Urgent E-cig Action Alert: Please contact US Senate HELP Committee TODAY

[Bill Godshall]

Urgent E-cig Action Alert

US Senate HELP Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow (Thursday) at 2:30PM to demonize e-cigs and lobby for vaping bans, e-cig ad bans and FDA’s proposed deeming regulation that would ban >99% of e-cig products, give the e-cig industry to Big tobacco, and threaten the lives of all vapers and smokers. FDA’s Mitch Zeller and CDC’s Tim McAfee are the only witness invited to testify.
US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions: Hearings - Hearing
Week ahead: Senate Democrats target e-cigarettes | TheHill

Last week, Harkin and several other Senate Democrats sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Hamburg repeating fear mongering claims about e-cig vapor, and calling for even more unwarranted restrictions on e-cigs.
US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions: Newsroom - Press Releases

Immediate Action Requested (Deadline Thursday, May 15^th at 2:30PM)

Please contact US Senate HELP Cmte members (listed below) from your state TODAY urging him/her to oppose FDA’s proposed deeming regulation because it would ban >99% of e-cigs (including all premium vaporizers and e-liquid), give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco, create a huge black market and increase safety risks, and threaten the lives of all vapers and smokers.

Suggested questions for Senators to ask FDA’s Mitch Zeller:

- How can public health benefit by FDA banning 99% of e-cigarette products that have helped many smokers quit?

- How can public health benefit if FDA protects cigarettes from market competition (by far less hazardous vaporizers) and gives the e-cigarette industry (comprised of several thousand mostly small companies) to Big Tobacco and perhaps several large cigalike companies?

- Why does the FDA keep denying the scientific and empirical evidence that e-cigarettes have helped many smokers quit, as the proposed deeming regulation states (on page 40) “There is no evidence to date that e-cigarettes are effective cessation devices.”?

- Why does the FDA consider tobacco companies and anti tobacco activists to be “stakeholders” in the regulatory process, but not consumers whose lives are at stake?

- Since e-cigarettes are far less hazardous than cigarettes, and since nearly all e-cigarette consumption is by smokers and former smokers who switched to e-cigarettes, doesn’t that benefit, instead of threaten public health?

Suggested questions for Senators to ask CDC’s Tim McAfee:

- Since the CDC’s National Youth Tobacco Survey found that teen smokers were 20 times more likely than nonsmokers to report past e-cig use, that <1% of nonsmoking teens reported past e-cig use, and that teen smoking rates declined from 2011 to 2012, why did CDC Director Tom Frieden and you tell the news media e-cigarettes were addicting youth, were gateways to smoking, and can renormalize smoking?

- Why is the CDC recruiting and offering to pay e-cigarette users who were diagnosed with a “serious health condition” to appear in advertisements even if their disease wasn’t caused by e-cigarette use? CDC Recruitment Ad for 2015 (All Conditions Only)

- Why does the CDC refuse to acknowledge that many smokers have quit smoking by switching to e-cigarettes?

- Why does the CDC oppose smokers switching to far less hazardous e-cigarettes?

- Since e-cigarettes are less hazardous than cigarettes, and since far more smokers begin using e-cigarettes than nonsmokers, aren’t e-cigarettes benefiting public health?

Please urge Senators to ask some of these (or other) questions at tomorrow’s hearing.

US Senate HELP Committee
U.S. Senate
US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions: Home

Democrats

Tom Harkin (IA) Chair
(202) 224-3254
www.harkin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Barbara Mikulski (MD)
(202) 224-4654
www.mikulski.senate.gov/contact/

Patty Murray (WA)
(202) 224-2626
www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme

Bernard Sanders (VT)
(202) 224-5141
www.sanders.senate.gov/contact/

Robert P. Casey, Jr (PA)
(202) 224-6324
www.casey.senate.gov/contact/

Kay Hagen (NC)
(202) 224-6342
www.hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact

Al Franken (MN)
(202) 224-5641
www.franken.senate.gov/?p=contact

Michael Bennet (CO)
(202) 224-5852
www.bennet.senate.gov/contact/

Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
(202) 224-2921
www.whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/

Tammy Baldwin (WI)
(202) 224-5653
www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact

Christopher Murphy (CT)
(202) 224-4041
www.murphy.senate.gov/contact

Elizabeth Warren (MA)
(202) 224-4543
www.warren.senate.gov/?p=email_senator

Republicans

Lamar Alexander (TN) Ranking Member
(202) 224-4944
www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Michael Enzi (WY)
(202) 224-3424
E-mail Senator Enzi - Contact - United States Senator Mike Enzi

Richard Burr (NC)
(202) 224-3154
http://www.burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Johnny Isakson (GA)
(202) 224-3643
www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me

Rand Paul (KY)
(202) 224-4343
www.paul.senate.gov/?p=contact

Orrin Hatch (UT)
(202) 224-5251
www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=Email-Orrin

Pat Roberts (KS)
(202) 224-4774
www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailPat

Lisa Murkowski (AK)
(202) 224-6665
www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Mark Kirk (IL)
(202) 224-2854
www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=contact

Tim Scott (SC)
(202) 224-6121
www.scott.senate.gov/contact/email-me


Bill Godshall
Executive Director
Smokefree Pennsylvania
1926 Monongahela Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
412-351-5880
BillGodshall@verizon.net


Please note that I also posted this alert at
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...senate-help-committee-today.html#post13144693

 

[sky4it]

Thanks Mr. Bill Godshell very informative.

On Bill's third website he posted above, at the very bottom is a letter to the commissioner of the FDA which has some really disturbing dreadful stuff, Here is the quote from the article Bill posted:
" Additionally, in an effort to obtain a more potent nicotine high, some sellers and users of e-cigarettes and other advanced nicotine delivery products, manipulate these devices so that the nicotine liquid can be applied directly onto the heating element, a process called “dripping”, which heats the liquid nicotine intensely and rapidly, producing not only a rapid nicotine rush, but also changing the chemical reactions of the ingredients present in these liquid nicotine products. The resulting “emissions” can create levels of carcinogens, such as formaldehyde, that are similar to those present in traditional cigarette smoke."

So they are accusing vapors of seeking a nicotine rush, and dripping in particular of producing producing formaldehyde. (very disturbing)

1) cigalikes contain a atomizer coil, and a cotton wick and operate generally at 3.7 to 4.1 volts.
2 drippers contain atomizer coil, a cotton wick or silica, eckowool generally, and you can operate them with a vv mod at any voltage.
3) Incidentally, all vaping constitutes applying liquid nicotine (unless it is 0 strength) onto a heating element or there would be no vapor on any ecig. This is a misapplication of principle in general.

Since I own a dripper, and am not into hot vape, when I did drip, (I dont anymore) I ran my vv mod at 3.2 to 3.5 its plenty warm for me.
So, does this mean I dripped healthier than people vaping cigalikes like blu? Apparently so.

And even if (IF IF IF) a dripper could produce formaldehyde at say 6 volts, why punish those who won't? Plus it will burn up your cotton wick at 6 volts, so why punish the idea of cotton or sheep in general. I have electrical sockets in my living quarters also, that doesn't mean I stick my finger in the socket to get a buzz. Then there is the concept of a nicotine rush. Well, you get a nicotine rush on stinkies too, so lets punish the concept in general. Nanny State, gets to say where we get our Nicotine rushes from, that is all this nonsense is.

Total and complete hogwash, and propaganda for FDA approval. (I do not know how they came to the Formaldehyde conclusion, but even if its correct they are accusing people of stupidity. If someone does and wants to post it, I will read and learn.) Also, I have draino in the bathroom that doesn't mean I want to eat it.

And so it goes... just like that. Then they make that stuff work because non vapers are ignorant of the facts, to prey on there ignorance and, "Their a yankeey doodle dandy, yankee doodle do or die, there a real live nephew of their uncle Sam...." To do the Patriotic Propaganda shuffle. Apparently the following officials drafted this letter to the FDA in February: Senators Harkin, Boxer, Markey, Durbin, Blumenthal, and Brown. With my apologies to the group at ECF, if you have already pored over this letter, I am new to posting in the FDA section, so I dunno if you have been over it before. But perhaps this letter does carry greater significance now, in light of the new FDA proposed Regs. So that it might not hurt to go over it again? (I just can't bring myself to say that word deeming, why did i then, that word is just so, ohh never mind)

With respect to this, that non-philospher Alice Cooper,(go figure) makes more sense in explaining what this is,then they do, Schools Out, by the The Coop,
"Well we got no choice
All the girls and boys
Makin all that noise
'Cause they found new toys
Well we can't salute ya
Can't find a flag
If that don't suit ya
That's a drag."

Where's my little flag, I wanna be a yankee doodle dandy too.

 

[Bill Godshall]

The most impactful thing vapers (who live in states of a Senate HELP Cmte member) can do in the next week is call or write your Senator (either in DC or at one of their state offices) expressing outrage at the comments made by Senator Harkin and CDC's Tim McAfee at yesterday's hearing, praising the statements made by Senators Alexander and Burr, telling the Senator how you quit smoking (or reduced cigarette consumption) by switching to vapor products, and urging the Senator to oppose the FDA's proposed deeming regulation because it would ban nearly all e-cig products now on the market and give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco.

Letters and calls to Harkin, Alexander and Burr would also be very helpful (as Harkin needs to hear that he's dead wrong, while Alexander and Burr need to hear support for their statements, as we may need their help again if Harkin decides to keep pushing his agenda). Although its probably best to not mention to Sen. Burr that the deeming reg would give the e-cig industry to Big Tobacco (as RJ Reynolds is Burr's chief constituent on this issue).


US Senate HELP Committee
U.S. Senate
US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions: Home

Democrats

Tom Harkin (IA) Chair
(202) 224-3254
www.harkin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Barbara Mikulski (MD)
(202) 224-4654
www.mikulski.senate.gov/contact/

Patty Murray (WA)
(202) 224-2626
www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme

Bernard Sanders (VT)
(202) 224-5141
www.sanders.senate.gov/contact/

Robert P. Casey, Jr (PA)
(202) 224-6324
www.casey.senate.gov/contact/

Kay Hagen (NC)
(202) 224-6342
www.hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact

Al Franken (MN)
(202) 224-5641
www.franken.senate.gov/?p=contact

Michael Bennet (CO)
(202) 224-5852
www.bennet.senate.gov/contact/

Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
(202) 224-2921
www.whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/

Tammy Baldwin (WI)
(202) 224-5653
www.baldwin.senate.gov/contact

Christopher Murphy (CT)
(202) 224-4041
www.murphy.senate.gov/contact

Elizabeth Warren (MA)
(202) 224-4543
www.warren.senate.gov/?p=email_senator

Republicans

Lamar Alexander (TN) Ranking Member
(202) 224-4944
www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Michael Enzi (WY)
(202) 224-3424
E-mail Senator Enzi - Contact - United States Senator Mike Enzi

Richard Burr (NC)
(202) 224-3154
http://www.burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Johnny Isakson (GA)
(202) 224-3643
www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me

Rand Paul (KY)
(202) 224-4343
www.paul.senate.gov/?p=contact

Orrin Hatch (UT)
(202) 224-5251
www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=Email-Orrin

Pat Roberts (KS)
(202) 224-4774
www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailPat

Lisa Murkowski (AK)
(202) 224-6665
www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Mark Kirk (IL)
(202) 224-2854
www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=contact

Tim Scott (SC)
(202) 224-6121
www.scott.senate.gov/contact/email-me

 

[Katya]

What about vapers who don't live in states of a Senate HELP Cmte members? Is there anything we can do? After all, all vapers will be affected by their deliberations/decisions. Any recommendations?

 

[aikanae1]

What about vapers who don't live in states of a Senate HELP Cmte members? Is there anything we can do? After all, all vapers will be affected by their deliberations/decisions. Any recommendations?

You can always google for an appropiate address.

Harkin's FB page has probably never seen such a flury of activity during the last century (however long he's been there).

I tend to think he was sacrificed by those on the committee who didn't find it important enough to show up. That can be just as bad. The last figure I have is there are 16 million smokers in the US and 70% of them want to quit. Yet only 6% are able to do so. I would say current approved cessation products leave a lot of room for improvement and maybe there's room for harm reduction (the date for a "smoke-free america" has been moved up 6x's now?)

And there's probably another response.

 

[sky4it]

Done, I emailed Al Franken. Of course he gets 1000's of letters from all over the place so hope he gets time to read.
Katya, write a letter to Al if you wish, I am from Minnesota, Al is for things that are smart, I do believe that.

Al Franken is on the committee. I believe Franken always means well.

Perhaps Al could become the Chair person. That would be good. Then, he could turn himself into Stuart Smalley, you know his impersonation, that would stall this out for about 10 years. Can you see Franken as Smalley saying something like, " This is all friendly, lets be friends, we have to start with friendship if we do this this
is what is called hope." Because Al is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIETlxquzY
Finally Minnesota is good for something.

Here in Minnesota we only lead the country in three things:
1) Drinking coffee
2) Losing Superbowls
3) Electing weird politicians. (Sorry big Al, I was speaking of Jesse the body Ventura, and Former Gov Rudy Perpich.)

 

[sonicdsl]

<...>
Here in Minnesota we only lead the country in three things:
1) Drinking coffee
2) Losing Superbowls
3) Electing weird politicians. (Sorry big Al, I was speaking of Jesse the body Ventura, and Former Gov Rudy Perpich.)

4) And the highest excise taxes on ecigs