

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

General Comment:Dear Mr. Zeller:

After numerous methods and attempts to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes I was finally able to thanks to the technological miracle known as electronic cigarettes.

Unlike the majority of smokers I didn't start smoking until I was in my early twenties. For the next 15 years I smoked Marlboro Lights at a rate of about one carton (10 packs) per week. In my state of Michigan thats roughly $260 per month up in smoke, not cheap.

It was in December of 2012 that I finally had enough. So, I started researching online and over the course of a few days, decided to try electronic cigarettes. Its truly amazing and after a couple days I was done using tobacco cigarettes. I strongly believe this is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. My sense of taste and smell has improved. I can workout without my chest tightening up and that "smokers cough" is gone. My fingers and teeth aren't stained like they were when I smoked tobacco cigarettes and I can actually smell the air freshener in my car now! I have even helped co-workers, friends and family to stop smoking with electronic cigarettes. My only regret is that I didn't switch to electronic cigarettes sooner.

This is creating jobs and driving innovation globally and most importantly right here in America where job creation has become a thing of the past. Besides the overall health benefits of electronic cigarettes compared to tobacco cigarettes nothing concerns me more than that. I am in the process of starting my own "Vape Shop" solely dedicated to electronic cigarettes not only for myself but to help smokers trying to quit deadly tobacco cigarettes. This technology is providing a way for Americans to start their own business, become entrepreneurs and provide for their families.

Even though I am almost 40 years old I still like flavors. Aside from the health benefits the variety of flavors to choose from is what makes electronic cigarettes that much more of a viable option to switch from tobacco cigarettes. Nobody is trying to market these products to children and lets be honest, nothing will not stop kids from being kids. There are good parents and not so good parents out there and more regulation cannot change that.

Can we come together and agree that electronic cigarettes are NOT tobacco products? If there must be regulation can we separate electronic cigarettes from tobacco products, I certainly hope so. The Proposed Rule as written would destroy thousands of jobs and small businesses in addition to causing countless electronic cigarette users to go back to smoking deadly tobacco cigarettes. There has to be a reasonable solution to this.

The amount of support and information within the electronic cigarette community is unlike anything I have ever seen before and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.

This is TECHNOLOGY not TOBACCO.

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 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.
