ECA Letter To Congress
The Food and Drug Administration last month held a press conference warning people of what they claim are the potential health risks and harmful effects associated with electronic cigarettes. Unfortunately, the study was extremely narrow in scope and included only limited data, failing to include a scientifically significant sample of e-cigarette products on the market or their users. They also failed to acknowledge the efforts on the part of electronic cigarette suppliers in our association to market their products solely as alternatives to adult smokers looking to avoid inhaling all the harmful toxins that come from combustible cigarettes.
If you aren’t familiar, e-cigarettes are electronic devices that deliver various levels of nicotine, depending on the desires of the users. These devices look and feel like a combustible cigarette and include a battery, a cartridge that delivers the nicotine, and an atomizer that creates a vapor to simulate the appearance and experience of smoking. So, smokers get the nicotine they crave but aren’t exposed to the hundreds of toxins that are known to shorten a smoker’s lifespan, giving the more than 1 million Americans who now use e-cigarettes a potential health advantage over those who continue to smoke combustible cigarettes. In addition to reducing the toxins from their habit, e-cigarette users enjoy having an alternative that they can use in the workplace and in public without violating any laws or policies, nor annoying or exposing non-smokers to tobacco smoke.
The Electronic Cigarette Association, which I represent, acknowledges the health risks of cigarette smoking and advocates that smokers quit. But we also recognize the struggles that many have in quitting and who are looking for a more convenient and better alternative to tobacco cigarettes. While some of our customers have reported using our devices to help them quit smoking by slowing reducing the nicotine delivery in our products, it is important to note that our member companies do not market their e-cigarettes as smoking cessation products nor make any such claims. The enormous response our members have received from more than 1 million Americans undoubtedly demonstrates that smokers unable to quit are desperately looking for an alternative to cigarettes.
Our member companies are extremely careful to market only to committed adult smokers who simply want an alternative to combustible cigarettes. In addition to eliminating the toxins from their habit, e-cigarette users enjoy having an alternative that they can use in the workplace and in public without violating any laws or policies and nor annoying or exposing non-smokers to tobacco smoke.
ECA was disappointed in the FDA study, particularly because it failed to follow its traditionally sound, scientific practices but instead issued misleading and narrow data without thoroughly testing the potential health benefits of e-cigarettes that potentially could save the lives of millions of Americans. I have attached with this letter a technical review and scientific analysis of the FDA’s report that was performed by scientists at Exponent. Among the limitations in the FDA study, Exponent found the following:
* The FDA failed to present standard protocols for proper study design with regards to the testing of the referenced control devices.
* The chemical content of similar nicotine-containing, FDA-approved products was not completely described with respect to the presence of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) and other tobacco-associated impurities that have also been found in nicotine replacement therapy devices at similar, if not higher, levels.
* In the lots tested by the FDA, none of the chemicals of concern in the study were able to be quantifiably measured in the liquid of the device’s cartridges.
* Data presented in the report does not adequately support the opinion that users of the products would actually be exposed to TSNA’s and tobacco-specific impurities in the vapor phase during normal use and if exposed, that those levels would be a health concern as compared to other FDA-approved products.
Given the limitations of this study, we encourage the FDA to take a more scientific approach and to work with members of the ECA before making any rash decisions to ban e-cigarettes altogether. Such a ban would leave smokers without an alternative to combustible cigarettes, which are clearly documented and known for their unhealthy and life-threatening results and which the FDA has no intention of banning. The enormous response our members have received from the more than 1 million Americans undoubtedly demonstrates that smokers unable to quit desperately are looking for an alternative to cigarettes.
We believe Americans should have a right to choose an alternative and our association is willing to work with Congress and the FDA to provide the necessary data to encourage reliable and extensive studies that we are confident will demonstrate the efficacy of choosing a product that will not deliver the harmful carcinogens found in cigarettes. We also want to work to ensure that manufactures agree not to make any health claims nor market these products to those younger than the legal smoking age. Our members are committed to following such guidelines and to giving smokers an alternative until they can make the commitment to quit smoking.
We do agree with the FDA, however; that E-Cigarettes should not be purchased or consumed by those under the legal age of smoking. We support any legislation, be it state or federal, that makes it illegal to sell e-cigarettes to children and those under the legal smoking age. We only market our products to committed long term smokers and would never want this to entice anyone who is not already addicted to nicotine to use our product.
Before any rash decisions are made on the future of e-cigarettes, the ECA asks that you encourage the FDA to conduct comprehensive, scientific studies. I would be happy to discuss this issue with you further. Please visit our website at www.ecassoc.org for more comprehensive information about our association and our product.
Sincerely,
Matt Salmon
President
Electronic Cigarette Association
Electronic Cigarette News - May 2010
- Sign Petition to Public Health Organizations to Stop Fighting Against Electronic Cigarettes A Petition for the AAP, ACS, AHA, American Legacy Foundation, ALA, AMA, ASH, FDA, Public Citizen and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to change their policy and support the sale and use of ecigarettes as a reduced harm option for committed adult smokers.
- Survey Shows Electronic Cigarettes Reduce Tobacco Use
- Virginia AG Says E-Cigarette OK in Non-Smoking Areas
Electronic Cigarette News - March 2010
- New York Residents – Protect Your Right To Vape If you live in NY, take action now to ensure you can continue buying and using the electronic cigarette.
- Illinois Trying To Limit Smokers Options If SB3174 passes, the electronic cigarette that contains nicotine would not be allowed to be sold in Illinois until such time that it is FDA approved
Electronic Cigarette News - February 2010
- Utah Residents….TAKE ACTION The Utah State Legislature is attempting to ban electronic cigarettes. Act NOW!
- Submit Your Opinion About UK Regulations Regarding The Electronic Cigarette The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK is asking UK residence for their opinion about regulations regarding the electronic cigarette
Electronic Cigarette News - January 2010
- ECA Creates Expanded Member Regulations
- Judge Overrules FDA On E-Cigarettes A great article that includes insights into the new FDA regulatory control of tobacco products
- Federal Judge: FDA Has No Authority Over Electronic Cigarettes
- Study Demonstrates NJOY Electronic Cigarette Inhalants Do Not Contain Carcinogenic TSNAs
Electronic Cigarette News - November 2009
- As Smoking Rates Rise, Electronic Cigarettes Offer Viable Alternative to Harmful Combustible Tobacco
- What if there were an alternative to smoking? ECA asks “What if?”
- The Electronic Cigarette Struggles Against Anti-smoking Groups and Government Organizations
- E-Cigarettes Under Fire
- Electronic Cigarette Association Urges Unbiased Evaluation of E-cigarettes as Debate Intensifies Around These Devices
- Opposing view: A much-needed alternative by Matt Salmon
- ECA Information Packet About Electronic Cigarettes The Facts About Electronic Cigarettes
Electronic Cigarette News - October 2009
- Battle brewing over electronic cigarettes from cjonline.com
- Interview with James Watt, Electronic Cigarette Association Vice Chair
- Firestorm over smokeless cigarette By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY
- Are Safer Cigarettes a Corporate Ploy, and FDA Mistake? The presence of e-cigarettes essentially nullifies the entire FDA search for a safer cigarette. – Michael Siegel
- Battery-powered cigarettes catch on with consumers BY PATRICIA ANSTETT, FREE PRESS MEDICAL WRITER
- Electronic cigarettes: In need of FDA regulation? – Christian Science Monitor Article
- Council votes to boost butts Elizabeth Kilgore, acting assistant commissioner of tobacco control at the NYC Department of Health, says smokers who have tried to quit but failed should just keep on trying again and again rather than try snus or e-cigarettes. It is a quit-or-die dogma
- ASH UK on Electronic Cigarettes
- Montana's Smoking Ban and Electronic Cigarettes The devices [electronic cigarettes] are not specifically mentioned in the act and are legal under the state’s smoking ban.
- Matt Salmon Q&A at vapersplace.com on Sunday November 8th at 7:00pm EST
Electronic Cigarette News - September 2009
- Lighting up electronically - UPI.com
- Electronic Cigarette Association Requires Members to Include Product Warnings
- FDA’s drug and e-cigarette warnings counterproductive By Jeff Stier, associate director, American Council on Science and Health
Electronic Cigarette News - August 2009
- American Association of Public Health Physicians writes on behalf of Electronic Cigarettes to the Incoming Director of the FDA A letter from Joel L. Nitzkin, MD and Kevin Sherin, MD to the Director of the FDA
- Associate Level Membership with Lower Dues now Available – The ECA now offers a more affordable option for smaller suppliers to join the cause in helping the electronic cigarette industry.
- ECA Letter To Congress by Matt Salmon, Electronic Cigarette Association President
- California lawmaker seeks adults-only restriction on smokeless 'cigarettes' – The ECA supports actions to prevent minors from buying nicotine in any form
- Technical Review and Analysis of FDA Report: “Evaluation of e-cigarettes” by Janci Chunn Lindsay, Ph.D., Exponent Health Sciences, Toxicology and Mechanistic Biology Division
- FDA smoke screen on e-cigarettes in Washington Times by Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, president of the American Council on Science and Health
Electronic Cigarette News - July 2009
- The Electronic Cigarette Association's Response To The FDA
- Disingenuousness of the FDA's Press Conference is Concerning; FDA and Anti-Smoking Groups are Committing Medical Malpractice on a Massive Scale by Michael Siegel, MD, MPH, Professor at the Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health
- Prominent Public Health Physicians and Tobacco Researchers Expose Double Standard in the FDA’s Recent Study of Electronic Cigarettes and Challenge the FDA’s Alarmist Attitude Toward the Devices by Michael Siegel, MD, MPH, Professor at the Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health and Joel L. Nitzkin, MD, MPH, DPA, Chair AAPHP Tobacco Control Task Force and Brad Rodu, Professor of Medicine, Endowed Chair,