Document ID: FDA-2014-N-0189-7147
Agency: fda
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2014-06-17T04:00Z

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.

I have been vaping for a year and a half now. I had quit tobacco cigarettes for about 2 years, after smoking for about 20 years. Some circumstances came about in my life that drove me to go buy a pack of cigarettes. I lit one up. It tasted horrible and smelled worse. I decided to give an e-cigarette a try. The taste was wonderful and the smell was almost non-existent! There was a problem. The disposable e-cig that I purchased said on the packaging it was equal to 2 packs of tobacco cigarettes. That was a lie. I got maybe 40 puffs out of it before it quit working. I decided to purchase a more advanced eGo kit from on online vendor. At that point I was satisfied that not only would I never smoke another tobacco cigarette again, but I would be healthier as well. In the time that I have been vaping, I have not had one cold or sinus infection. I would get a sinus infection at least 3 times a year before. In closing I would like to say the variety of personal vaporizers and the vast assortment of flavored e-juices on the market today is what has kept from returning to tobacco cigarettes. And I have personally converted 3 friends of mine that were heavier smokers that I was to vaping. Thank you for your time and I hope you think about what is best for the people concerning this matter.

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