

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

General Comment:Mr. Zeller:

I'm 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. I'm requesting 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, which are important and relevant to me, as a consumer of products being proposed for regulation under the Proposed Rule. The Proposed Rule raises about a hundred different questions, to which I might want to respond. 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 these issues, but they take time. I know that the FDA took a number of years to even come up with the Proposed Rules, so I don't think it's 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 scientific 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 the time frame, and that the FDA has exercised this authority on past occasions. I, therefore, ask you do so here, so that all stakeholders have the opportunity to provide their comments and suggestions on these proposed regulations.

Thank you for your consideration.

Duane Greene
Indianapolis, IN 
