CSPAN - Congressman from Indiana promoting harm reduction...

[eskimoroll]

I believe it was Congressman Steven Buyer from Indiana who was speaking and it was one of the few times that I actually watched CSPAN. He was proposing an alternative to the tobacco cessation bill and was also commenting on the FDA and the potential for them to limit new alternatives for nicotine delivery.

He had a big chart showing what he called a "continuum of risk" which had various nicotine delivery options and their relative risk to personal and public health. He did a pretty nice job citing many studies and articles and he even mentioned SNUS. He may have mentioned e-cigs but I only turned it on halfway through his talk.

I for one am glad that we have a rational voice in congress speaking for us to counter the knee jerk politicians who want to ban everything with nicotine... except cigarettes of course.

 

[skullsoup432]

Visit the C-span site and you can probabley find the video.

C-Spans Washington Journal, 7:00am EST, shouldn't be missed. The moderators are 100% unbiased, they have guests from both sides of the aisle and a great variety of important topics. The best thing is the live call ins. You can call in on Democrat, Republican, or Independent lines, then give your point of view, make a comment, or ask a question.

 

[jamie]

It would be nice to see that, but not enough info there for me to find it.

Here's his press release on the matter:
Buyer (IN04) :: Press Release :: BUYER CALLS FOR PRAGMATIC TOBACCO REFORM;

I'm not fond of his idea to have cops start chasing kids down over tobacco the way they do for alcohol.

 

[MonkeyMonk]

That is a great find! I saved the web page to desktop. Here is the part that I found most interesting (Had to upload it as a pic because the page did not allow cut and paste function. If you click on the thumbnail it is readable):

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Ok folks... Here is the legislation that Rep Buyer had wanted:

Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

It is a lot of reading, but as you can see he is all about Tobacco Harm Reduction and this is the first type of legislation ever proposed, in any country, towards Tobacco Harm Reduction. I will have more comments later I am sure... but I need to gather my thoughts.

 

[Chevron07]

Nice find Lacey.

It looks like this is the pertinent section:

SEC. 115. MODIFIED RISK TOBACCO PRODUCTS.

This part says that cessation drugs are a "new drug" (read FDA approval needed) but excludes "modified tobacco":

• (c) Tobacco Dependence Products- A product that is intended to be used for the treatment of tobacco dependence, including smoking cessation, is not a modified risk tobacco product under this section if it has been approved as a drug or device by the Center and is subject to the requirements of chapter V.

• and

• (k) Chapter IV or V- A product for which the Administrator has issued an order pursuant to subsection (g) shall not be subject to chapter IV or V of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Here it looks like there would be an administrator to determine if said product has less health risks than regular tobacco:

• (g) Marketing-

• • (1) MODIFIED RISK PRODUCTS- Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Administrator shall, with respect to an application submitted under this section, issue an order that a modified risk product may be commercially marketed only if the Administrator determines that the applicant has demonstrated that such product, as it is actually used by consumers, will--

• • • (A) significantly reduce harm and the risk of tobacco-related disease to individual tobacco users; and

• • • (B) is reasonably likely to result in measurable and substantial reductions in morbidity and mortality among individual tobacco users.

• • (2) SPECIAL RULE FOR CERTAIN PRODUCTS-

• • • (A) IN GENERAL- The Administrator may issue an order that a tobacco product may be introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce, pursuant to an application under this section, with respect to a tobacco product that may not be commercially marketed under paragraph (1) if the Secretary makes the findings required under this paragraph and determines that the applicant has demonstrated that--

There is more, but this looks like the important part.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

And according to what the new law would state if the FDA did have control over tobacco, there would be a two step process required to get anything into the market that even has nicotine in it which, according to my source, would be the end of any product with nicotine as the steps would be impossible to complete.

Here is the legislation: <enum>I</enum><header>AUTHORITY OF THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION</header> <section id="H229983ED108447C1A9A51441F57E8D40"><enum>101.</enum><header>Amendment of Federal food, drug, and Cosmetic Act</header> <subsection id="H223B3B8040CF445F97B827B8 of which Buyer opposes.