I must say, I do not see where the FDA has shown any interest in giving vaping the same benefit of the doubt it has given patches, gum, lozenges, etc.
So you have stated clearly why the FDA is not doing this in your opinion:
paranoia / conspiracy theories = the belief that FDA is planning regulation because they are evil people and/or enjoy trampling people's rights.
the belief that the FDA considering regulation must mean that they are planning on banning it completely, despite a history of the FDA being open to nicotine delivery alternatives.
the belief that anyone who supports even the most modest of regulations in these boards must be some plant from the FDA.
So why do they do the things they do, like for example....
Example 1
Here is a sample of what the FDA is saying to protect you.
As the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes have not been fully studied, consumers of e-cigarette products currently have no way of knowing:
whether e-cigarettes are safe for their intended use,
how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use, or
if there are any benefits associated with using these products.
Additionally, it is not known if e-cigarettes may lead young people to try other tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death.
FDA SOURCE
Electronic Cigarettes (e-Cigarettes)
Now, the bullet points are all reasonably sound, I think they are fine. But then we come to the meat of the FDAs thinly veiled attack on vaping. It is not know if e-cigarettes may lead young people to try other tobacco products. The FDA is unbelievably irresponsible in this speculation. What evidence is there to support this premise? Has anyone ever heard of children trying vaping to begin smoking? I do not know anyone who has began smoking after vaping. I know dozens who began vaping after smoking.
How about this statement:
It is not known if the FDA has intentionally hidden evidence of its own agents putting toxins in the milk supply of several Midwestern states, which are known to cause sickness and deaths of innocent children. If it did happen, this action could kill hundreds or thousands of our helpless boys and girls. To date, they have presented no evidence to the contrary, nor have they denied these events transpired.
I have not accused them of any misdeeds, I have not stated any falsehoods. I have only insinuated wrongdoing by creating a presumption of guilt. But does that make the statement fair? You tell me.
Example 2
Q: What concerns does FDA have regarding electronic cigarettes?
A: FDA has not evaluated any e-cigarettes for safety or effectiveness. (1)When FDA conducted limited laboratory studies of certain samples, FDA found significant quality issues that indicate that quality control processes used to manufacture these products are substandard or non-existent. FDA found that cartridges labeled as containing no nicotine contained nicotine and that three different electronic cigarette cartridges with the same label emitted a markedly different amount of nicotine with each puff. (2)Experts have also raised concerns that the marketing of products such as e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead kids to try other tobacco products. Visit FDAs Electronic Cigarettes webpage for additional information.
FDA SOURCE
E-Cigarettes: Questions and Answers
I have pointed out two excerpts from this short Q&A by underlining them and numbering them. Lets examine them, shall we?
(1) Here is an example of painting with an intentionally broad brush to impugn the entire industry. Why not publish the list of suppliers who were found to have the lack of quality control described? In a very large sample size, a few were found to be as stated in this web page. I love the part about, three different electronic cigarette cartridges with the same label emitted a markedly different amount of nicotine with each puff. What? How were the puffs measured? Were the methods the same? Who conducted this study? Where are your citations? There are no citations as there is no scientific study. There is only irresponsible un-scientific scare tactics. Is the agenda your health when it comes to e-cigs? It appears to be the expansion of their own power and authority.
(2) Now you can see it again, they express their concern about marketing these products
may lead kids to try other tobacco products. This is purposefully misleading innuendo. This is not the act of some rogue agent who is part of a great and noble group. This is not some small minority of the large organization. This is the official position of the FDA from their web site. They appear to be using their position of trust to distort reality and manufacture malicious intent on the part of the e-cig industry. There never was, nor is there now, and never will be in the foreseeable future an effort by manufacturers to market e-cigarettes to kids, and the FDA knows it. They seem to be using the sanctimonious we protect the children stance to make their intentions seem pure. What are their intentions? Who knows, but if there is sound reason to warn consumers about e-cigarettes, why resort to these tactics?
So
why do they do it?
