

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 have tried everything except prescription drugs to quit smoking.  The new technology has given me the miracle of being a non smoker for the first time ever in my life.  All the no smoking policies-the exorbitant taxes on tobacco make smokers feel like they are participating in an illegal activity-- Yet, at the same time you are imposing regulations that make the safer and healthier choice almost as impossible.  What is is you actually want???  Smokers or Non smokers?   I agree that bottles should be labeled because of the nicotine but where is the TOBACCO in these products?  How can a tobacco free product be scrutinized as Tobacco?  

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