ECA urges Congress to Keep ECig Sales Away from Minors

[LaceyUnderall]

Please digg if you can!!!!

Electronic Cigarette Association Urges Congress to Make E-Ci

"“Our products are not intended for those under the legal smoking age. We are extremely careful to market only to committed, adult smokers looking to avoid the toxins found in combustible cigarettes. We would like to see legislation that will back up our efforts in restricting sales to those underage,” said ECA President Matt Salmon."

 

[kinabaloo]

I guess you're just trying to look responsible; just feel it's a bit dangerous to be calling for regulation; what else might get added while they're at it?

Surly, it is already illegal to sell vaping liquid to minors (?)

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Actually, it is not.

ecig suppliers can sell to whomever they want. There are no current laws that prohibit them from doing so.

Thus far, many suppliers have just made it an "unwritten rule" that it shouldn't be sold to minors. The ECA advocates that nicotine is an adult drug and should be viewed as such, regardless of what form it comes in.

The members of the ECA have also vowed not to sell the non-nicotine liquids to minors (or the hardware) as smoking or anything that resembles it is also an adult activity.

 

[Vista Chris]

Actually, it is not.

ecig suppliers can sell to whomever they want. There are no current laws that prohibit them from doing so.

Thus far, many suppliers have just made it an "unwritten rule" that it shouldn't be sold to minors. The ECA advocates that nicotine is an adult drug and should be viewed as such, regardless of what form it comes in.

The members of the ECA have also vowed not to sell the non-nicotine liquids to minors (or the hardware) as smoking or anything that resembles it is also an adult activity.

As far as I know, all suppliers have made it policy not to sell to minors. Even those not represented on this forum. Is this really the most pressing issue for the ECA right now with everything else that's going on?

Just saying... If you made some simple A, B, C priorities, I would think this would be a Z. Not because selling to minor's is ok, but because I have never heard of it happening, and like I said, as far as i know all suppliers have imposed this restriction on their companies voluntarily.

Also, putting out a release such as this I think only damages our industry. When the public see's that the ECA's biggest concern is suppliers selling to minors... that's really disappointing.

Thanks for the "help"

 

[Mac]

So if congress passes that law does that backdoor these things in as legal to sell and completely circumvent the fda alltogether?

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Mac - Considering it takes years for legislation to actually happen, I would think (and this is my opinion) that by the time it makes it to the rules committee, this will be just one of the regulations that will be created for the ecig.

What all of those regulations are at this point are still unclear, but proper labeling and age limits would definitely be on that list.

cvapure - IMHO, stepping forward and showing that as an industry we are willing to do things on the level, without being "told" to, hardly makes the industry look bad. Actually, quite the opposite. It wasn't until 1992 that Congress enacted a directive "encouraging" all states to go to 18 for the legal age of purchase for tobacco products. As the ecig is not technically a tobacco product or an NRT, we definitely need to show that we are taking initiative when it comes to what society deems as necessary for the "protection of the children".

 

[Minimike]

It takes days to pass legislation. The Congresscritters don't even read the majority of laws they vote on. They just do whatever their leaders tell them to do. They represent their own clique, not the people that elected them.

 

[ashdaburned]

Seeing as how this point is brought up in almost EVERY bad article about the e-cig it is completely understandable to do this.
With that being said i think it should also add that the liquid should also be required to be in a child-proof bottle. And if i remember correctly the ECA members do this already. Correct me if I'm wrong Lacey.
IMO I think that you should push for this common sense regulation to become effective ASAP.

 

[duke118]

Lets see in a year from now if you can even sell an ecig at all in the United States. May be the ECA should be a little more worried about the FDA, just because you don't sell to minors don't mean jack to them. If they have to they'll make something up.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Seeing as how this point is brought up in almost EVERY bad article about the e-cig it is completely understandable to do this.
With that being said i think it should also add that the liquid should also be required to be in a child-proof bottle. And if i remember correctly the ECA members do this already. Correct me if I'm wrong Lacey.
IMO I think that you should push for this common sense regulation to become effective ASAP.

You are correct. Child Proof Bottles and Proper Labels are a must for those with liquid.

Edit: I do believe there is an allowable transition time for those just coming on who haven't and I will verify that for everyone. However, in most cases, suppliers started the shift to better bottles and labeling months ago. If they haven't by now, they most definitely should.

 

[ckc]

I agree with it so Dugg it. Its a good step by the ECA.

I do have one quiery, where did the 'more than 1 million E-Cig users number' come from?

 

[LaceyUnderall]

I agree with it so Dugg it. Its a good step by the ECA.

I do have one quiery, where did the 'more than 1 million E-Cig users number' come from?

It is an estimate based on the number of sets sold.

 

[TropicalBob]

Sad effort, that this is the top priority to request of government. And does anyone really think Congress is going to take up a bill for an age limit on e-cigs? I mean, Congress does have important stuff to consider. Sorry, but this is almost laughable. E-cigs are NOTHING to them. Not even a gnat on an elephant's .....

The FDA is the agency with our fate in its hands. Not long ago, Congress passed sweeping reforms to hand FDA control over tobacco. Before the vote, that body spoke loudly to "harm reduction." What it said was "not interested." Steve Buyer heard it in the House. Richard Burr heard it in the Senate. We didn't?

Now the FDA has tobacco and drugs under its control. I can only wish in my wildest dream that e-cigs are neither a tobacco product or a drug delivery system. The reality is that they likley will be branded one or the other by a federal judge. And soon. Then, it will be the FDA, not Congress, setting the rules.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Not even a gnat on an elephant's .....

There's the lighter side of TB (I know it was meant from you as sarcastic).

Just FYI... a newbee is on the hunt for cigar type flavors and while taste is subjective... I did send him? on his way to find posts of yours in the smokeless tobacco forum so just heads up in case he comes a knockin!

 

[TropicalBob]

I'll be on the lookout.

 

[bizzyb0t]

How many kids have credit cards and/or PayPal accounts to buy e-cigs? Even the porn industry uses credit cards to "verify" age. The only vendors really needing to worry about "kids" buying e-cigs is those mall kiosks. And since SE is the only e-cig vendor I see in the malls, really it makes the ECA just look like an arm of NJoy and SE.

OMG, the ECA is fusterclucked if selling to minors is their biggest concern. The only vendor that's even been reported selling e-cigs to any minors was Smoking Everywhere, at one of those mall kiosks.

Is this ECA letter sent to congress to go along with the CA State Senate Ellen Corbett proposed Bill 400 to congress??

EDIT: http://www.sacbee.com/politics/story/2108562.html

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Bizzy -

Thank you for that link! What a positive, realistic light the ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE INDUSTRY was portrayed! Mission accomplished

****
"But Matt Salmon, a former Arizona congressman who runs the Electronic Cigarette Association, representing about a dozen firms, said that members are committed not to sell to minors.

"I just think it's common sense that you don't want kids hooked on nicotine," Salmon said. "That's a bad precedent, bad policy."

Besides, kids who are determined to smoke would seek cheaper tobacco products rather than fork out about $80 for an e-cigarette starter kit that accommodates $2 cartridges, he said.

"It's committed, long-term smokers that are buying this product," Salmon said."

****

OOO and this section is pretty good too! A message I see rolling through ECF everyday!

****
In the United States, it would make little sense to crack down on e-cigarettes while permitting the adult sale of tobacco cigarettes, whose health dangers are indisputable, Salmon said.

"It's about freedom," he said of e-cigarettes. "It's about a whole host of things. But many people out there feel that this is a far better alternative for them than tobacco."

E-cigarettes are not marketed as a smoking cessation product, but many consumers have used them for that purpose, Salmon said.

****

 

[Timekey]

The ECA is irrelevant. The future of the e-cig in this country is hanging in the balance tonight in California and the ECA has done what exactly? Oh yes that would be nothing. Not a response or even a mention on their web-site. I sure hope you suppliers who believe in the ECA so strongly aren't throwing too much money away at this fruitless endeavor.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

The future of the e-cig in this country is hanging in the balance tonight in California and the ECA has done what exactly? Oh yes that would be nothing.

I have always found these types of statements to be very interesting.

If someone could please point me to the public forum where NFL coaches post their playbooks prior to the big game, I would sure love to know about it... Then again... the Colts are whooping .... this year

 

[Kate51]

I don't believe there is a single state that doesn't prohibit sales of cigarettes to minors, if they don't they are a little behind the eight ball. So why would any further Legislation be required. Not. It should be a no-brainer, but then, some states also still haven't adopted some of the sexual assault of a child enhanced punishments either (Meagan's Law). Wouldn't wish to take anything for granted.