Got an answer from my representitive as far as if he will support HR 2058. And his canned response was not very positive and told me nothing I didn't already know so I guess I will not be voting for him in the next election. Here's his response.
Dear Mr. (Blanked out):
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Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts on electronic cigarettes. Your opinion is very important to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.
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As you know, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (P.L. 111-31) gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and other tobacco products. I was a cosponsor of this legislation because it provides the FDA with the authority to take the necessary steps to reduce underage tobacco use.
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On May 5, 2016, the FDA issued a final rule that extends its regulatory authority to include all tobacco products, including cigars, pipe tobacco, waterpipe tobacco, tobacco gels, dissolvable tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. Sales of cigars, waterpipe tobacco, and electronic cigarettes to minors will be prohibited as of August 3, 2016. All newly-regulated products that were introduced to the U.S. market after February 15, 2007, would need to meet public health standards set forth under the law and receive marketing authorization from the FDA. The FDA estimates that all newly-regulated products will continue to be sold for up to two years before the manufacturer submits a tobacco product application, and an additional year while the FDA reviews said application. The FDA will evaluate each newly-deemed tobacco product's ingredients, product design, and health risks, as well as their appeal to youth and non-users, before deciding whether to grant a marketing authorization order.
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As you know, the FDA Deeming Authority Clarification Act (H.R. 2058) was introduced in the House of Representatives on April 28, 2015, and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. If enacted, this legislation would exempt all newly-deemed tobacco products that in this recently finalized rule from FDA regulation if they were on the market before the final rule was issued. Hearings and markups of legislation before the House Energy and Commerce Committee are held at the discretion of its chairman. To keep track of this bill, I encourage you to visit the Committee's website (
http://energycommerce.house.gov) as well as the Library of Congress's THOMAS website (
http://thomas.loc.gov). A similar bill has yet to be introduced in the Senate.
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Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and the best way to prevent tobacco deaths is to reduce tobacco use and prevent tobacco addiction. Please know that I will keep your support for electronic cigarettes and their role as an alternative to traditional cigarettes in mind should I have the opportunity to consider this issue in the future.
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Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of further assistance. I invite you to visit my website (
http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn more about how I am standing up for New Jersey families in the United States Senate.
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