FDA Six US Senate Democrats urge FDA's Hamburg to impose false fear mongering warnings on e-cigs, while claiming to want accurate warnings

[Bill Godshall]

Six US Senate Democrats (Boxer-CA, Blumenthal-CT, Brown-OH, Durbin-IL, Markey-MA, Reed-RI) send letter to FDA Commissioner Hamburg urging agency to “adopt aggressive warning labels that correctly communicate the health consequences of e-cigarette use,” but then suggest unconstitutional, false and misleading fear mongering warnings claiming nicotine harms “brain development”, and claiming “additives and other chemicals that may be in e-cigarettes, such as benzene and formaldehyde” pose “dangers”, cite NY Times article by e-cig propagandist Matt Richtel as justification.
http://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/press/related/2014_1009_FDA-Ecigarette-Warning-Letter.pdf

After criticizing tobacco companies last week for posting false and misleading fear mongering warnings on e-cigs (to avoid frivolous litigation by greedy lawyers and clueless State AGs), NY Times e-cig propagandist (aka reporter) Matt Richtell touts US Senate Democrats letter to FDA Cmsnr Hamburg urging agency to require similarly false and misleading warnings, cites his previous propaganda demonizing e-cigs and nicotine as evidence.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/10/b...e-stronger-warnings-on-e-cigarettes.html?_r=0

 

[DrMA]

Omg

 

[sonicdsl]

Omg

yup

 

[readeuler]

Ugh. Sherrod Brown's in my neck of the woods, I'll be sending a letter. I'll be sure to let him know that the FDA doesn't need suggestions on negative action towards ecigs, as they will certainly do much of their own volition.

I don't know. Something.

 

[Kent C]

Ugh. Sherrod Brown's in my neck of the woods, I'll be sending a letter. I'll be sure to let him know that the FDA doesn't need suggestions on negative action towards ecigs, as they will certainly do much of their own volition.

I don't know. Something.

If you want, I'll just send you a copy of the form letter that his office sends out

But go ahead, just in case they're counting....

 

[DC2]

Didn't even need to open the link to know which Senators were involved... although Reed looks like a new addition?

 

[Marc411]

I'm an Illinois resident and Durbin has to go. He is a representative that takes a position without any fact-finding and spews information without knowledge.

 

[Kent C]

Didn't even need to open the link to know which Senators were involved... although Reed looks like a new addition?

No.... he's been in on other letters.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...sale-distribution-marketing-e-cigarettes.html

One by you
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ion-marketing-e-cigarettes-3.html#post9288591

 

[DC2]

Ah, such an unremarkable name... Jack Reed... guess I just didn't remember it.

 

[roosterado]

Now I don't know which party to dislike more! I wish these incumbent Dems would lose a primary! Oh Heavens forbid ill health.

 

[Kent C]

Now I don't know which party to dislike more! I wish these incumbent Dems would lose a primary! Oh Heavens forbid ill health.

It should be noted and 'as has been noted' - there are Republicans at the state and local levels mainly, who have introduced, sponsored, co-sponsored and voted for some regulations - mostly in the sale to minors, whereas many state and local Dems have voted against sale to minors BUT because the regulation didn't go far enough.

I know of no libertarians or libertarian leaning officials that have supported any restrictions on ecigs. Doesn't mean there isn't any, just that I'm unaware of any and I search for such things

 

[Nate760]

Didn't even need to open the link to know which Senators were involved... although Reed looks like a new addition?

Maybe he's pinch hitting for Harkin. He's the only usual suspect I don't see on the above list.

 

[Tygerlovesdeb]

A very interesting article. However, I think the article left out a major point that I believe will ultimately motivate the government to move for tougher regulation on e-cigarettes. When the government went berserk of the big tobacco companies, they found a way to make a ton of money in doing so. To expound on that point, consider the fact that the government is raking in as much as $6.16 a pack in Chicago, Illinois (see http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0267.pdf.)

The state of Illinois raked in over $580m last year in tobacco taxes (see http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...ections-rise-board-president-toni-preckwinkle) and openly admits that they use the revenues for helping to balance their budgets, which one can reasonably assume is a common practice amongst most states. Interesting to note, the high taxes were originally imposed allegedly to help educate people on the health hazards of tobacco use, funding for helping people quit and to deter people from smoking, to name a few. (see http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/publications/en_tfi_mpower_brochure_r.pdf[/url])

There are numerous articles concerning the steady decline of federal and state tax proceeds from tobacco taxation (see http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0267.pdf.) Though I have not read any article attributing the reason why tax proceeds are steadily declining, one could reasonably assume that the high tax rates have caused many people to quit smoking and that the rising sale of e-cigarettes is likely taking a big bite out of said proceeds. Though that is just my opinion, according to Forbes Magazine, e-cigarettes sales top over $1b in sales (currently exempt from the tobacco use taxes) in the US in 2013 and are expect to nearly triple that this year. (see http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml)

Considering the aforementioned facts, it is reasonable to assume that Uncle Sam is going to find some way to raise their take on tobacco tax revenues by using the FDA and other government agencies to bash e-cigarettes under the guise of they are bad for your health as an excuse to tax the hades out of them. In my opinion, the above article and similar others are overlooking the real reason why the FDA is even considering the regulation of e-cigarettes, because we all know Uncle Sam could careless about our health. Whom, maybe I am just a pessimist.

 

[WhiteHighlights]

I'm not surprised that this gang of 6 put out a statement like this. I thought something would happen given the over the top warning labels that Atria & Reynolds put out for their ecigs. Warning Labels Make E-Cigs Sound Worse - Business Insider

If BT is saying that ecigs are bad, and we all know that the real ones are bad and BT lied to us in the past about the dangers of cigarettes, of course e-cigs are even worse than we thought and we need to strictly regulate them as soon as possible.. right?

Reality check - BT is doing a massive CYA for any potentially claimed side effects and contriving to get the regulations pushed that favor them. This 6 pack of senators took the bait. no surprise there at all.

 

[Gato del Jugo]

Just an observation that perhaps gives us a glimmer of hope..


But did anybody notice that it was "only" 6 Senators this go-around?

Hasn't there been in the past up to 15 or so members of Congress who have signed such letters along the same vein?


What that all means, I don't know.. But seems like a positive step in the right direction, anyway...

 

[Kent C]

Just an observation that perhaps gives us a glimmer of hope..


But did anybody notice that it was "only" 6 Senators this go-around?

Hasn't there been in the past up to 15 or so members of Congress who have signed such letters along the same vein?


What that all means, I don't know.. But seems like a positive step in the right direction, anyway...

Some notables retiring - Tom Harkin, Jay Rockefeller, Carl Levin, Henry Nostrilitis Waxman, Jim Moran, George Miller, Carolyn McCarthy, John Dingel.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Marc wrote

I'm an Illinois resident and Durbin has to go.

While Durbin will remain in the US Senate next year, and will likely remain the 2nd most powerful Senate Democrat (to Harry Reid), they and other Senate Democrats won't control the Senate (nor Chair any of its committees) if the Republicans win 51 Senate seats in the election in three weeks.

If/when that occurs, the campaign by Durbin and other lefty Dems against e-cigs will lose much/most influence, especially with the mainstream news media, which will no longer turn their letters to FDA's Hamburg and press releases lying about e-cigs into news headlines and articles.

When the Dems controlled the US House during the past decade, Henry Waxman similarly issued dozens of fear mongering reports, letters, press releases (every several weeks) and generated lots of news stories lobbying Congress to enact the FSPTCA "to protect the children" from "Big Tobacco".

But since the Republicans took control of the US House in 2010, you haven't heard nearly as much from Waxman (as from Durbin and other Senate Democrats) because he lost much of his power.

In sum, much of the demonization of e-cigs and lobbying for FDA's deeming regulation (that would ban >99% of vapor products) by US Senate Democrats should significantly diminish if the Republicans take over the Senate.

 

[Lessifer]

I sent Boxer a letter, as a CA resident and registered Democrat. Haven't gotten a response yet. The gist of it was, "while I'm a democrat on most issues, your stance on e-cigs makes me seriously want to reconsider."

 

[Gato del Jugo]

Some notables retiring - Tom Harkin, Jay Rockefeller, Carl Levin, Henry Nostrilitis Waxman, Jim Moran, George Miller, Carolyn McCarthy, John Dingel.

Sounds like maybe we need to help push the remaining others a lot closer to retirement..

 

[Kent C]

Sounds like maybe we need to help push the remaining others a lot closer to retirement..

In the past - '94, '96, '98, etc. when the Republicans took majority of both Houses, you saw a huge drop out by retirement by many long time Democrats some of who went back to Eisenhower years. They controlled both Houses for over 50 years (with one blip in the Senate) going back to FDR. So a change in leadership in the Senate will likely push others out as well. Harkin and Rockefeller and a few others likely saw the train coming down the tracks....

There were rumors in 2012 that Durbin might retire, but he's up for re-election in Nov. against State Senator Jim Oberweis. Durbin has been running 12-14 points ahead. Harry Reid, now 74, only won by just over 50% in 2010, and up for re-election in 2016 will likely leave if the Republicans take over the majority next month.