Tell Trump - Advocacy

I like the idea of a group letter which it sounds you are shooting for but if this is to be a group letter then this paragraph will have to be rewritten to gear it to the Vaping Community and not to one’s personal experience. Your experience would not necessarily be the same as someone else’s experience…

As I said I do like the idea of a group letter HOWEVER, I also think it is a good idea for us to write our own personal letters to Trump. We must show that there is a valid problem with the FDA regulations and that it effects many. I urge everyone to take a little time and write your own personal letter to Trump…

I humbly suggest this paragraph be left in, and suggest to users of this letter to replace with their own experience.

I think @ringling and @Alisa you both make great points. Got my brain all…

http://imgur.com/em2JIuK

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I agree when it is a personal letter from a individual but not when it is being used as a letter from the Vaping Community. It should reflect the experience of the Community as a whole. This was the point I was trying to make. I am working on a personal letter right now and I can tell you that I did indeed tell my story briefly. Others should too if they write their own personal letter to Trump. I agree with you wholeheartedly…

Sorry about that, hate to do it to ya but someone’s gotta do it I guess…lol

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That’s a valid point.

I was in a rush to get out the door and on my way to work. The advances in safety was an example of how the vaping industry does a very good job at being self regulating, without the FDA’s participation. I’m hard pressed at the moment, to think of an industry that does as well as vaping does, at being self regulating.

I see your point at not giving them a reason to bring out the news clips of some teenager’s mangled face.

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Dear Mr. President-elect Trump,

I would like to inform you of a great injustice to the American people and small business.
I speak of the FDA regulations concerning Vaping and E-cigarettes. As you may know the FDA
has been given the power to regulate tobacco products, however, the FDA has deemed E-liquid
and the vaporizing equipment (E-cigarette) a tobacco product. Though the action of Vaping
in appearance is similar to smoking, the E-cigarette vaporizes a benign liquid rather than
combusting a chemical laden leafy material as with smoking tobacco.

E-cigarettes have become the absolute most effective means to give up tobacco products and
there are already millions worldwide that have given up smoking thanks to the E-cigarette.
I for one smoked for 47 years and averaged 2 packs per day. On November 8, 2016, that’s
right, Election Day, I celebrated 3 years smoke free. In the past I tried every method
available including nicotine gum, nicotine patch, prescribed drugs, and even hypnosis with
no success. The E-cigarette was the answer to my prayers.

I spoke of a great injustice to the people, please allow me to elaborate. It is the opinion
of the Vaping Community that the FDA has written regulation which will slowly eliminate all
competition and hand over the E-cigarette industry to Big Tobacco and Big Pharma. Let’s explore
why this is. In the regulations regarding Ecigarettes the FDA has given a pass to Big Tobacco
by setting a year 2007 predicate date exempting E-cigarettes in the marketplace on and before
2007. What this means is that any and all Vapor Products developed after 2007 are subject to
submitting a Pre Market Tobacco Application to the FDA for approval. This process includes
both the devices used to vaporize the liquid, and, all liquids used in the E-cigarette. I
now ask why if the E-cigarettes prior to 2007 which uses the same methods, battery, wire coil
element to heat liquid, and liquid containing nicotine, are allowed a pass and vapor products
developed after 2007 are required costly measures to stay on the market. It is estimated that
a Pre Market Tobacco Application (PMTA) will cost over $1 million per application. The FDA
considers every Eliquid flavor and every Eliquid nicotine value a different product and
therefore a separate PMTA will need to be applied for. All equipment used to vaporize these
Eliquids will also require a PMTA approval to remain in the marketplace. The device used
to vaporize Eliquid is often used with Eliquids that contain no nicotine yet FDA regulations
also consider any liquid put into said device BECOMES a tobacco product. Seems the FDA
has covered all bases claiming a product that uses no tobacco or byproduct of tobacco is
still considered a tobacco product and subject to PMTA applications should they be used in
a vaporizer.

Let’s examine the reasons for such harsh regulations on E-cigarettes. It’s a known fact that
the federal government and state governments all collect taxes from the sales of tobacco
products. We of course know that Big Tobacco benefits from the sales of tobacco. Also we must
consider that Big Pharma benefits from the sales of tobacco being they profit from the sale
of smoking cessation products plus the sales of drugs in the treatment of smoking related
disease. Here are the Special Interest Groups which the FDA have created overbearing
regulation which only serve to protect the profits of these Special Interest Groups. The
Vapor Industry is saving lives. Millions have quit smoking while using Vapor products. By
forcing those in the Vapor Industry out of business the FDA condemns yet another generation
to a slow and painful death. The pain does not stop here. Thousands of small businesses
and the jobs they have created will be gone. All for the revenue of a select few.

The FDA says the regulations were made to protect minors yet many states have already passed
law banning the sale of Vapor Products to minors, including Childproof Caps, and, accurate
labeling of product. This type of law is fair and a must however the current FDA regulations
pertaining to E-cigarettes is detrimental to small business, jobs, and the health of many
of the American people who could have been saved using these life saving devices. Please be
aware the UK Ministry of Health considers Vaping at least 95% safer than smoking cigarettes.

Mr. Trump, you speak of defending the people and small business from the threat of Special
Interest Groups so I ask you today to help the Vaping Community since the FDA regulations
benefit only Special Interest Groups. Anyone can see the FDA regulations were written only
to protect profits of a select few while negating the health of the American people. Sir, we
ask that you follow through on your promise to fight the wrongs of government and their
protection of Special Interest Groups. We ask you sir, Make America Great Again.

GUYS, GALS, this is a personal letter from myself I plan to send to Trump. Please look it over
for me for spelling and your comments are welcome as well. Thanks…

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Don’t see any spelling or grammar issues. Well written. :punch:

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Not sure if that’s an issue but is “big pharma” and “big tobacco” the right terms? Maybe something more neutral.

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I agree that it would look better if ‘big’ was dropped and just put in industry in its place. Sometimes I think a letter such as that could do with some references from the scientific community, and references to articles published that can back up what you’re trying to say. I’ll post links to two such sources of information. The articles are about the TPD in the EC but the facts are still relevant to this.
http://www.epicenternetwork.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/EPICENTER-Briefing-E-cigarettes-and-Article-20-14th-September-2015.pdf

Hmmmm, not sure what you mean by neutral. Just removing the word big?

I mean that big pharma and big tobacco are usually used in a negative sense and i think if you want it unbiased then perhaps avoiding negative terms could help keeping it on a level that doesn’t come across angry in any way
If that makes any sense.

ETA
These terms are also often used by “the conspiracy theorists” which doesn’t help in a discussion either i guess.

OK, I see. Maybe so, Tobacco Industry, etc. Thanks…

I don’t think that “big” is a problem but not used together with tobacco or pharma. Something like “the big players” perhaps which could help getting across in which situation we see ourselves. The “David against Goliath” kinda viewpoint.

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Just let us know when you finalize it so we can copy and send.

Thanx

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Ok, here’s the latest revision. Please everyone read and comment if you see problems. I took @ringling advice to make it a generic letter rather than personal.

Dear President-elect Trump,

I’m writing you today on behalf of the “vaping” community to make you aware of a great injustice done by the FDA under the Barrack Obama administration. This injustice affects both private individuals and small business. As a champion for both, I know you will take interest.

As you may know, the FDA has been handed the authority to regulate e-cigarettes under the same guidelines as they have for tobacco. In fact, they 'deemed" e-cigarettes to be tobacco products, although the only similarity between e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes is the appearance of the exhaled product. Even that is entirely different considering a combustible cigarette produces smoke from ignited tobacco, whereas the e-cigarette is only a vapor produced by heating a benign liquid.

E-cigarettes have been a Godsend to millions of people worldwide as an aid to smoking cessation. I am only one of those people. Many of us have tried and failed with nicotine gum, nicotine patches and quitting “cold turkey,” having never realized success in breaking the bonds of tobacco until discovering e-cigarettes. Many people claim to quit smoking instantly when trying e-cigarettes (vaping), while others struggle for a time. However, the success stories where the use of e-cigarettes were a successful aid in complete smoking cessation are too numerous to ignore.

One of the more egregious parts of the FDA’s “deeming regulations” pertains to the equipment we use. When e-cigarettes first hit the market, they were small, low-powered devices and produced a scant amount of vapor – something which lacked in satisfaction for many long-time smokers. This was the case for several years; however, like most other new technology, there were major advancements over time. And with improvements also came greater smoking cessation success. The examples of this are abundant. Yet the FDA has put an oppressive limitation on the manufacturers and, consequently, the end consumer, by making it necessary to have FDA approval on both devices and liquids – allowing only those made prior to an arbitrary date in 2007. People who used the products available in 2007 had lower success rates for smoking cessation.

The 2007 predicate date allows Big Tobacco a pass on their product while imposing rules on vapor products that require Pre-Market Tobacco Application (PMTA) which will, in 2-3 years’ time, put most e-liquid manufacturers out of business considering the estimated approval cost is over $1 million per each flavor and per each nicotine level. Additionally, manufacturers of vaporizing devices must also submit a PMTA application. How are these a tobacco product? Many people use them with liquids that contain no nicotine. Why does the FDA now consider any liquid put into a vaporizer a tobacco product when clearly it is not? This is in the regulations. You see where this is headed. The FDA, in the interests of SPECIAL INTERESTS GROUPS, want people to continue smoking!

One of the major claims opponents of e-cigarettes make is that of the children, and the accusation these products are being marketed to them. However, the regulations impact the adult consumer, resulting in fewer choices and limited access. All this while alcohol and tobacco industries thrive.

One should examine the possible reasons why the vaping industry has been under attack. Spin it however they want, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that for every person who vapes, that is a person not buying tobacco and therefore not adding revenue in the form of federal tax and state sin tax dollars. It’s not hard to see that Big Pharma does not like the loss of revenue in the sales of their smoking cessation products. People have found a method (vaping) that is at least 2-3 times more effective. Big Pharma also is considering a future of lost revenue where people do not develop tobacco-related illness and require their drugs to fight cancer and other illnesses caused by smoking. When you think about it along these lines there can be only one conclusion - the health of the consumer is of no concern to the government, big tobacco and big pharm compared to revenue – this is sickening.

Mr. Trump, we appeal to you today to stop the current campaign to destroy the e-cigarette industry. The FDA has no place calling these devices and product “tobacco products” nor does the Federal Government have any place in the decisions of Americans who want to choose to vape, whether that be for recreational or smoking-cessation purposes. Please help get the FDA out of our lives and personal decisions. There is a fact-based documentary film called “A Billion Lives” that would give an even clearer perspective.

Vaping is saving lives!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

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Love it! :+1:

Done and done. :+1: thank you for the idea and letter.

Posted to change.org. Please pass along to as many people as you can. Ask them to sign and pass along as well. Get it going!!

I’m going to start a new topic for more exposure as this thread may have been muted by some folks.

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