FDA may soon propose regulation that could ban many/most e-cigarette products, eliminate many/most companies

[rothenbj]

Typical as expected right? Their doing the same thing with snus, IMO another good product to switch to. Swedish snus is regulated by their equivalent of our FDA as a food product and because of this the carinogen levels are as low as 1/20 of some American products (smokes,dip,snus). But recently they've put a $15 import tax on overseas snus products mainly for this reason alone.

I know it's a little off topic (talking about snus), but it's another good example of unneeded regulation just to fill big tobacco and big pharma pockets.

I don't know where you got the $15 import tax number for Swedish snus, I could find nothing indicating that and you didn't mention a quantity, unless it's a per package tax. You are correct about the carcinogen levels on some US products but I believe SNUS like Camel uses the same Swedish method.

You also have all the newer tobacco products- Stonewalls, Ariva, Orbs, sticks and such (including E Cigs). They are much safer than smoking, are all capable of getting people off cigarettes and are the targets of the FDA. Make them more expensive, harder to get or banned from the market thus keeping people in the smoke, quit, smoke, quit die cycle. That protects both the US BT and BP markets while removing competition.

 

[McDougal]

After the FDA stated its intent to regulate cigars in April 2010 and again in December 2010, some folks in the cigar industry convinced Republican Rep. Bill Posey and Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson (both from Florida) to introduce HR 1639 and S 1461 respectively, apparently created the Cigar Rights of America, and issued an alert at:
CRA - Cigar Rights of America

Information about HR 1639 and S 1461 is available at THOMAS (Library of Congress)

The Cigar Rights of America's most recent update states that there are now 126 Reps cosponsoring HR 1629 and four Senators cosponsoring S 1461 at
Cigar Rights of America

While the Cigar Rights of America's campaign is focussed solely on preventing the FDA from proposing/passing a new regulation to apply Chapter IX of the FSPTCA to premium cigars, since the FDA is likely to propose a new regulation to apply Chapter IX in the FSPTCA to all currently unregulated tobacco products, the cigar industry's campaign has indirectly benefitted e-cigarettes.

Here's a problem I see. E-cigarettes in and of themselves are not tobacco products, and not even nicotine products. Since the FDA got shot down in classifying them as "drug delivery devices," they obviously now have to try to classify them as "tobacco products," when if fact, they aren't. The liquid used isn't either: It's a byproduct of tobacco. Asserting that it is a tobacco product is like asserting that gluten is wheat. Just like washing away soluble flour leaves gluten, extraction from tobacco yields nicotine. It's also not a refined product like high fructose corn syrup (legal) or ....... (illegal).

To me, classifying the device as a tobacco product is like classifying a bottle as an alcoholic product. It's only a container for the nicotine.

 

[Brewlady]

If you send a letter to your U.S. Senators and Representatives, this document has a wealth of information. If you don't want to mail the entire 17 pages, you can include pages 7, 8 and 16.

http://www.casaa.org/files/CASAA_Legislative_Packet_Regarding_Indoor_Bans_Web.pdf

The best thing that we can do to protect our right to use nicotine is to arm ourselves with the facts.

Now get to work.

 

[wfx]

I'm thinking more along the lines of one of the dozens of people I've met who were told they had 6 months to live due to complications from smoking, who started vaping, and are now living past their expiration dates.

That is something the media will exploit across the board. That is something that would make the FDA eat their ... well, it would make them look bad. And, with a little luck, they would stay under the microscope with us.

exactly. that kind of case very clearly exposes the hypocrisy. a balanced harm reduction analysis won't win any converts in a poisoned public discourse.

 

[DC2]

y is someone not calling rush limbaugh or however you spell his name to do an interview on his show? there's your media attention right there.

Somebody here sent him a very good email, but I have heard nothing about the outcome.
It seems unlikely to me that Rush Limbaugh would ever seen an email sent by one of us, unless his screener wanted him to?

 

[DC2]

Here's a problem I see. E-cigarettes in and of themselves are not tobacco products, and not even nicotine products. Since the FDA got shot down in classifying them as "drug delivery devices," they obviously now have to try to classify them as "tobacco products," when if fact, they aren't. The liquid used isn't either: It's a byproduct of tobacco.

While that is obviously true, The FSPTCA gave the FDA the authority to treat it as such...

thought you guys would like to see this
http://www.vapersclub.com/FDAconcedes.pdf

On June 22, 2009 the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act amended the FD&C Act to give the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products. The amended FD&C Act included in its definition that “tobacco product” meant any product “made or derived from tobacco” that is not a “drug,” “device,” or combination product under the FD&C Act.

 

[frosting]

I'm having some difficulty starting my letters to senators, representatives and so on.... There's a question eating at me right now and wondering if some of the vet's know.. Is right now the time to stock up on nicotine liquid? It might seem like a dumb question, I've always said If I have to ask the answer is probably yes. I'm on such a limited income right now this whole mess going on is really stressing me out.

 

[FreakyStylie]

Meh, I hate what the government is doing, but I'm not worried too much. Kind of like what happened to music when the PMRC tried to get a rating system for music ... Frank Zappa put it nicely how he was completely against any form of censorship, but if they did slap a "parental advisory" sticker on albums, it would just make more sales ... and it did.

If the FDA stops internet sales (in my opinion), a lot of small suppliers will unfortunately lose their businesses, but we (as a whole) will end up stronger with more brick and mortar shops, which will attract more smokers, and give them better information than the crap commercials they see. The FDA would only end up causing a hard blow that will heal and make our industry stronger.

I'm not sure how long that would take, but I really don't see a need to stock up too far.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Brewlady wrote:

If you send a letter to your State Senators and Representatives, this document has a wealth of information.

Except that state Legislatures have zero authority over the FDA. The FDA is controlled by US Congress.

I'm working with CASAA board on some draft letters to send to US Representatives and US Senators urging them to oppose plans by FDA to extend Chapter IX regulations of the FDCA to e-cigarette products that contain nicotine unless/until the FDA conducts and publishes a comprehensive health risk assessment for the different types of tobacco products (including e-cigarettes).

But if folks want to begin contacting their members of Congress, contact info is at:
THOMAS (Library of Congress)

 

[VapApe]

Then we should also contact Speaker of the House John Boehner.
He is a smoker and has been seen using an E cig in the speakers lobby were smoking was banned two years ago.

 

[curiousJan]

Your Comment Tracking Number: 80f7d90b

I stopped smoking 2 years ago (in 3 days - Dec. 10, 2009) using an electronic cigarette. I haven't smoked a combustible/rolled cigarette since. My health has greatly improved, I don't smell like an ashtray, and I no longer expose anyone to second-hand smoke.

The electronic cigarette industry is in a fledgling state but is growing every day. There are no face-to-face-sale alternatives for me to be able to purchase the nicotine liquid that I use in my PV (personal vaporizer) and implementing this type of regulation would significantly harm my ability to refrain from smoking ... because without my PV I would be back to cigarettes within a week.

There are those adults who choose to smoke, which is their right as adults ... to choose what or what not to consume into their bodies. Nicotine is being studied for its medicinal usefulness in multiple regards - Alzheimer's, ADD, Krohn's disease - and has been long recognized as a choice self-medication for those with cognitive-focal issues.

I agree that there should be baseline standards (e.g. manufacturing, ensuring no-sale to minors) but to place the level of restrictions implied within this text (i.e. applying PACT to tobacco products other than cigarettes and smokeless tobacco) would be to seriously harm many, many legal adult consumers because the electronic cigarette industry is too young to have a strong brick-and-mortar presence anywhere other than large metropolitan areas.

Remove Internet sales of liquid nicotine for use in PVs and hand a large number of people merely trying to be kinder to their bodies a death sentence ... straight back into the fire, literally. It also will be a death sentence to many small, but flourishing, businesses -- our current economy really doesn't need that now does it?

Point of Fact: _Every vendor_ from whom I have ever purchased liquid nicotine has required age verification.

Please stop and think logically (rather than politically) about the proposed regulations. PLEASE.

 

[MadmanMacguyver]

I apologize to anyone in advance my views are most definitely skewed.I feel I see the world not for what I want to see but for what it is... unfortunately resistance to the machine is futile while Obummer(the Chicago machine) is in office...some will know but most will be in the dark about my opinions about govt and such as I believe...the entire world is walking off a cliff as far as bureaucracy is concerned...freedom has been compromised for an eternity and the likelihood of winning this battle/war is close to nil...what I ask is people WAKE UP!! the lies and truth are being shown now...We ARE the innovators.....we are the people who know the truth...this is one of the final battles...they don't want us to control what WE want to do with our bodies(that is a travesty)...in their opinions we are fools yet we are the one who provide most of the income the Economy needs to survive...WE truly need to stand up NOW or fail as so many other solutions to major problems of this (and the last)century have done...complacency will not do... freedom is won by a voice not silence...too many of us sit idlely by in fear...don't be mad at the messenger...FACE REALITY AND FIGHT


or we are lost......


I have seen Ecigs as 2 things since my first POS stick batt......one is Freedom from Cigs...and Two is an opportunity to be a productive member of society which has been denied me since childhood....PLZ!!!!!!!!! face reality and fight...

 

[FreakyStylie]

I'm sitting here thinking of the products that the FDA has approved over the years that have caused harm to the public.

It makes me wonder a couple of things:
1. Is there a concise list someplace?
2. Could this history be used to show that the FDA needs serious investigation and re-organization?

Here is a good story from CBS, from February of this year. Study: FDA OKs Harmful Medical Devices too Easily - CBS News

(CBS News)

The FDA approves new medical devices in hopes of saving lives. But in 2006, some devices were linked to more than 2,800 deaths and close to 120,000 injuries, reports CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook.

Click the link to read the rest of the story.

This isn't the only story that I've found showing how negligent the FDA is in making decisions ... so, why can't we question their ability to continue making these decisions?

 

[asti]

I'd agree, but do have to point out the fact they've already deemed the PG / VG as safe products for medical/food/yada purposes... they only fly in the ointment IS the nic

 

[MadmanMacguyver]

the problem is big money Rules...WE are so not big money...big Pharma...Who's bottom line is being hurt by ecigs is big money...

and contrary to popular opinion the Dems care not for our safety or for innovation...RIF...reading is fundamental...don't look at just one data source...ME I look at as much as possible...2-6 hrs a day looking at news...not just one source...


BTW nic content in what most use for ecigs is NO WORSE than a cup or 2 of coffee

 

[curiousJan]

I'm sitting here thinking of the products that the FDA has approved over the years that have caused harm to the public.

It makes me wonder a couple of things:
1. Is there a concise list someplace?
2. Could this history be used to show that the FDA needs serious investigation and re-organization?

Here is a good story from CBS, from February of this year. Study: FDA OKs Harmful Medical Devices too Easily - CBS News

Click the link to read the rest of the story.

This isn't the only story that I've found showing how negligent the FDA is in making decisions ... so, why can't we question their ability to continue making these decisions?

We need to do exactly that ... but the crux of that is that we've got to through Congress.

Jan

 

[asti]

Agreed, the right palms aren't getting greased the crux of the issue... ya I agree on the nic too, but that I *think* is the connection point all the nay-sayers are copping an attitude over now, well that and the old outdated "tests" info with lets say dirty ingredients

 

[MadmanMacguyver]

Here comes the last push folks Guns up...Guns up!!!!...

Pardon the pun but really, We All need to push on this...only then will we be heard,,,

 

[asti]

But if all else fails, Janeys gotta gun...

 

[frosting]

Don't forget to e-mail your senators& congress people too!!! After you sign this and make your comment of course!