US Senate Appropriations Cmte approves bill urging FDA to issue "deeming" regulation for unregulated tobacco products, including e-cigarettes

[Rule62]

It seems to me that now more than ever, the e cig manufacturers and suppliers need to form a politically active trade organization. There's been a lot of talk lately about whether or not the acquisition of Blu by a BT company is a good or bad thing. I have no idea, any more than anybody else. But maybe if there were an active organization, Lorillard/Blu would bring some serious money to the table, to protect their investment. It's time for the suppliers to stop just sitting in their cubicles, taking orders and stuffing prepaid shipping boxes and start looking out for one another. It's not just up to the consumers to start bombarding their respective Congressmen with e mails. We need the suppliers to put some "skin" in the game.

 

[Uncle Willie]

I've harped on the supplier issue since joining ECF ..

 

[bnrkwest]

For some reason, to me anyway, this threat sounds pretty real ..

I know what you mean, it seems like it will sneak up on us and then whamo, things get shut down. Well checked my stash, good to go for now. I just wish ecigs could be looked at for what they are and not lumped with cigars and snuff and chew etc. But seems like no one is listening in congress. bnrk

 

[Uncle Willie]

I know what you mean, it seems like it will sneak up on us and then whamo, things get shut down. Well checked my stash, good to go for now. I just wish ecigs could be looked at for what they are and not lumped with cigars and snuff and chew etc. But seems like no one is listening in congress. bnrk

Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but this "deeming" loophole bothers me .. I'm seriously thinking it's time to hoard ..

 

[bnrkwest]

Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but this "deeming" loophole bothers me .. I'm seriously thinking it's time to hoard ..

Never hurts to have a good supply of DIY, cartos, etc. It reminds me of when the sending cigarettes thru US mail was banned. Back when I smoked I was getting cigarettes thru the mail then one one day went to order and I got this pop up saying it was illegal to ship cigarettes thru the mail. I thought wow when did that happen! So you just never know. Actually the mailing ban on cigarettes is what prompted me to seek out ecigs again plus the outrageous prices of a pack of cigs. So that ban was a good thing LOL bnrk

 

[Rule62]

Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but this "deeming" loophole bothers me .. I'm seriously thinking it's time to hoard ..

I've been hoarding for a while now. I have a couple years worth of nic in the freezer. Probably 100 or so CE2s.
The DIYers are going to be the new "moonshiners".

 

[Uncle Willie]

Never hurts to have a good supply of DIY, cartos, etc. It reminds me of when the sending cigarettes thru US mail was banned. Back when I smoked I was getting cigarettes thru the mail then one one day went to order and I got this pop up saying it was illegal to ship cigarettes thru the mail. I thought wow when did that happen! So you just never know. Actually the mailing ban on cigarettes is what prompted me to seek out ecigs again plus the outrageous prices of a pack of cigs. So that ban was a good thing LOL bnrk

I've always believed that it would be liquid with nic that would be the problem .. that batteries / cartos / would not be a problem because how do you ban those .. ?? Now, I'm not so sure ..

Bill, your thoughts / opinion would be appreciated ..

 

[bnrkwest]

It is hard to control sales of a blank carto with nothing in it I agree nic would be the hardest to come by I would think. I have some in my freezer that will last me a long time since I vape at 6 nic, so I have alot of juice & DIY on hand. No problem getting flavors to make DIY. I have several mods/APV's, so no trouble getting batteries for those. I think they are most likely the best to have if things get tight, because once you have them you only need batteries. bnrk

 

[Bill Godshall]

The three sentences inserted at Durbin's insistance in the Senate Appropriations Committee Report are on the top of page 81 and copied below.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112srpt163/pdf/CRPT-112srpt163.pdf

Tobacco.---The Committee recognizes FDA has declared its intent to issue a proposed rule clarifying the agency's jurisdiction over tobacco products. The Committee strongly encourages the agency to issue this proposed rule and promulgate regulations as necessary. The Committee instructs the agency to consider, among other things, the issue of cigars with characterizing flavors, particularly as it applies to the marketing and sale of these products to children.

 

[Bill Godshall]

I've been informed that Sen. Durbin proposed far worse language (to require the FDA to issue the "deeming" regulation), and that Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), the ranking Republican on the Senate Agricultural Appropriations Committee, vigorously opposed Durbin's proposal.

Per Blunt's insistance, the language was watered down to the resulting three sentences. Since Durbin had enough Democrat votes on the committee to pass whatever he wanted, Blunt agreed to go along with the watered down compromise.

 

[Uncle Willie]

Bill .. laymans terms, your opinion of the immediate effect on us in the event the bill passes .. ?? thank you

 

[rghgoods]

Hoarding seems to be the root of all this evil. Politicians hoarding power, BT and BP hoarding money, and now consumers are hoarding for themselves. As stated earlier, why are more people not banning together on this. my (unmentioned) company has over 10,000 e-cig users in our home state of Illinois alone. We will be working diligently to rally the troops, but that will not be enough. This needs to be brought to national spotlight as tobacco related deaths are one of the leading health epidemics in the nation.

Some of you might think I'm preaching to the choir, but what are you REALLy doing about it? Spend some of that time, money and effort from hoarding to doing something that will make a difference for all of us. My company quietly supports CASAA on a monthly basis, we actively are collecting testimonials, we've reached out to the FDA for information and we are CONSTANTLY educating the public on a scale and in directions that many of you could't imagine. I think the vendors are have begun to do their part, they have to. They have a vested (and many of them personal) interest in the industry. The vendors are the ones creating the awareness to the public that this product even exists, although the efforts may not always be organized. It's bad for business to mix politics, it's good for consumers/voters to be the ones to stand up. Unfortunately, the consumers are not organized either. They may be to some extent on this forum, but this forum is a VERY small fraction of the industry.

Forgive me for my rant, but I have lurked on this forum for a few years and continue to see fear mongering with laziness with so many people. There are a very select few actively doing anything. Talk is cheap, cigarettes and cancer are not.

Rant over, back to awareness for me. Top of my list today, contact our State Senator, .... Durbin.....

7 billion people in the world and counting. Never the less, whatever YOU do makes a difference.

 

[Bill Godshall]

In response to Willie's inquiry, it now appears unlikely that the appropriations bill will contain that language on Senate passage, but the damage has already been done (as the FDA takes seriously suggestions that are included in Congressional committee reports by committees that appropriate FDA funds).

We need to convince at least one of the Republican House Committee Chairs who oversees FDA to inform FDA (via legislation, committee report and/or direct communicitions) that it opposes the "deeming" regulation for currently unregulated tobacco products. I and several others have been corresponding with key House Republicans and their staff, and will now step up our efforts (as our previously stated concerns about Senate Democrats increasingly pressuring the FDA to promulgate the "deeming" regulation have been verified by recent actions).

We also need to expose the many negative ramifications for consumer and public health, and for the e-cigarette industry, that would be imposed by the "deeming" regulation and/or FDA's implementation of it.

 

[Audio Weasel]

Does anyone have a letter template put together to send to state Senators? I've tried several times to write one, but it keeps coming out too angry.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Audio Weasel wrote:

Does anyone have a letter template put together to send to state Senators? I've tried several times to write one, but it keeps coming out too angry.

Am working on it.

 

[TennDave]

Bill- I live in TN... I sent you PM.
Will help in any way I can.
-Dave

 

[Splinter]

Hi! I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I just came upon this thread and have a some questions. I noticed that some people are saying that it's time to stock up on supplies and that they keep their stuff in the freezer. I have no idea how to make my own e-juice so I buy from a few different suppliers. Can I still buy the pre made juice and freeze that? If so, how long will it last for? Also, does anyone know how soon this could happen? My husband and I both vape and live on a very tight budget and we buy our supplies as needed. Any info on a time frame would be very appreciated. Thank You very much and I apologize if I'm asking this in the wrong forum.

 

[martinc]

They cant decide and go"tomorrow morning if you sell this,you`ll go to jail"...there will be a deadline,just like they do when they close up a Canadian shop up here...usually a week or two.

Hopefully.

 

[DC2]

Hoarding seems to be the root of all this evil. Politicians hoarding power, BT and BP hoarding money, and now consumers are hoarding for themselves. As stated earlier, why are more people not banning together on this. my (unmentioned) company has over 10,000 e-cig users in our home state of Illinois alone. We will be working diligently to rally the troops, but that will not be enough. This needs to be brought to national spotlight as tobacco related deaths are one of the leading health epidemics in the nation.

Some of you might think I'm preaching to the choir, but what are you REALLy doing about it? Spend some of that time, money and effort from hoarding to doing something that will make a difference for all of us. My company quietly supports CASAA on a monthly basis, we actively are collecting testimonials, we've reached out to the FDA for information and we are CONSTANTLY educating the public on a scale and in directions that many of you could't imagine. I think the vendors are have begun to do their part, they have to. They have a vested (and many of them personal) interest in the industry. The vendors are the ones creating the awareness to the public that this product even exists, although the efforts may not always be organized. It's bad for business to mix politics, it's good for consumers/voters to be the ones to stand up. Unfortunately, the consumers are not organized either. They may be to some extent on this forum, but this forum is a VERY small fraction of the industry.

Forgive me for my rant, but I have lurked on this forum for a few years and continue to see fear mongering with laziness with so many people. There are a very select few actively doing anything. Talk is cheap, cigarettes and cancer are not.

Rant over, back to awareness for me. Top of my list today, contact our State Senator, .... Durbin.....

7 billion people in the world and counting. Never the less, whatever YOU do makes a difference.

Best post I've ever seen on any forum anywhere.

You hit the nail on the head.
In fact, you hit a bunch of nails on their heads.

Please post more often.


Vendors need to step up, but I think at this point it seems that they aren't doing enough.
It looks to me like they are in a money grab mode, and don't have the power or the foresight to see this thing though.

They could if they would FINALLY band together in some shape or form though.

But we as consumers have been doing our part through CASAA.
And if you aren't involved in CASAA as a consumer then you simply have not yet seen the light.

CASAA is leading the way, but hopefully someday our vendors will wake up and smell the coffee.

 

[sanjosse]

DC2 & rghgoods, I for one agree whole-heartily with you. I personally support CASAA monthly and I wish more vapers would.

The time is NOW!