Philip Morris International announces support (i.e. lobbying) for FDA deeming and other e-cig regs

[Bill Godshall]

Philip Morris International just announced a new partnership with
Altria to lobby for the FDA deeming regulation and other
counterproductive e-cig regulations that will ban 99% of e-cig products
(including all effective cessation products), and eliminate 99% of
e-cig companies.
PMI.com Press Release

While I'm pleased PMI is going to begin marketing e-cigs (as I've
repeatedly urged them to do so since 2009), I cannot fathom why anyone
(except for large tobacco companies) would aggressively lobby for
federal regulations that give the entire e-cig industry to Big tobacco.

Even worse, the short sighted folks at FDA and CDC and their allies at
Big Pharma funded CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AMA, AAP, etc. are doing so by
falsely deceiving the public health community and the public to believe
these FDA regs will "protect the children".

A potential silver lining in PMI's announcement is that it bolsters our efforts
to convince the public (and the idiots at FDA, CDC, CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AMA,
AAP, etc.) that FDA e-cig regs will give the e-cig industry to Big tobacco,
which is one of our most persuasive arguments to prevent/defeat the regulations
(since those folks clearly don't care about the health of smokers or vapers).

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Follow the money, but at least it gives us a nice target.

 

[emus]

In spite of media efforts to demonize bullies, I see bullies wining every day in the real world.
Rarely do the meek inherit.
Heaven help us in the BT fight.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Perhaps of our most effective argument to derail the FDA regs is by pointing out that they'll give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco.

Altria and PMI have proven that argument to be correct.

We need to shame the ANTZ and the Obama Administration for trying to give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco.

 

[john333]

I clicked on the PMI.com press release and found the "contact us" button. Sent them a message that would shame a normal company. Of course I am sure my message fell on deaf ears.

 

[_Lee]

So any device manufacturer or liquid is in danger at this point? Please dumb it down for me.

 

[r77r7r]

Perhaps of our most effective argument to derail the FDA regs is by pointing out that they'll give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco.

Altria and PMI have proven that argument to be correct.

We need to shame the ANTZ and the Obama Administration for trying to give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco.

What steps do we take to accomplish this?

 

[Bill Godshall]

Here's Altria's press release
http://www.altria.com/Media/Press-Releases/Pages/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?reqID=1886410

Lots of news stories have been published about Altria's and PMI's announcement, but none of the clueless reporters even mentioned that PMI has endorsed the FDA deeming reg and other e-cig regs.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/busine...cle_e8d9581c-6989-11e3-95b2-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/sns-rt-us-philipmorris-altria-20131220,0,1115367.story
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/altria-philip-morris-intl-partnering-products-21287924
http://www.foxbusiness.com/industri...usiness/section/news+(Internal+-+News+-+Text)
http://www.fool.com/investing/gener...is-join-forces-to-promote-2.aspx#.UrTAI9JDvSk



r77 inquired

What steps do we take to accomplish this?

Please see

Action Alert: Urge Congress to prevent FDA from banning e-cigarettes again and to stop FDA from giving the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...op-fda-giving-e-cig-industry-big-tobacco.html

 

[Tepid]

You can not change a Rattle Snake or teach it to not bite you.
It's not the politicians we need to convince or change. They never will.
It's the population, the citizen that needs to change.

Only then can we elect the right people to govern over us.

Till the citizen mentality changes, the politicians will remain the same.

 

[Orb Skewer]

You can not change a Rattle Snake or teach it to not bite you.
It's not the politicians we need to convince or change. They never will.
It's the population, the citizen that needs to change.

Only then can we elect the right people to govern over us.

Till the citizen mentality changes, the politicians will remain the same.

+1
however, "Put 5 monkeys in a cage, hang a banana from the roof........."

 

[AgentAnia]

Unfortunately, we don't have time to wait for a new regime administration. The current placeholders are writing the regs and voting in the laws.

I agree with Bill. In any war, if you can use the enemy's ammunition against them, do it. The ANTZ say BT is behind the ecig surge. We say no, it's a johnny-come-lately, but keep on going, and it will own the market, thanks to *you*!

 

[Tepid]

I am in no way saying to give up the battle, hell no.
I am saying there needs to be pressure put on society to change though
Not just with e-Cigs, (which I don't agree with that label, but that will never change either, due to citizen mentality)
but every where and in every thing.

This isn't just a battle about vaping, and I think that idea gets lost.

I just keep wondering when Freedom itself makes a real come back, cause it ain't really here anymore.

Guilty till proven innocent rules the day, these days.

 

[Don Robertson]

“PMI firmly believes that reduced-risk tobacco products, as well as e-cigarettes, represent an important step toward achieving the public health goal of harm reduction, a potential paradigm shift for the industry and a significant growth opportunity for the company. Further to our plans for international test market introduction of our candidate reduced-risk products as of the second-half of 2014, this agreement establishes a roadmap for commercialization in the U.S., subject to FDA authorization. At the same time, it provides us with a platform to accelerate our entry into international e-cigarette markets while we continue to develop future versions,” said André Calantzopoulos, PMI’s Chief Executive Officer.

SO? Philip Morris knows that introducing their "new and improved" E-Cigarettes Internationally will meet less resistance than if they started in the USA. Their partnership with Altria Group, Inc. (“Altria”) to "commercialize" reduced-risk products and e-cigarettes simply says, "We see the bucks slipping away, so we are jumping in with our Multi-Billion-Dollar profit motivated plan to finally save smokers lives."

Once we are firmly established AND REGULATED in countries where "smoking" is almost taught from birth and the profit margins are solidly established we will work with the FDA, who has now given us sole control of ANY FORM OF NICOTINE one can imagine. Our goal will be to produce "health friendly" / "reduced risk" products to supplement the massive LOSS OF REVENUE from traditional cigarettes. We at Phillip Morris are well aware the American people seek an alternative to traditional cigarettes and we feel a moral obligation to provide such a product.

Allowing the production and sale of ANY product capable of allowing individuals to ingest ANY LEVEL OF NICOTINE should and and must be firmly regulated by the FDA to guarantee users receive only the safest delivery devices which we have long been developing. Our MASSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS to our political allies in the Congress and Senate virtually guarantees we will replace free enterprise "mom and pop" stores, well established wholesale and retail outlets both in the United States and abroad. While we do not INTEND to crush private enterprise, it is unfortunately part of operating any business. The well established companies such as Phillip Morris and other tobacco growers cannot continue to suffer the losses of recent years and be expected to survive. It is better to see a fraction of the jobs lost when we put these individuals out of business or buy them outright than to see big tobacco fail and bankrupt millions.

Obama desires to "take from the wealthy and redistribute wealth across all those who do not have the capability to fend for their own well being. BIG TOBACCO desires to do the same thing while presenting their plan as being "with the best interest of the American people in mind". In the end it all comes out smelling like an 'Exlax Day' at the local dairy. Our corrupt government officials will allow Phillip Morris and Company to do exactly as they propose; crush private enterprise both within the United States and on foreign soil.

Screw you Phillip Morris. Screw you Barack Obama.

From Senility Central -- Ticked off Donald Robertson

 

[Don Robertson]

Their press release was intended for one specific group - one specific reason (last line below):

Philip Morris International Inc.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is the leading international tobacco company, with seven of the world’s top 15 international brands, including Marlboro, the number one cigarette brand worldwide. PMI’s products are sold in more than 180 markets. In 2012, the company held an estimated 16.3% share of the total international cigarette market outside of the U.S., or 28.8% excluding the People’s Republic of China and the U.S. For more information, see PMI.com homepage.



Source: Philip Morris International Inc.

New York: +1 917-663-2233
Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666
or
Media:
Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500
Investor Relations (above)

 

[Don Robertson]

Deleted double post