FDA and e-cigarettes: Your action needed now.

[kristin]

Join us for the CASAA Member Meeting starting in 2 minutes. We have a last-minute guest speaker - Bill Godshall of Smoke-free Pennsylvania will be discussing the FDA and "Deeming Regulations!"

 

[Berylanna]

Join us for the CASAA Member Meeting starting in 2 minutes. We have a last-minute guest speaker - Bill Godshall of Smoke-free Pennsylvania will be discussing the FDA and "Deeming Regulations!"

Last year's webinar is closed, at least to me. My fault, I never attended.

 

[kristin]

NOTE: The Meeting LINK has been changed from previous meetings!

CASAA Member Meeting Webinars are scheduled to be held on the following dates:
January 6, 2013, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET
January 20, 2013, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET
February 3, 2013, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET

Register Now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/968284286

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

 

[plantlvr]

Submitted my story, hope we all make a difference!

 

[ATX]

"Your comment was submitted successfully!
Thank you for submitting a comment on the following Proposed Rule:
Food and Drug Administration Actions Related to Nicotine Replacement Therapies and Smoking-Cessation Products; Report to Congress on Innovative Products and Treatments for tobacco Dependence; Public Hearing; Extension of Comment Period"


I've done what I can do. I can only hope they listen to even 1 of our comments.

 

[bigdaddybrink1]

Your comment was submitted successfully!
Thank you for submitting a comment on the following Proposed Rule:
Food and Drug Administration Actions Related to Nicotine Replacement Therapies and Smoking-Cessation Products; Report to Congress on Innovative Products and Treatments for tobacco Dependence; Public Hearing; Extension of Comment Period

YAY!!!

I've done my part, hopefully it helps

 

[wrp]

I've posted my story and I hope they listen! Thanks to E-Cigs, I've been a non-smoker for over 2 years now!

 

[mbsyl]

half way through typing my comment the page refreshed itself and deleted everything i typed. convenient glitch for the tobacco industry, anyone else have this problem?

 

[gmaffPappy]

Done! -- and here are the other characters required to make to post long enough to pass validation

 

[Joseph Cruz]

I really do not know now how the world moves....

 

[Thornie]

Done for both me and my partner. Emailing my daughter and hubby and other vaping friends right now to give them a heads up!

 

[woshi]

electronic cigarettes has been nothing but a success story to my friends and family and anyone i have recommended it to. we cannot let the government take away all of the good things

 

[WALLe]

NOTE: The Meeting LINK has been changed from previous meetings!

CASAA Member Meeting Webinars are scheduled to be held on the following dates:
January 6, 2013, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET
January 20, 2013, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET
February 3, 2013, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM ET

Register Now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/968284286

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Hi Kristin,
the new link goes to a page that says that the meeting is over,
I actually wanted to register for the meetings either on the 20, Jan or 3,Feb
Will you be posting new links for those, cos if I register they will send me automated mails reminding me so that I don't forget

Thanks

(This part of the post is not connected with the question above )
ps

I've posted my public submission/comments about 4 days ago - cannot see it yet with the tracking number,
My positive guess is there are so many submissions that it takes them some time to make it live,
My negative guess is it's cos I'm not from the US
Any ways these are 'just guesses' I'm willing to wait
My other related posts on this thread are on page 5 and 12

 

[wefishallday]

This is an excellent recap of your experience, but if all submissions over 2000 character count are discarded, then it's for not. Your voice is important -- why not resubmit at 2000 characters or less - just in case.

Here's mine. Probably too long, but I didn't have time to write a shorter one.

Dear Madams or Sirs,

I started smoking in 1977 when I was 15 years old and I smoked on average two packs a day. I began trying to quit in my thirties, but had little success until I started using a nicotine vaporizer (e-cigarette). I tried switching to other forms of tobacco, from chewing tobacco to smoking a pipe. I used every smoking cessation approach from nicotine gum to hypnosis. My most successful attempt lasted nine months using double patches and a drug, but like the other attempts, when I stopped the therapy, I returned to smoking. The patches were burning my skin and the (FDA approved) drug gave me horrific nightmares and made me feel dumb and lethargic.

Over two years ago, I tried to go “cold turkey” and on the third day I was on my way to the convenience store for cigarettes when I decided I’d try the “e-cigarette” I had seen at a local mall before I bough cigarettes. I didn’t really like the e-cigarette at first, but it “took the edge off” of my withdrawals enough that I decided to give it a week. Three weeks later, I purchased a more reliable unit from an online retailer and I have not smoked any tobacco product for over two years now.

My health and breathing improved remarkably in less than six months. I felt as good as I had after the nine month success I had earlier, only better because I no longer craved cigarettes. I play bagpipes, so my lung capacity is probably higher than most, but until I had a little over a year without cigarettes, I didn’t know it was possible to play for longer than thirty minutes. I really enjoy not smelling like an ashtray, being able to live indoors, and a million other non-smoker-only things that I now enjoy as a result of switching to a nicotine vaporizer.

For a final word on impact to my health, from a purely subjective standpoint, it is about the same as the impact from my teakettle.
This is the first thing like a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) that has worked for me, and I have no intention of discontinuing it’s use any time soon. I think a big part of the success is that I enjoy it. I actually enjoy the experience much more than I ever enjoyed smoking. At first I used tobacco flavored juices, but I soon learned that I liked sweet flavors much more. My favorite for the past year has been “gingerbread” and in many (non-flavor) ways, it’s like my “brand” of cigarettes was (Marlboro, 100s).

One of the other significant contributing factors is the fact that I’m “driving.” Much like cigarettes, I can self-adjust my nicotine dosage by using it less, or by using a product with a lower content if I want. I still use about the strongest concentration and I probably use the vaporizer as much or more than I smoked, probably because my nicotine addiction is profound, and I don’t feel comfortable with anything less. If regulations were imposed, I would almost certainly return to smoking. I don’t want to. But I know me. I’ve seen me do it before.

I don’t think vaporizers should be classified as an NRT, because the nicotine is not replaced. Then again, that holds true for patches, gum and lozenges as well. But, unlike “NRT”s I don’t even consider it “therapy.” It’s just something I do instead of smoking cigarettes.
The bottom line is that I am addicted to nicotine and will probably continue to use it in any case. If the FDA limits nicotine vaporizer use by classifying it as an NRT and seeking to limit the dosage, or duration, I will in all likelihood return to smoking cigarettes at some point.

Please do not propose the “deeming” regulation that would ban e-cigarettes. I feel that this regulation would eliminate or reduce access to a relatively harmless product that has given me my health back and may save the lives of millions struggling with nicotine addiction. I’m not a lawyer, but you have to agree that this at least seems counterproductive with regard to the FDA’s stated purposes in promoting public health.

I would also like to ask that the misleading and incorrect information about e-cigarettes be removed from your web site. For instance, the information about carcinogens detected in e-cigarettes seems to omit the fact that it is no higher than that found in NRTs and is in fact much lower than found in traditional cigarettes. I think the stated purposes of the FDA (promoting public health) would be much better served if it did not publish un-scientific and unsupported claims that will prevent people from adopting a much less harmful alternative to smoking.

 

[wefishallday]

Submission Done! ~ 1997 characters. Thanks for the heads-up ECF. Don't know if I'm supposed to submit my comments here, but will, and if not, a moderator can just delete them.

I’m 65, a 48- yr FORMER 2Pk/day smoker who finally quit Jan 2011 DIRECTLY & ONLY because of E-CIGARETTES! I spent decades in failed attempts to quit using multiple purported remedies -patches, lozenges, pills, hypnosis, buddy plans, behavioral mods, gadgets, & more. NONE WORKED, neither before nor after my 2006 COPD diagnosis. THEN ALONG CAME E-CIGS. For me, the total switch to only e-cigs use was instant. The improvements to my heath, person, and family since switching are significant.

• Increased blood O2 carrying capacity. My high HGB & HCT counts returned to normal levels for the 1st time in decades. Significantly increased energy, mental clarity and respiratory function.
• Translated – I can NOW play ball with my grandkids, enjoy moderate exercise without gasping, awake refreshed Vs rushing for Albuterol. I no longer serenade others with constant coughing. I haven’t had even one Winter flue since switching Vs several/year before. Once again, I can vacation with family @ 5000’ altitude. My family is very pleased. And e-cigs are more budget friendly.
• I’m also no longer as dependent on my previously 2x/day use of the very expensive Advir Discus 500/50 and now use Albuterol rarely Vs. multiple times/week. DUH – NO WONDER THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY DOESN’T LIKE E-CIGS!

I WONDER how many FDA decision makers began smoking at 15 & when smoking was cool & expected, when housewives who failed to adorn their homes with fully-filled Sterling Silver Cigarette Holders were guilty of a social faux pas, when role-model movie heros/heroines furiously puffed away in smoke-filled rooms, when it was considered sexy to talk with a “....” dangling from ones lips, when the Marlboro man was the definition of manhood. Yes, we were easily “hooked” -- but that was supposed to be OK. Wasn’t it? WHO, MAY I ASK, DECIDED THAT!

Beyond QC/QA production standards, I hope the FDA does NOT ban, restrict or especially attempt MD control of consumer use of e-cigs. Bottom line Ecigs help tobacco cigarette smokers quit with resultant improved heath. Any decision to ban/regulate the remedy to the killer instead of the killer itself is unabashedly shameful, if not Machiavellian & would clearly represent a noticeable choice favoring industry & personal profits over the well- being of individuals - no matter the spin!

 

[markfm]

Cool, the comment count is ticking up, though I haven't seen new comments actually make it to the Web display for a couple days

Gov is noting problems with slowness on their site.

 

[wefishallday]

Just FYI -- I just posted, and the FDA submission website notes that it may take up to two weeks for your comments to appear online. Once online, however, you can then search for your submission by your comment #

Hi Kristin,
the new link goes to a page that says that the meeting is over,
I actually wanted to register for the meetings either on the 20, Jan or 3,Feb
Will you be posting new links for those, cos if I register they will send me automated mails reminding me so that I don't forget

Thanks

(This part of the post is not connected with the question above )
ps

I've posted my public submission/comments about 4 days ago - cannot see it yet with the tracking number,
My positive guess is there are so many submissions that it takes them some time to make it live,
My negative guess is it's cos I'm not from the US
Any ways these are 'just guesses' I'm willing to wait
My other related posts on this thread are on page 5 and 12

 

[DragonflyVaper]

Thank you for the heads up on this. Submitted today!!

 

[Azyre]

I sent my comment. As a smoker for 35 years, I'd tried everything to quit, but it just didn't work because I liked smoking! Vaping replaced them easily, and I enjoy it much more!

 

[Lorizgal]

submitted after stopping smoking on June 10, 2010 with the help of an e-cig.