The true story on e-cigarettes - Johnson Creek

[beebopnjazz]

The true story on e-cigarettes - JSOnline

The Chief Operating Officer (Heidi Braun) addresses the piece written by Dr. Michael Miller which was published on July 18.

"Perhaps that's why I was deeply disappointed to read Dr. Michael Miller's op-ed about e-cigarettes in the Journal Sentinel Crossroads section on July 18. Miller doesn't have his facts correct about e-smoking, and, as a physician, his words unfortunately carry a lot of clout."

 

[Whistle_Pig]

She starts out so well, and then loses me with the call for the industry to be put under the thumb of the FDA. The federal govt. is on a mission to elimate the sale and consumption by humans of anything related to tobacco. Just recently I read about a move afoot to restrict menthol. They've banned flavorings -- even traditional ones such as clove, despite, as I've read, no evidence that flavored cigarettes are any greater inducement to minors as regular ones.

No, I don't trust the government at all. Consider the consequences of the CPSIA. Haven't heard of it? Look it up. If there's a need for labeling standards, lab standards, etc., then form an industry group and get out ahead of the feddies. Something akin to Underwriters Laboratories maybe.

Really, the last thing I need is yet another bunch of bureaucrats jumping into yet another part of my life. One of the reasons I quit smoking was to deny the govt. the revenue from increasingly onerous tobacco taxes.

 

[Thulium]

She starts out so well, and then loses me with the call for the industry to be put under the thumb of the FDA. The federal govt. is on a mission to elimate the sale and consumption by humans of anything related to tobacco. Just recently I read about a move afoot to restrict menthol. They've banned flavorings -- even traditional ones such as clove, despite, as I've read, no evidence that flavored cigarettes are any greater inducement to minors as regular ones.

No, I don't trust the government at all. Consider the consequences of the CPSIA. Haven't heard of it? Look it up. If there's a need for labeling standards, lab standards, etc., then form an industry group and get out ahead of the feddies. Something akin to Underwriters Laboratories maybe.

Really, the last thing I need is yet another bunch of bureaucrats jumping into yet another part of my life. One of the reasons I quit smoking was to deny the govt. the revenue from increasingly onerous tobacco taxes.

I understand your misgivings about government agencies, especially the FDA, but it is unfair to fault Johnson Creek for expressing willingness to abide by the law. Although you might prefer to allow e-cigarettes and similar products to be allowed on the market without any regulations, it's just not in the cards. Even if the FDA loses their appeal that e-cigarettes can or should be regulated as a medical device, they can still take jurisdiction over e-cigarettes by regulating them as a tobacco product. If Johnson Creek wants to remain a legal business, they will have to go through the FDA one way or another.

As long as e-cigarettes continue to be marketed as a recreational alternative to smoking, I see no reason why they should not be treated like other smoke-free tobacco products (which, despite the fact that the FDA has actively blocked the public from this "potentially misleading" truth, have been shown to be at least 98% safer than the known hazards of combustion).

Ideally, the FDA will be required to fast-track modified risk tobacco products so that they can legally advertise the health benefits of switching to smoke-free alternatives...but so far the FDA seems to think that MRTP's are medical devices, not tobacco products. Considering how much money the FDA receives from giant corporations who make drugs and medical devices, the conflict of interest is so glaring that it should be no wonder that they are trying to ban any non-medical use of tobacco products they can.

 

[GregH]

I thought it was a great commentary. I went to post it on Digg, but someone had beat me to it. Here's the link if anyone else wants to Digg it.

The true story on e-cigarettes

 

[Reyth]

Being a CJ customer and seeing other statements from them online, I know that when they call for regulation it is the sensible kind, where children are protected and quality levels are insured.

They have already implemented the quality controls which is why I buy from them.

This will of course also have the effect of eliminating the majority of their competition as well.