Governor Schwarzenegger Protects Adult Consumers’ Access to E-Cigarettes
Governor Schwarzenegger Protects Adult Consumers’ Access to E-Cigarettes
Industry hails veto of anti-smoking alternative bill as victory for consumers, common sense
Washington, D.C. – October 12, 2009 | Matt Salmon, president of the Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA), today praised California Governor Schwarzenegger’s wise decision to veto Senate Bill 400, which would have banned electronic cigarette sales in the state, protecting adult consumers’ access to these alternative smoking devices.
“This is not just a victory for consumers and common sense but is smart public policy as well,” said Salmon. “Rejecting this bill is the right step and should serve as a model for other states to follow.”
In his veto message, Governor Schwarzenegger reiterated the stance of the ECA that strongly supports restricting access of electronic cigarettes to children under the age of 18. “We agree with the original intent of SB 400 to ban sales to those under the legal smoking age. And we support that on a national level as well,” added Salmon.
The Governor affirmed that this restriction should not apply to adult consumers: “If adults want to purchase and consume these products with an understanding of the associated health risks, they should be able to do so unless and until federal law changes the legal status of these tobacco products.”
The ECA actively communicated to the Governor its members’ concerns about the bill and the fact that banning these electronic cigarettes would disenfranchise thousands of California adult smokers who have difficulty quitting but want an alternative to combustible cigarettes without the host of carcinogens and harmful chemicals. Salmon credited this legislative victory to the efforts of thousands of consumers and ECA members who appealed directly to Governor Schwarzenegger to protect their rights.
“While we know that combustible tobacco smoking kills over 400,000 Americans annually, and the percentage of smokers that quit every year is dismally low, we ought to be looking for more alternatives to traditional combustible tobacco products,” said Salmon.
Electronic cigarette kits usually include the electronic cigarette, a replaceable cartridge pack (that may or may not contain nicotine), rechargeable lithium batteries, and a charger. There is some variation between different companies in what is included in their starter kit, but all components are listed on their Web sites. While ECA members do not market these devices as a healthy alternative or smoking cessation device, it is clear that they do not contain the harmful tars and hundreds of carcinogens that consumers get from combustible tobacco products.
“We look forward to working with all government agencies, including the FDA, to ensure that consumers who want an alternative to combustible tobacco products have access to e-cigarettes that contain fewer harmful substances and produce no secondhand smoke,” concluded Salmon.
###
About the Electronic Cigarette Association
The ECA (www.ecassoc.org) is an association of private sector companies engaged in electronic cigarette technologies. Its mission is to provide the tools and information necessary for policy-makers, opinion leaders, media, and private sector companies worldwide to make informed decisions about the management and use of electronic cigarette technologies. The association institutes and promotes industry-wide standards and a code of conduct, works to maintain sound professional practices, educates the public and policy-makers on the industry’s activities and potential, and works to ensure the ethical use of electronic cigarette technologies.
Contact:
Matt Salmon
202.841.6729
msalmon (at) policyimpact.com
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,