FDA Sued Over Electronic Cigarette Embargo

[Limoncello]

I think so many are missing the real point here. If the PV could give us the ability to walk on water or poo pure gold, let alone stop analogs, the FDA and the politicians do NOT CARE and will not in the end let these things stay obtainable like they have in the past.
It's all about money, tax money(Schip anyone?) and of course their high moral ethics that they know what is best for us lowly peasants that must have the gov't take care of us.
So all the letters, phone calls etc will not make a bit of difference I don't think. I've never seen anything pulled this fast (and you can bet after Tues they will be) since Vioxx was taken off the market--and that was after deaths. Any deaths related to the PV? Notice also the tax increase on April 1st and then here we are May 4th for the big annoucement--gov't just does not normally work that fast--unless there is a bonus for them.

So this makes no sense unless you look at it through the prism of mooolah.
I'm so disgusted--because there will be droves running back to analogs.

 

[Chevron07]

I haven't had a real cigarette in over a month. THB, I'm kind of looking forward to having a Marlboro again. A couple of more years smoking until the dust settles and there is a Marlboro e-cig probably won't do much more harm than the last 18 years.

 

[nycsublimegirl]

From: "Hitch, Mary C", INTERNET:Mary.Hitch@fda.hhs.gov
To: , SMOKEFREE
Date: 5/1/2009 5:05 PM
RE: Email from Heather Zawalick (CBER)

Dear Mr. Godshall:

Your communication was forwarded to me for response as a function of FDA's Office of External Relations. The email to which you refer contains factual errors and does not reflect an official FDA action or policy.

Sincerely,

Mary C. Hitch
Senior Policy Advisor
Office of External Relations
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

 

[taz3cat]

From: "Hitch, Mary C", INTERNET:Mary.Hitch@fda.hhs.gov
To: , SMOKEFREE
Date: 5/1/2009 5:05 PM
RE: Email from Heather Zawalick (CBER)

Dear Mr. Godshall:

Your communication was forwarded to me for response as a function of FDA's Office of External Relations. The email to which you refer contains factual errors and does not reflect an official FDA action or policy.

Sincerely,

Mary C. Hitch
Senior Policy Advisor
Office of External Relations
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Ms. Hitch really comited herself in that e-mail. She could have saved an electronic stamp. What factual errors? What is the offical FDA action or policy. What is the unoffical FDA?????

 

[rsmith76]

Does'nt it seem strange to anyone that we have not heard any of this in the media? I listen to talk radio and watch the news daily. The impending ban would surely make the headlines somewhere. The fda just stopped a weight loss product this week, it has been reported by several news agencies, but no mention of an e cig ban. I wonder????

rsmith76

 

[Rookie]

Spokespersons: Janet Woodencock and Deborah Autistic

Heather Zapthenic
FDA/OC/Office of Legislation
301-827-0090
Heather.Zawalick@fda.hhs.gov


Is it just me or are those 2 really odd names for spokespersons of the FDA?8-o

 

[cowgal]

Spokespersons: Janet Woodencock and Deborah Autistic

Heather Zapthenic
FDA/OC/Office of Legislation
301-827-0090
Heather.Zawalick@fda.hhs.gov


Is it just me or are those 2 really odd names for spokespersons of the FDA?8-o

Yeah, kinda weird. And what about the Zapthenic name vs Zawalick address? I just googled that phone number and it appears to be a lighting store in Rockville MD. Not that it couldn't be something else now, but still...

Things that make you go "hmmm".

 

[Vicks Vap-oh-Yeah]

Yeah, kinda weird. And what about the Zapthenic name vs Zawalick address? I just googled that phone number and it appears to be a lighting store in Rockville MD. Not that it couldn't be something else now, but still...

Things that make you go "hmmm".

Well, we'll know for sure on Cinco de Mayo....

some correlating info on another thread:


NJOY Coming off shelves Tuesday

 

[cowgal]

Actually Rookie I just looked at the original e-mail that's been going around; it doesn't say Zapthenic, it has Zawalick as both the last name and e-mail name. And the spokespersons are Janet Woodcock (not "Woodencock") and Deborah Autor (not "Autistic"). Don't know how your version got mangled but it looks like it did. Phone number's the same though.

I'm just as scared as everybody else btw. I really want it to be a hoax but with all the bad news going around, it sure doesn't look good for us, even if this one e-mail turns out to be bogus.

 

[deewal]

And denigrating the FDA will get all of us nowhere.

Well somebody should TBob because they are corrupt to the core (as are your Congress, Senate, President and Government.)

BTW. When are you going to have your Mandatory Vaccinations for Swine Flu that a few people have got ?
According to the Associated Press at least one financial analyst estimates up to $388 million worth of Tamiflu sales in the near future and that's without a pandemic outbreak. Tamiflu went through some rough times not too long ago, as the dangers of this drug came to light when, in 2007, the FDA finally began investigating some 1,800 adverse reports related to the drug (which they had passed).
More than half a dozen pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences Inc., Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and other companies with a stake in flu treatments and detection, have seen a rise in their shares in a matter of days, and will likely see revenue boosts if the swine flu outbreak continues to spread.
As soon as Homeland Security declared a health emergency, 25 percent about 12 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza treatment courses were released from the nation's stockpile. However, beware that the declaration also allows unapproved tests and drugs to be administered to children. Many health- and government officials are more than willing to take that chance with your life, and the life of your child.

Malaria kills 3,000 people EVERY DAY, and it's considered "a health problem"... But of course, there are no fancy vaccines for malaria that can rake in billions of dollars in a short amount of time.

E-Cigs dangerous ? Bollexxxxx

 

[Vegatron75]

When is enough enough? I'm a .......n adult and I have and will continue to do as I see fit. The older I get and the more I read the more soured I become about the country I live in. There are too many issues that need to be addressed. E-cigs are this important. Give me a f ing break.
Explain to me how I can go to the liquor store and buy gallons of poison and that's fine. I can go home and OD on there product. I can go buy assault rifles at the gun show or gun shop and start a small scale war in my neighborhood. I can buy analogs and give myself lung,mouth,throat cancer. But I won't be able to jack with this little trinket from china?
Why are cigarettes even legal anyway? Talk about testing, cigs are proven to cause death. How can a company legally sell something that kills it's users?
If I can't get my e-cig stuff I will quit smoking. There is no doubt. I will not buy anymore cigarettes ever again.
Talk about feeling helpless. Sorry for the rant..... Our goverment better slow it's roll before something happens that they can't stop!!!! 300 million vs. 600 or so isn't very good odds....

 

[fenez]

Our government has strayed so far from what it was supposed to be that it is hard for the american public to have any faith in them, they have been so blatant about not caring what we think it is disgusting

 

[Tugger]

Come on people. I bet if you met anybody at the FDA you'd see that they're committed public servants who want to protect the public, and probably actually pretty nice. They have no ulterior motive.

They're misguided and it would appear a little driven by anti-nicotine dogma, but remember that we're talking about real people here.

It's fun to vent, but try to be realistic.

 

[tokarev]

"Reasoning" with the Federal government will get you nowhere these days. I just hope I can afford the Phillip Morris device when it becomes available 'cuz it'll be the only LEGAL way to continue vaping.

TT33

"Government is not reason. It is not eloquence. It is a force, like fire: a dangerous servant and a terrible master." - George Washington

"You don't expect governments to obey the law because of some higher moral development. You expect them to obey the law because they know that if they don't, those who aren't shot will be hanged." - Michael Shirley

 

[StratOvation]

IMO...

SE may have sold 600K units in the US, But how many of those units were retuned the following day by a disgusted consumer irritated that they were scammed and lied to by a kiosk salesman? And how many of those folks would ever consider an alternate brand or configuration of any PV/E-cig product after having such a negative 1st impression?

SE has done much more harm than good for these products. I have yet to see any article or interview refrencing an SE spokesperson that does not contain at least one blatant lie or form of misinformation.

SE seeks relief based on thier assertion that their product is virtually a "tobacco product" but their marketing strategy all along has asserted that their product can legally be used "Everywhere" based on Two very speciffic qualifiers. 1. Does not contain tobacco 2. Has no source of ignition.

Maybe they will find relief re. release of seized product due to the FDA failing to follow proper notification protocols, but that is likely the only relief the court will provide. Once their inconsistant and fraudulant claims are exposed in open court, they will be viewed in a very negative light by the general public.

My fear is that the Anti.s will happily and immeadiately declare SE as being representative of the entire industry and all products and Manufacturers will be viewed in a similar fashion.

To be clear.... SE is NOT my "Standard Bearer" , Representative, or Voice!

It is quite unfortunate that the Least of this industry continues to be the Most prevelant in the media.

Mike

 

[sherid]

So basically the time line is this:

May of 2009 Senate will vote on the Tobacco Bill, effectively making it impossible for all current ecigs to stay on the market. In late September of 2009, Smokeless Innotec will release their Rauchless cigarette, owned by Altria. Is this what you have found because this is what I have found...

Sherid where are you!?! Here is what we have been waiting for!

We wondered why PM would let their patent run out here in the US. Brilliant they are. They let all of the current suppliers get the market up, then they are going to "ban" them all out of the market and then release their own when everyone is good and desperate.

Tobacco Industry holds us hostage again. Shocker.

They are brilliant, in fact, so brilliant that my unfounded guess is BT IS Ruyan and have been from the start. Marketing via new channels has been their strategy. The one nagging and indisputable fact is why PM with their hundreds of millions in research and develpoment of the Heatbar and other smokeless cigarettes would EVER sit back and allow and startup from China steal the technology, refine it, and start this rolling e cig culture. They clearly wold not do that. Who would. The key, I am sure is in the Innotec stock. They are not going to "ban" e cigs. They are not fools. I can't read the strategy yet, but I do know that part of the FDA bill involves not allowing BT to release any new products they can refer to as harm reduction products. BT MUST protect their interests in e cigs before the law is enacted.

 

[Computer Extreme]

Ive been reading all of this for days.
I just dont get why the devices themselves would be stopped at the border.

I see hash pipes in half of the small mini-stores.

 

[doc g]

Agree with you competer extreme.
My prediction is SE will win their case & the FDA will get a smackdown from the judge similar to the smackdown they recently got form another judge regarding "plan b", the morning after contraceptive.
FDA to allow Plan B birth control for 17-year-olds
cheer up people, the draconian Bush/Cheney Era is over.

 

[Kendra]

"Reasoning" with the Federal government will get you nowhere these days. I just hope I can afford the Phillip Morris device when it becomes available 'cuz it'll be the only LEGAL way to continue vaping.

They've already released their version of an electronic cigarette and it's called a heatbar.
and here
here
here
I wonder what's in their "specially designed cigarettes"-- maybe some kind of vg or pg-based nic solution?

 

[surbitonPete]

They've already released their version of an electronic cigarette and it's called a heatbar.
and here
here
here
I wonder what's in their "specially designed cigarettes"-- maybe some kind of vg or pg-based nic solution?

That's interesting.....I just looked that up Kendra.....I hadn't seen that before...it sounds like it burns tobacco but only on demand as you inhale it isn't burning 'all' the time like a normal cigarette. It sure looks like they have invested a lot of money in it and it's interesting that they have put it on sale in Australia who I believe have banned e-cigs.