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Follow on Google News | E-cigarette Advocacy Group asks for Regulation of E-cigarettes as Tobacco ProductE-cigarette Advocacy group fears children have easy access to electronic cigarettes due to all or nothing mentality of "public health" groups.
By: National Vapers Club “Special interest, ‘public health’ groups insinuate themselves into the legislative process by writing bills and then finding sponsors to support them. Unfortunately, in an apparent attempt to protect the financial interests of the pharmaceutical companies - some of their largest contributors - these groups write all encompassing, over-reaching bills that later fail to see approval, leaving no law or regulations in place. Just like their ‘quit or die’ mentality, it appears to be all or nothing with these guys.” says Janet Andersen of National Vapers Club. Earlier this year, Illinois representatives Naomi Jakobsson and Marlow Colvin, co-sponsored a bill intended to ban e-cigarette sales in Illinois. After many witnesses provided testimony that the product was the only thing that had helped them to successfully stop smoking tobacco, Rep. Jakobssen asked if it was possible to amend the legislation to ban sales to minors only, and Rep. Colvin deferred to Kathy Drea, a lobbyist for the American Lung Association, who suggested that was not the intent of the proposed legislation, as written by the ALA. Because of this all or nothing mentality, the bill was then tabled, leaving no regulation in place. More recently, during the New York Senate Health Committee Public Hearing on the Clean Indoor Air Act, Spike Babaian, president of National Vapers Club, expressed strong support of proposed legislation which would prevent sales of e-cigarettes to minors by categorizing them as a smokeless tobacco product. “We have, on numerous occasions, asked the FDA and other regulatory bodies to regulate e-cigarettes as a tobacco product to prevent minors from obtaining them and to provide quality control of the product.” says Ms. Babaian. National Vapers Club points to an internal memo sent out in April of this year by The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco‐Free Kids. It stated they would not support a ban on sales of e-cigarettes to minors. “Bans on the sale of e‐cigarettes should prohibit all sales and avoid including e‐cigarettes in youth access laws while at the same time allowing sales to adults to continue.” Ms. Andersen concludes, “National Vapers Club is horrified that these groups would not support a ban strictly on sales to minors. These ‘so-called’ # # # About National Vapers Club.... National Vapers Club (NVC) is a consumer-based organization run and sponsored by e-cigarette users, also known as vapers. The organization is not funded by e-cigarette manufacturers or suppliers and none of NVC’s board members receives income from the e-cigarette industry. End
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