

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

General Comment:Dear Mr. Zeller:

I am a consumer requesting extension of the comment period for the FDA's 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 issues and questions that are important to me as a consumer of the products that are proposed for regulation. 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 consumer's only opportunity to provide our feedback.

I feel strongly about e-cigarettes as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. I absolutely 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. 
If I can't use e-cigarettes because this proposal destroys the business I'd like my comment to at least keep pipes or affordable (not $10 a piece) cigars as an option rather than being forced back to tobacco cigarettes. This means I have to study and comment on this whole document.
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.

I appreciate your consideration of my request and am happy to discuss this issue with you further.
