

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 very important and relevant to me, as a consumer of products that are proposed for regulation under the Proposed Rule. The Proposed Rule asks many questions that I would like to fully read and comprehend before I give my thoughts and comments. However, it takes a lot of time to devote to researching said Proposed Rules and providing thoughtful comments on many of the Proposed rules. I have spent plenty of my time already researching and getting to fully know and understand these rules, but it takes 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 fully and thoughtfully. 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 and strongly 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 comments 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.

Thank you very much for your consideration of my request and am more than happy to discuss this issue with you further at any time.

