these were sent out to everyone involved this week.
Dear (Legislator),
I am writing on behalf of the Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) and its members to begin a dialogue with you regarding the proposed legislation. As president of the ECA and a former Congressman who was one of the first to support smoking bans, I applaud Suffolk County for its eye towards the health of its residents. Id also like to outline our position as an association and the commitments our members have made so that you can consider our perspective before making a hasty decision that could potentially include banning electronic cigarettes in Suffolk. We understand the concerns expressed, and hope that we can find common ground in terms of the recent legislation drafted.
Electronic cigarettes are not a cessation device, nor are they a healthy substitute. They are alternatives to traditional tobacco cigarettes (which are known to contain more than 4,000 different chemicals, of which more than 400 are known carcinogens, the use of which can cause cancer and emphysema and ultimately lead to the smokers death). The use of electronic cigarettes does not result in second or third hand smoke, does not result in an odor that disrupts peoples olfactory sensibilities, yet does allow a committed smoker the option to continue their tactile habit while receiving the nicotine they crave.
Members of the ECA each pledge as a part of their membership in our Association, that they will not make cessation or health claims, and that they will not sell electronic cigarettes to anyone who is beneath the legal smoking age. We are marketing our product to committed long term smokers.
Below are some comments that I hope you will find helpful and steer future conversations.
1)[FONT="] [/FONT] ECA members do not sell to underage persons as per each state law, nor do they market to minors. We understand the sensitivity of marketing aspects and the impressions left on minors and would be more than happy to work with you to put into place safeguards that would make you most comfortable with our commitment to not sell to minors. Many companies request retailers place their product out of reach of the general public, generally behind the cash register counter and ID anyone to verify legal age.
2)[FONT="] [/FONT]In regards to the comments about nicotine being a highly addictive substance, Id like to reference the position of the Royal College of Physicians in the U.K . which, states that while nicotine can be addictive, when nicotine is ingested alone there are no known adverse effects like that which occur when it is ingested through traditional tobacco delivery. Ill also reference the Neuroscience Abstract published in 1997 that states, Previous work has shown that nicotine facilitates brain stimulation reward (BSR) but that the maximum effect obtainable with nicotine is similar to that seen in compounds having a low addiction liability (e.g., caffeine, diphenhdremine, pseudoephedrine). Ive included both studies with this letter for your own review.
3)[FONT="] [/FONT]Banning the electronic cigarette and treating it as a tobacco product is not fair to the many consumers who use this product legally and for its intended use. Forcing them to use the product in designated smoking areas defeats the purpose of eliminating the inhalation of known carcinogens and would expose them to the dangers of second- hand smoke.
Id be more than happy to host a conference call with you, myself and our members to better align ourselves in your efforts to make certain that the sale of this legal product Suffolk County occurs properly. An outright ban of this product is unnecessary and only punishes the 20% of your constituents who are committed smokers, many of whom are looking for an alternative to a product that is known killer.
I look forward to talking with you.
Sincerely,
Matt Salmon
President, Electronic Cigarette Association
