FDA & E Cigarette
If you are an avid user of electronic cigarettes, then pretty soon you may have a difficult time obtaining the product. Recent news suggests that the Food and Drug Administration is planning to follow through on a proposal they came out with April 25 of this year. The proposed regulation is designed to regulate electronic cigarettes as regular tobacco products. So what exactly would such regulations do to users of the electronic cigarette?
The electronic cigarette would have to go through various control methods that currently are only implemented with regular tobacco products. These controls would include registration, product listing, good manufacturing practice requirements, taxes imposed on the product, and branding provisions.
Electronic cigarettes would also be subject to premarket review requirements that are imposed on new tobacco products. The bottom line is that people who use electronic cigarettes on a consistent basis will face increasing difficulties to utilize the alternative. Users of the electronic cigarette already know that there is a public war against not only them, but anyone who uses nicotine products.
If these regulations were to pass it would make it extremely difficult for companies that currently manufacturing electronic cigarettes and related products. Some of them would not be able to meet the stringent requirements and will eventually have to close down shop. Companies that were able to stay in business would have to raise the cost of their products because of increased regulations.
Even though people who use the electronic cigarette believe they are a safe alternative to the real thing, just how much extra are they willing to pay for the privilege is not known. If several companies go out of business because they cannot keep up with the standards and regulations the Food and Drug Administration will impose on them, prices amongst companies who are able to stay in the game will definitely increase.
So what exactly can be done to stop this from happening? The honest answer is not very much. There are several advocacy groups who are trying to fight attempts to make it tough for them to use the product. Many of these efforts are not taken seriously however. It is going to take a collective effort not only from advocacy groups, but also from the actual users of the product to garner more support.
