There's a couple.

Ben

 

[b00stzx3]

Has anyone written to Obama? Who knows, maybe he'll answer or actually read it. He has some pull!

 

[kinabaloo]

Surly juice is not a new drug so much as a mix of 'generally regarded as safe' things, possibly plus nicotine. So I don't see why 10 years of testing will be required. Perhaps just getting the juices registered and available for routine testing (for composition accuracy) will be all that is required by the FDA.

 

[skyrl]

I can't believe it. Right when I open my store, and import possibly one of the best ecigs, and spent thousands, now I have to worry about the FDA. WOW

 

[skyrl]

Oh,and by the way, the manufacturer I ordered from used DHL, and said UPS was too risky. I don't know how true that is, but just FYI.

Eddie

 

[Closet Toker]

I can't believe it. Right when I open my store, and import possibly one of the best ecigs, and spent thousands, now I have to worry about the FDA. WOW

I personally know people who won't purchase ecig's yet. Primarily because of the FDA/Governments lurking position. They don't want to waste money on a product that will be banned. Yet, others listen to government and health officials propaganda. Those people stay away from the evil under-minding Chinese devices. They choose to believe that analogs are in someway healthier, than the unknowns of vaping Nicotine.
Now is actually the best time to buy one in my opinion. (I personally own 5 ecigs) The more the better, we need to be a voice of the people in mass numbers.
Every responsible adult in this country should have the right to choose between tobacco or ecigarettes. Does the Federal Government not have an ethical and moral responsiblity to millions of tobacco users?

 

[bbom63]

Agreed !!!

Outstanding work everyone. Exceptional thoughts and ideas.
Could be different for congressmen but probably the same for most government employees. In HHS (Health & Human Services) one can receive a gift of no more than $20 no more than 2 times a year. If the government person accepts more than the value $20 or amount 2 x yr. They must pay the acceptable market value or put it out to share among the rest of the employees. . . OK In other words give the good congressman 2 e-cigs and then a box to share and give out to all his smoking friends in the legislature!
Love the idea of a preemptive strike. Oh . and make sure the congressman gets cartridges of good American Tennessee Cured smoke juice.

bbom63

 

[Closet Toker]

I personally know people who won't purchase ecig's yet. Primarily because of the FDA/Governments lurking position. They don't want to waste money on a product that will be banned. Yet, others listen to government and health officials propaganda. Those people stay away from the evil under-minding Chinese devices. They choose to believe that analogs are in someway healthier, than the unknowns of vaping Nicotine.
Now is actually the best time to buy one in my opinion. (I personally own 5 ecigs) The more the better, we need to be a voice of the people in mass numbers.
Every responsible adult in this country should have the right to choose between tobacco or ecigarettes. Does the Federal Government not have an ethical and moral responsiblity to millions of tobacco users?

If ecigs/juice are banned, I will make sure to thank key lawmakers for terminating my Constintutional Rights. And for handing me a death sentence.

 

[zachari]

How about this:

If a store tries to sell electronic cigarettes by making health claims or smoking treatment claims, throw them to jail.

Many stores do not make those claims, and many users suffer from the ban. Punish those that need to be punished. Currently they use collective punishment.

Analogy, is that someone robs a bank, so the government decides to close all the banks so they don’t get robbed anymore. Instead of just throwing the robber to jail.

 

[Phalse]

Yeah, OMG nooo, we have to buy american made copies of the e-liquid forumla (with its exact chemical make up including % amounts) posted on the major china retailers websites!

This will be horrible! hahahah whatever!


As far as hardware, they will never stop that. All sorts of headshops can get the e-cig hardware for vaporizers of all types. The Atomizer is nothing NEW!

Oh also, I'm sure they will catch all the relabeled products imported from china too, if there is a ban the sellers in China will know and repackage/label your product.

They already do this for some other banned imports on other websites.

 

[zachari]

For the manufacturers and stores:
Put a label on every bottle and carts box with the full list of ingredients. You can't say its safe if you don’t say what it is. I am sure that the fact that what is the box is a mystery, and dubious reputation of "made in china" spiced by a few recent scandals, turn the warning lights on for a lot of people.

Actually most users here would like to know what you sell them as well.

 

[wafaliberty]

I know the FDA is already "looking into" e-cigs, and I wanted to find out exactly what they were doing.

I had a nice conversation and learned a bunch about the process they go through.

The first thing I learned is the only way the FDA can approve a product is if someone actually submits one to them to review. This means the vendor who wants to sell the product has to send them one. It is not so simple though, the submission needs to be combined with some pretty detailed studies and details regarding the manufacturing of the drug. He said nicotine is in some foods, and if the chemical is in food and being marketed as such then the procedure is different than if nicotine is in drug form and being marketed as a drug.

The FDA told me that the packaging is the key here. If a product is being sold as a quit smoking device then it is considered a drug. If it is being sold as a Cigarette then the governing body is the ATF. So I asked the ATF if they would consider the E-cig a Cigarette, and they said no, because it has no tobacco. I had asked the ATF prior to speaking with the FDA and told him what the ATF said, and he said he knew that the ATF would say that.

I asked him straight out, if the ecig is marketed as a cigarette and that brings it under the ATF, then the ATF does not see it as a cigarette then who is responsible? He said it would then fall under the "no regulation" category. He said the FDA can only regulate something if it is being marketed as a drug. The bottom line though is the FDA is eventually going to classify the e-liguid as a drug product the same way the patch and gum are classified. He told me that eventually someone will submit the product and the real work will begin.

I asked him what steps if any is the FDA taking to monitor or control the e-liquid side of this product. He said the only area they are concerned about is the importation to the United States from other countries. The China products are of great concern to the FDA in light of recent national headlines regarding lead paint and poisons in the consumer products that have been finding their way into the American market place.

The fact that the products are being imported allows more control for the FDA and the law enforcement community. Products that are manufactured here in the USA are not enforced as much because the consumer has more legal rights against US based manufacturers.

So to finish my questions to the FDA I asked for a realistic time frame when consumers might see a real answer as to the legality of purchase/manufacture and use of e-liquid. The FDA said these things if pushed through clinical trials and heavy finacial backing from the prospective manufacturer can go to market legally in 2 or less years. The back log of cases though in reallity puts it closer to 10 years.

So does this mean the products will not appear in the stores until the FDA approves it? Absolutly not. The FDA can only remove the products from the shelves if there is a complaint against the seller that completes an investigation in to the allegation of the complaint and finds in favor of the complaintant. Due process of law prevails.

My hope is as follows. I feel so strongly that the E-cig is the holy grail of quitting smoking devices, that the population through word of mouth and smart marketing will put the Tobacco companies out of business and save millions of lives. By the time the FDA acts, the possitive results of the e-cig will have made the population hail the e-cig as a "to good to fail"

Great job.. I had the same thing with them when i sent them an E-mail to register my products, they are willing to do if i submit my product as an alternative tool not as a drug. As a supllier, they will certified me as an importer t the E-ciagrette..I am hoping to go thro the paperowrk without comlication,, Any advices?