FDA Sends Warning Letters

[NieNie]

I agree with the Johnson Creek thing. They sent out a letter like they were some kind of shady deal. Yet they are FDA registered and the FDA are the ones being un-truthful here. Their ingredients don't even fill up the whole label so WTF? Money, taxes, Money, Taxes thats what it is about.

BTW doesn't China hold the patent for liquid tabacco anyway so part of it must come from China either way.??? Correct me if I am mistaken

 

[bombastinator]

The FDA is part of the federal government. They have the power to do whatever they want to do. That concept of being a government for the people, by the people, of the people . . . bullsheet.

That's not quite the way it works. In practice the FDA has very little power. They can be over ruled by most elected bodies for one thing. In practice the FDA does what the members of congress that control it want. In practice this is to a large extent the finance committee, though if a given member of congress tells them they want to look into something they are very likely to do it. Those congressmen are in turn beholden to their constituents in a small respect and to the corporations that pay for their election to a larger one. You may thank the republican party for the last bit. In a point of irony most of the people tho hold the political belief you are espousing also are "small government" enthusiasts which actually does more to promote corporate power and reduce government by the people than almost anything else. Governments make law. Less government less law. Less law equates to more lawlessness. Most laws are designed to protect the people from corporations rather than the reverse. Individuals are cajoled into thinking that this reduction in protections will give them greater freedom, but it is nothing compared to the amout of freedom it gives the groups trying to control that individual. They tell the voter you will get an extra dime!!! while what they do not mention is that the corperations will get an extra 90 cents and before that the groups had 50 cents a piece. It's like the trick older sibling s play on thier little sisters. "I'll trade you this big shiney nickle for that little tiny dime, look it's so much bigger!"

 

[kenmhall1]

It's all the tobacco lobbyists - they dump sooo much money into DC, it's not even funny - this is a serious threat to their bottom line, so just make it illegal...Wow, that really sounds like a conspiracy theory, huh?!?

 

[NinetyNine]

I'm of mixed opinions here. On the one hand, the FDA appears to be overreaching. On the other, the letters are targeted at sites making factual claims that PV's are effective smoking cessation devices without having any scientific evidence for that(I'm convinced they are highly effective, btw, but that's not evidence either), and at sites that have poor quality control(allegedly). Neither of those complaints are totally unreasonable.

The JC one is most troubling to me, as it's treating the existence of a nicotine liquid as something they have an requirement to regulate, despite it being neither a food nor a drug by normal FDA standards. The other ones are more, wtf, stop saying they're smoking cessation devices unless you want to pony up the money to actually run clinical trials. I have little sympathy with those sites getting letters. If someone here says it helped them quit smoking, great. Same with me. If someone opens a website that says buy and ingest my product and you will quit smoking, there's a higher standard of proof required.

I also don't really like Billy Mayes, or the Sham-Wow guy, for the record. They always push the liquid off camera when showing the super-absorbent power of their sponges. I have walls. I can't do that forever.

 

[theshade]

you would have to make alot of calls for them to not pass

 

[SimpleSins]

I am still not convinced that Tobacco is on this. A lot of the arguments are going to come down to FDA regulating nicotine...and depending on how they choose to do that, it could make Tobacco's life difficult. Some of the argument stems from classifying the PV as a nicotine delivery device. Well, that leaves the door open for someone to counter that cigarette paper constitutes the same thing, again making Tobacco's life difficult. I cannot imagine the industry that was able to keep the ill effects of their product for so long would suddenly become so stupid.

Rather, I suspect they've chosen not not to have a pony in this race, but I suspect someone is sitting at a drawing board designing my Virginia Slim ultraslim ecig, while in another room the tobacco 'chefs' are putting together the prefilled cartos that will be available at your local Cigarettes Cheaper.

 

[Sparrots]

Well, crap. I was in such a good mood until I read the FDA's letter...

 

[LoganSkt]

... but I suspect someone is sitting at a drawing board designing my Virginia Slim ultraslim ecig, while in another room the tobacco 'chefs' are putting together the prefilled cartos that will be available at your local Cigarettes Cheaper.

My thoughts as well. Camel and Marlboro have both entered the snus market (smokeless). As regulation and taxes take a bite out of big tobacco's profit, they'll have to expand into new markets. Can't you see the Marlboro Man sitting on his horse in the mountains vaping?

 

[PoliticallyIncorrect]

My thoughts as well. Camel and Marlboro have both entered the snus market (smokeless). As regulation and taxes take a bite out of big tobacco's profit, they'll have to expand into new markets. Can't you see the Marlboro Man sitting on his horse in the mountains vaping?

I also have trouble visualizing some of the more outrageous conspiratorial scenarios I've heard around here. I don't blame the people that presented them; they're ....... So am I.

There's a couple of things you might want to look at, however, from Michael Siegel's blog, The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary. They're both mercifully short. (Mike Siegel is a Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health. He has 25 years of experience in the field of tobacco control, or so my abreviation of his bio goes. I've looked online to confirm the truth of this--and the absence of any dirt, such as accepting money from Janty or any mischief like that. He appears to be the real deal.

This one examines the FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee; of 12 seats on the panel, 4 are pharmaceutical (AKA Big Pharma) and 3 are tobacco industry representatives: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary

For this one, you'll have to scroll down to the third story from the top, FDA's Actions on Electronic Cigarettes Show Absurdity of Entire Tobacco Regulatory Scheme: Asking FDA to Regulate Cigarettes Was a Huge Mistake. It has to do with FDA actions affecting tobacco vs. their intentions regarding e-cigarettes--and who benefits. Hint: it ain't us: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary

 

[Luvenlite]

Here is what I understand, E-cig suppliers cannot say that its a quit smoking aide, such as things like nicorette, (prescription pills that help with quitting (welbutrin?)) the patch, etc... If suppliers say that e-cigs are a quitting aide as those mentioned then they would need to regulate, test, etc...the e-cigs. I haven't seen any sites promoting e-cigs as a quitting aide rather all the sites i have seen basically say you don't have to quit just switch.

Now, I am thinking that the only reason why FDA is getting involved is because has anyone seen the price of regular cigs lately, in Washington state I was in a truck stop and the cheapest no name brand of cigs was going for 7 dollars plus tax, for brand name almost 10 bucks, and NYC is suppose to be at least 10 dollars a pack for cigs. Now if everyone or a mass majority of the people turn to E-cigs then the government looses all that money.

I think that the FDA wants to ban, or find a way to ban e-cigs so that way everyone would have no choice but to pay the high taxes that the government needs from regular cig purchases. On top of that there is really no way for the government to tax, e-cigs to get their hands into those of us who just switch. This is just another way for those in government to try and figure out a way to either regulate and put chemicals into something to keep people hooked so they can jack up the prices to keep that money rolling in. here is another example pot would be legal (meaning not need a prescription) if the government can figure out a way to make a profit on it. By making it legal with only a prescription not only can they tax it but they can also regulate the price. If FDA cannot figure out a way to outright ban e-cigs you can bet your bottom dollar that we will have to go see a doctor to get a prescription in order to be able to have the right to vape. this is IMO as I see it, and we can all thank big tobacco considering i also believe that they are the ones pushing the FDA to try and put a squash on e-cigs.

 

[kpax]

Luvenlite,

I totally agree. I think they are starting with companies that are making iffy claims but will soon try to ban all ecigs just because they are an inexpensive nicotine delivery device. One reason I never used nicorette gum or the patch is because it is so expensive. Patches are not even covered with medical insurance (well 1 patch is) and I have GOOD insurance. Nicotene is NOT expensive as we can see from the e-liquid prices. There must be a 1,000%+ markup on what the pharmaceutical companies are selling.