Document ID: FDA-2014-N-0189-10336
Agency: fda
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2014-06-19T04:00Z

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

General Comment:Dear Mr. Zeller:

I'm requesting an 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. As an end-user of e-cigs, I'm asking 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.

I'm just trying to stay off traditional (tobacco) cigarettes that were causing me to become very sick, so I'd say I have a vested interest in how the future e-cig market will be affected by these regulations. The Proposed Rule directly impacts what I believe to be my right to effective and affordable products that have saved my life. Yes, I truly have no doubt e-cigs have saved my life! I'm having to put hours and hours into researching your massive document, so please, at least give me an appropriate time frame to answer as many questions as I can. It's going to be very difficult for me to provide a comment that will hold weight by the current 75-day deadline. This is my only chance to have a say...something so wide-sweeping as the Proposed Rule needs at least 6 months for public comment. Please, Mr. Zeller, I've seen you on TV -I'm a real person with feelings and a family, many of whom died from smoking related diseases before e-cigs were even heard of. 

It's no wonder I'm very passionate about this alternative to combustible cigarettes, no other method ever worked for me...and I tried them all more than a few times over the years. I'd love to share my story and thoroughly provide responses based on scientific evidence to every issue that will personally affect my life in a negative way. Let me provide you with a comment worthy of reference. In order to do that, I'm asking you to use the authority the FDA has under 21 CFR 10.40, and has exercised on numerous occasions in the past, to extend this time frame. Thank you for hearing my request, and I hope you will not hesitate to grant it, given the predicament I and so many other stakeholders have found ourselves in concerning this deadline. I'm here to assist you in further discussing this issue if needed, thanks again.