

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 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 science- 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 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.

Please note, that after 40+ years of smoking cigarettes, I am now tobacco free. That was accomplished without withdrawals and without weight gain.  I had tried numerous time to quit smoking using nicotene gum, patches, Wellbutrin and Chantex.  Nothing worked until I tried ecigarettes.  I have now been smoke free for 2 1/2 years and have absolutely no urge to smoke.  I am down to 1 mg nicotene from 18 mg.  However, the idea of no longer having my ecigarettes has thrown me into a panic because I know without them, I will probably go back to smoking.  Yes, they are a bit of a crutch, but a much healthier one than cigarettes.  I no longer wake up coughing.  I can workout at the gym with 20-30 year olds and keep up with most of them. Because I am now tobacco free,I now have no fewer than 5 friends that are now tobacco free because of ecigarettes.  Ecigarettes have quite literally saved my life and the lives of my friends and the lives of their friends.  If you find it necessary to regulate something, then regulate chemicals in cigarettes which tobacco companies have added to keep consumers hooked on cigarettes.  

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


