Response from Senator Dianne Feinstein

[StuckinLA]

In writing to all my representatives the only response I have received was from Senator Feinstein of California. Below is the full letter I received. According to this response it's not just the FDA that we're up against but apparently we're also up against the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Society and the American Heart Association as well.


"Dear Mr. Mannion

Thank you for writing regarding the electronic industry and sharing your personal experience with its products. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, electronic cigarettes, or "e-cigarettes" typically contain liquid nicotine which is vaporized and inhaled by the user, These devices have become very popular in recent years, but it remains unclear what benefits or side-effects their use may entail.

In July of 2009, for instance, the FDA investigators discovered diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze, in one of the leading brands of e-cigarettes. This is a troubling development which has the potential to seriously impact the health of e-cigarette users.

In California, Attorney General Jerry Brown has raised concerns that e-cigarettes have been marketed to children and as a smoking cessation aid, even though they have never proven effective for this use, Several organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Society and the American Heart Association have called for removing e-cigarettes from the market until they have been proven to be save.

Although I am a strong supporter of smoking cessation aids, I believe that everything must be done to keep harmful chemicals out of consumer products, Please know that I will keep your positive experience with e-cigarettes in mind as I continue to monitor developments in this industry.

Again thank you for writing. If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841 or going to my website at http://feinstein.senet.gov. Best regards.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator"

 

[spirits3250]

I got the same runaround from my representative here in Wisconsin....filled with lots of misinformation. It's so frustrating to constantly deal with all the negative reactions due to misinformation. I try to give people I am in contact with the facts as I know them but I don't have the clout the big organizations do.

 

[tybin]

see post #3 on this link. The author of it has already given permission to quote her. it's a perfect response to send back to Ms. Fienstein: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/e-cigarette-news/157185-abc-news-story.html

 

[alisab]

I am a democrat and I like Feinstein but it is hard to comprehend how someone in her position could have, literally, expressed every negative bit of propaganda available out there! At least she has StuckinLA's story - I guess this gives us a very good idea of what we are up against! When I think about this - it's really scary. I think I may have to put my hat into this ring to educate the powers that be - too. Thanks Stuckin for your efforts.

In writing to all my representatives the only response I have received was from Senator Feinstein of California. Below is the full letter I received. According to this response it's not just the FDA that we're up against but apparently we're also up against the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Society and the American Heart Association as well.


"Dear Mr. Mannion

Thank you for writing regarding the electronic industry and sharing your personal experience with its products. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, electronic cigarettes, or "e-cigarettes" typically contain liquid nicotine which is vaporized and inhaled by the user, These devices have become very popular in recent years, but it remains unclear what benefits or side-effects their use may entail.

In July of 2009, for instance, the FDA investigators discovered diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze, in one of the leading brands of e-cigarettes. This is a troubling development which has the potential to seriously impact the health of e-cigarette users.

In California, Attorney General Jerry Brown has raised concerns that e-cigarettes have been marketed to children and as a smoking cessation aid, even though they have never proven effective for this use, Several organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Society and the American Heart Association have called for removing e-cigarettes from the market until they have been proven to be save.

Although I am a strong supporter of smoking cessation aids, I believe that everything must be done to keep harmful chemicals out of consumer products, Please know that I will keep your positive experience with e-cigarettes in mind as I continue to monitor developments in this industry.

Again thank you for writing. If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841 or going to my website at http://feinstein.senet.gov. Best regards.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator"

 

[StuckinLA]

see post #3 on this link. The author of it has already given permission to quote her. it's a perfect response to send back to Ms. Fienstein: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/e-cigarette-news/157185-abc-news-story.html

Thanks tybin I'm writing the response as we speak. We all need to wake up and everyone needs to get envolved or we will loose our rights to use PV's.

 

[Uma]

Thank you for sharing this heads up with us. Shameful how these "leaders" are so blantantly and purposely ignorant.
Hopefully the rest of us can follow in your footsteps and also instill upon these corrupt/ignorant leaders the facts and figures, in a timely manner. ticktockticktock

 

[deusXmchna]

Just so I don't have to futz around with the search engine... was DEG found in an e-cig by an FDA investigator? Anyone have a link to the specs (how much, etc)?
thnks

Nevermind. found what I wanted.

 

[deusXmchna]

Oh, and I hate our current gov't.
they taxed loose tobacco so high that people who were rolling/making their own had to pay 2x as much for a pound, overnight.

BUT- cigars. Cigars were taxed @ something like 52%... with a CAP of 40cents. So if you were of modest means, and smoked a couple 50cent cigars per day, that was quite an increase... but of course if you were sucking down multiple $15 sticks a day, it only cost an extra 40cents each. What a perfect opportunity for a "sin" tax, on those massive phallic things that guys pay up to hundreds, in some cases thousands of dollars per stick. But no.... the gov't capped it @ 40cents tax each.
Don't want to stress the pocketbooks of the wealthy too much, afterall they DO create the jobs! /snark pffffft

 

[StuckinLA]

American Cancer Society, The American Lung Society, The American Heart Association & The Campaign for Tobacco‐Free Kids

Joint Policy Statement​

Policy Guidance Document Regarding E‐Cigarettes ​

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco‐Free Kids are very concerned about the increase in the marketing and sales of electronic cigarettes or “e‐cigarettes.” Our organizations strongly support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s assertion that the products should be regulated as drug‐delivery devices and not as tobacco products. As litigation between FDA and two e‐cigarette manufacturers works through the federal court process, the importation of e‐cigarettes is prohibited although sales continue online and at kiosks and stores. In the meantime, our organizations are issuing this joint policy guidance document to assist field staff and others.

Our organizations support legislation that would prohibit all sales of e‐cigarettes until these products are approved by FDA. Bans on the sale of e‐cigarettes should prohibit all sales and avoid including e‐cigarettes in youth access laws while at the same time allowing sales to adults to continue.
Our organizations support including e‐cigarettes in smoke‐free laws but such legislation must not imply e‐cigarettes are tobacco products. Our organizations recommend that new smoke‐free laws, or ordinances and amendments to existing smoke‐free laws, be specific in defining e‐cigarettes as different from tobacco products.

At this time, our organizations do not support including e‐cigarettes in tobacco tax statutes. If states consider taxes on e‐cigarettes, they should be in a separate tax statute and not included with tobacco products.

There is no scientific evidence that e‐cigarettes can help smokers quit. The U.S. Public Health Service has found that that the seven drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in combination with individual or group cessation counseling is the most effective way to help smokers quit. The health claims being made by e‐cigarette companies are misleading and illegal under federal law.

E‐cigarettes are battery‐powered nicotine inhalation devices that claim to deliver nicotine to the user through a vaporized propylene glycol solution. E‐cigarette manufacturers and retailers are making unproven health claims about their products – asserting that they are safe or safer than traditional cigarettes. Companies also claim that e‐cigarettes can help people to quit smoking and in one egregious press release, an e‐cigarette company claimed their products were recommended for pregnant women by physicians.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted one limited study in July of 2009 and found that the products contained carcinogens and toxic chemicals, including the ingredients found in anti‐freeze. A study conducted at Virginia Commonwealth University and published in February 2010 found that e‐cigarettes deliver little or no nicotine to usersi. Additional research is needed to ascertain what is in these products, what effects they have on users and how they are being used. Until the products are found to be safe and effective, they should not be on the market.
April 9, 2010

 

[afrazier5]

In July of 2009, for instance, the FDA investigators discovered diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze, in one of the leading brands of e-cigarettes. This is a troubling development which has the potential to seriously impact the health of e-cigarette users.

In California, Attorney General Jerry Brown has raised concerns that e-cigarettes have been marketed to children

I cannot believe they are still holding to a 2 year old study on something that is no longer an issue!

Second to this, I would challenge AG Brown to provide documented evidence of any US based company who is directly marketing their products to children. If this is the case, shut them down. I mean he11, alcohol companies market to kids all the time with their flavored malt beverages yet you don't see alcohol being banned. You simply enact legislation that enforces the law and penalizes the offenders, you don't outright ban the product!

 

[AlbertaClipper]

American Cancer Society, The American Lung Society, The American Heart Association & The Campaign for Tobacco‐Free Kids

"There is no scientific evidence that e‐cigarettes can help smokers quit. The U.S. Public Health Service has found that that the seven drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in combination with individual or group cessation counseling is the most effective way to help smokers quit."

This is the most baldfaced STUPID thing I've ever read. If those Associations could look up from their Big Pharma and Big Tobacco funded bankbooks for just a minute, they'd see that there is plenty of evidence (scientific and practical) to show that they're wrong. Somewhere along the line I hope that the HEALTH of the people they're supposed to be trying to protect will be a factor in their public statements.

I know, I'm preaching to the choir. I just get really P#SSED off when I read stuff like that.

 

[StuckinLA]

Now I think I get it check out this thread

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/e-cigarette-news/164090-you-kidding-me.html