

Comment Info: =================

General Comment:
Dear Mr. Zeller:

I am writing as an individual consumer to request an extension of the comment period for the Food and Drug Administration's ("FDA") Proposed Rule Deeming Tobacco Products to be Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by the Family Smoking and Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (the "Proposed Rule") published at 79 Fed. Reg. 23,142 and Federal Register No. 2014-09491. On behalf of myself, I am requesting that the comment period for the Proposed Rule be extended by the FDA for an additional 105 days, from its current 75-day period, to 180 days.

The Proposed Rule raises a number of significant issues and questions that are important and relevant to me, as a consumer of products that are proposed for regulation under the Proposed Rule. The Proposed Rule asks about a hundred different questions I might want to respond to. I want to provide my thoughts and comments on many of these issues, but my time to devote to researching and providing thoughtful comments on these important questions is limited. I have already spent many hours researching and dissecting these issues, but they take time. I know that the FDA took many years to even come up with the Proposed Rule, so I do not think it is at all unreasonable to allow the public a mere six months to comment on it. This is our only opportunity, as consumers, to provide our feedback.

I feel very strongly about e-cigarettes as an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Quite simply, I firmly believe that they saved my life. I wish to provide you with my personal story, as well as science- and evidence-based responses to your questions so that you can take my comment into account. I realize that the FDA has the authority under 21 CFR 10.40 to extend this time frame and that the FDA has exercised this authority on numerous occasions in the past. I would therefore ask that you do so here, so that all stakeholders have the opportunity to provide their comments on this proposed regulation.

A little over four years ago I heard about e-cigarettes for the first time.  I was curious about them but really wasn't planning on trying to quit my pack a day cigarette habit.  I bought one just to see how this new (at the time) technology would work.  That day was the last day I ever had a regular cigarette and, looking back, the best thing I have ever done for myself.  Almost immediately I started breathing easier.  It was weird to walk up a couple flights of stairs and not be out of breath!  Food started to taste amazing, I couldn't believe how much regular cigarettes had dulled my sense of smell and taste.
I appreciate your consideration of my request and am happy to discuss this issue with you further.  As the weeks went on I only started feeling more healthy.  My physician, Dr. Rowady in Pasadena, CA who constantly preached at me how important it was to stop smoking, remarked on how my blood pressure was significantly lower and how my breathing sounded much better.  After a month or two I bought e-cigarette kits for my 3 closest friends who were all pack a day or more smokers and I am happy and proud to say that they are all non smokers and experiencing similar health benefits.  Through the last few years I have met many more "vapers" who have similar stories.  

Sir, I hope you read my story and those of many others and consider that while the e-cigarette industry does need some regulation (such as no sales to minors) it represents something that could save millions of lives by replacing something like tobacco cigarettes that WE KNOW kills.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to know any more details from someone who has tremendously improved their lives by replacing tobacco with e-cigarettes.
