A Letter From My Congresswoman

[Marc411]

OK I say this as a friend of all the folks here, I'm just playing devils advocate:

In one sample, laboratory analysis detected diethylene glycol, a substance used in antifreeze, brake fluid, printing ink, and glue.

Shouldn't are response to statements like these be:

We would agree that there needs to be standards and ingredients need to be listed. As one of your constituents we support common sense regulation and the use of diethylene glycol should not be an option to suppliers when manufacturing e liquids. This is what we expect of our elected officials but there also needs to be balance, reason and factual information used to benefit the public.

Furthermore, traditional cigarette makers such as Phillip Morris have stated that electronic cigarettes should be regulated by the Center for tobacco Products at the FDA because it is a product that is a derivative of tobacco.

Traditional cigarette manufactures should not have a voice in this process. You spoke of poisons in e liquid, these are the same people that have been poisoning people for over a century. They knowing produce a product that causes great bodily harm and kills people.

They have a vested financial interest in this product not succeeding or the "business" being handed over to them to create the same medical issues we have today. The ethical uncertainties of their involvement are being questioned by the vary people that elected you into office. Why would our government engage the same people that have been poisoning and killing their constituents for over a century. The only analogy I can come up with is hiring the Taliban as consultants to fight the war on terrorism.

We ask our government for balance, there is a solution that will benefit all.

That is after all the reason you represent us in an elected office of our United States government.

Just a thought

 

[WillyZee]

Straight up Canned response quoting word for word what has already been published against E-cigs.

Looks like the FDA and BT are writing scripts for Government puppets.

also noticed this ... congresswoman Diana is only copy and pasting misinformation I've read elsewhere.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

As a representative of the people I don't give a flying (procreation event) what she thinks, it isn't her job to think, it is to act on her constituents cumulative desires.

There is a special place in hell for politicians who use their office to further their own agenda.

Maurice

 

[Rossum]

Shouldn't are response to statements like these be:

We would agree that there needs to be standards and ingredients need to be listed. As one of your constituents we support common sense regulation and the use of diethylene glycol should not be an option to suppliers when manufacturing e liquids. This is what we expect of our elected officials but there also needs to be balance, reason and factual information used to benefit the public.

Traditional cigarette manufactures should not have a voice in this process. You spoke of poisons in e liquid, these are the same people that have been poisoning people for over a century. They knowing produce a product that causes great bodily harm and kills people.

They have a vested financial interest in this product not succeeding or the "business" being handed over to them to create the same medical issues we have today. The ethical uncertainties of their involvement are being questioned by the vary people that elected you into office. Why would our government engage the same people that have been poisoning and killing their constituents for over a century. The only analogy I can come up with is hiring the Taliban as consultants to fight the war on terrorism.

We ask our government for balance, there is a solution that will benefit all.

That is after all the reason you represent us in an elected office of our United States government.

No, because that statement does NOT reflect the views of all vapers. It certainly doesn't reflect mine, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't make it sound like you're speaking for the vaping community at large when you say you support ANY of their efforts to regulate us.

 

[k2zs]

The best thing we can do is hit back where it counts to them. A short, concise, to the point letter will get more attention than trying to argue our case. How about a letter like this:

Dear [insert representative name here],

Because of your stance against electronic cigarettes, and support of Big Tobacco and the pending FDA regulations, I will not be supporting you or your party in the upcoming elections.

Sincerely,
[your name her], a former supporter

Short and to the point, hit them where it matters...

 

[Marc411]

No, because that statement does NOT reflect the views of all vapers. It certainly reflect mine, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't make it sound like you're speaking for the vaping community at large when you say you support ANY of their efforts to regulate us.

I don't speak for anyone but myself Rossum, it is not my place and would make me no better than Congresswoman Diana DeGette. Like I said devils advocate, just a thought.

I'll just leave it at that my friend.

 

[Rossum]

I don't speak for anyone but myself Rossum, it is not my place and would make me no better than Congresswoman Diana DeGette. Like I said devils advocate, just a thought.

I'll just leave it at that my friend.

When I speak for myself (which is most of the time) I use first person singular. You used first person plural.

We ask our government for balance

Personally, I just want them to leave me alone.

 

[KODIAK (TM)]

The FDA has also taken action against electronic cigarettes by instructing customs officials to seize international shipments of these products...

8-o

Seriously? Just a tad overzealous I think

Looks like a canned response from 5 years ago. You should forward this to a media outlet. This high-ranking official is plainly out of touch but she's real big at political posturing and has recently joined the "First Lady" tweet club:

 

[Kent C]

The FDA has also taken action against electronic cigarettes by instructing customs officials to seize international shipments of these products...

She could have added, "and they got sued for it and lost" (but the 'brief' probably didn't include that part)

 

[KODIAK (TM)]

She could have added, "and they got sued for it and lost" (but the 'brief' probably didn't include that part)

Not her fault. It was most likely redacted by the State Dept.

 

[Kent C]

Not her fault. It was most likely redacted by the State Dept.

Yeah, 'What difference does it make'.

 

[Nate760]

These elected officials need to be reminded, over and over again, that the FDA is pursuing a policy toward e-cigs that is totally inconsistent with its own stated policy regarding every other non-tobacco nicotine product. They must be reminded, over and over again, that just last year the FDA revised its stance regarding the long-term use of NRTs, finding that nicotine not delivered through tobacco has a very low potential for abuse, a negligible dependence/addiction profile, and that there is no apparent cause for concern in the indefinite long-term use of such products by people as young as 12 years old.

This is the thing we need to be hammering away on, because it's the only thing that has the real potential to change minds in Washington. If nicotine is dangerous and addictive, then our policies need to consistently reflect that fact. The FDA can't have it both ways. Even if your congress(wo)man is an inveterate ANTZ, point out the fact that the FDA is pursuing a policy that is wildly inconsistent and self-contradictory. Even an ANTZ can see that if it's directly pointed out to them.

 

[Robdob]

I would so appreciate if each and every one of you wrote to all your representatives in Washington, as well as local publications about this. I have written a multitude of letters, and I believe if every single one of us did, over and over again, we might get some attention. I am going to continue to write to whomever I can think of. Thanks, all of you!

 

[Nate760]

I would so appreciate if each and every one of you wrote to all your representatives in Washington, as well as local publications about this. I have written a multitude of letters, and I believe if every single one of us did, over and over again, we might get some attention. I am going to continue to write to whomever I can think of. Thanks, all of you!

If I was younger and less cynical, I'd write more than I have been. Unfortunately, I've been alive long enough to have lost any and all faith in our political and legislative processes as they currently exist. This whole thing is a fait accompli, and no amount of well-reasoned logic or public outrage is going to change it. If we want to one day live in a society where the weight of facts and public opinion make a difference in our own governance, there is only one way to do it: by removing from power the two corrupt, monolithic factions that have enjoyed uncontested political hegemony for the last 150 years.

 

[KODIAK (TM)]

If I was younger and less cynical, I'd write more than I have been. Unfortunately, I've been alive long enough to have lost any and all faith in our political and legislative processes as they currently exist. This whole thing is a fait accompli, and no amount of well-reasoned logic or public outrage is going to change it. If we want to one day live in a society where the weight of facts and public opinion make a difference in our own governance, there is only one way to do it: by removing from power the two corrupt, monolithic factions that have enjoyed uncontested political hegemony for the last 150 years.

Careful Nate. You're going to be NSA fodder here pretty quick.

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Yeah, 'What difference does it make'.

Yeah, that was like 2 er... 4 years ago Dude.

 

[squee]

These elected officials need to be reminded, over and over again, that the FDA is pursuing a policy toward e-cigs that is totally inconsistent with its own stated policy regarding every other non-tobacco nicotine product. They must be reminded, over and over again, that just last year the FDA revised its stance regarding the long-term use of NRTs, finding that nicotine not delivered through tobacco has a very low potential for abuse, a negligible dependence/addiction profile, and that there is no apparent cause for concern in the indefinite long-term use of such products by people as young as 12 years old.

This is the thing we need to be hammering away on, because it's the only thing that has the real potential to change minds in Washington. If nicotine is dangerous and addictive, then our policies need to consistently reflect that fact. The FDA can't have it both ways. Even if your congress(wo)man is an inveterate ANTZ, point out the fact that the FDA is pursuing a policy that is wildly inconsistent and self-contradictory. Even an ANTZ can see that if it's directly pointed out to them.

That's one of the main points I will be making in my letters, quoting right from the FDA:

The changes that FDA is allowing to these labels reflect the fact that although any nicotine-containing product is potentially addictive, decades of research and use have shown that NRT products sold OTC do not appear to have significant potential for abuse or dependence.

And providing the link directly to the FDA site:

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm346012.pdf

I mean, the FDA itself is saying that nicotine use, without the tobacco, is just fine. As much as you want to use, for as long as you want to use it.

This is what the CDC says about Propylene Glycol:

propylene glycol is a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) additive for foods and medications. Propylene glycol rarely causes toxic effects, and then only under very unusual circumstances.

Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol Toxicity: What is Propylene Glycol | ATSDR - Environmental Medicine & Environmental Health Education - CSEM

 

[Robdob]

If I was younger and less cynical, I'd write more than I have been. Unfortunately, I've been alive long enough to have lost any and all faith in our political and legislative processes as they currently exist. This whole thing is a fait accompli, and no amount of well-reasoned logic or public outrage is going to change it. If we want to one day live in a society where the weight of facts and public opinion make a difference in our own governance, there is only one way to do it: by removing from power the two corrupt, monolithic factions that have enjoyed uncontested political hegemony for the last 150 years.

Ok, you're old and cynical. I get it. It won't work, you can't be bothered, fine. Your way certainly won't change anything. If everyone believed as you do, they win. Hmmm...you workin' for them????

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

There is the question of "do our congress people even see the plethora of communication pushed in their direction" I doubt it.

However, if enough are sent, the cacophony of their combined message is sure to draw at least a little attention. It takes volumes to garner such attention, I just hope our collective desire to communicate is sufficient.

Thank you squee for the links you provided above, I will incorporate them into my own letters. Every bit of data helps.

Maurice

 

[Vaperaiser]

Diana Degette is a complete fool. What is sad is that her district is so reliably liberal that she will get to hold office as long as she wants. She is a complete ignoramus and has no brain of her own. And Michael Bennett is an idiot too and I can guarantee he will not listen to the voters of Colorado he gets his orders from the top of the democrat party. Colorado has been turned into a blue state from all of the people that have moved here from their blue states like California that are broke from their liberal policies. So they move here and still vote democrat


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