Senator Ron Johnson (WI) is taking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to task over the impact of the “deeming rule” on small to medium vapor businesses across the country. Sen. Johnson, Chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, has sent several letters to the FDA requesting to see, among other things, their calculations regarding the number of vapor businesses that would be forced to close as a result of the deeming rule.
The FDA has rebuffed his request for information.
From CASAA’s perspective, the independent vapor shop is vital for ensuring consumer access to a wide variety of vapor products, as well as for helping smokers successfully transition to smoke-free products. Without a doubt, the FDA regulations will kill the diverse vapor market, which will lead to thousands of vapor shops closing. Senator Johnson is working to prevent that.
Please take a moment now to send Senator Johnson a thank you letter.
(For a pre-written letter that you can print and send, click here. To edit this letter, make a copy in google drive and then include your additions)
If you live outside of Wisconsin or would prefer to write a letter by hand,
please send it to:
The Honorable Ron Johnson
517 East Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 408
Milwaukee, WI 53202
If you are collecting many letters to send off to the senator, please share a photo of your effort on social media. Use the hashtags #AnswerRonJohnson and #WeAreVapor
(Writing Tip #1) If you have a lot to say, please craft your email in a separate word doc and then copy/paste it into the field provided. If you take too long, they system will time out and you will lose your work.
(Writing Tip #2) Although we’ve provided a prewritten email with compelling talking points, we would strongly encourage you to edit the email because personalized communications to legislators are far more persuasive than form letters. At a minimum, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR PERSONAL STORY (just a few sentences) in the text of your email.
Wisconsin has the convenient electronic method. As a vaper, you know your duty. Send yours now.
Posted Aug 8th
Monday, August 8th, 2016 marks the start of a two-year countdown to the FDA’s near prohibition of 99% of vapor products currently on the market. To prevent this, we have a specific ask of congress to update the 2007 predicate date to 2016. This is a necessary first step in a larger legislative battle to keep the diverse range of vapor products available.
Take action TODAY by calling your congressman and urging them to support a change to the predicate date in the tobacco control act.
For contact information and points to discuss on the call,
As of August 3rd, 2016, all our Slings are sewn in our VapeSling LLC Facility. VapeSlings will no longer use Knots as fasteners, rather permanent, durable, and reliable stitching.
No more worries of knots becoming undone in extreme heat nor moisture. Your Lifetime Guaranteed Sling is now washable as well as heat resistant.
VapeSling® V2.1 Released 8/3/16 is even more durable and reliable than before. We fasten your Sling cradle, using the paracord color of your choice (as shown in the pictures below), with black thread for cosmetic purposes. After weaving thru the upper apertures, the cording is sewn onto the tough 4 layer (2 PVC layers) canvas cradle (Flap that holds your mod). For extra strength, we use multiple stitches on both fasteners till the cording becomes one with the canvas.
Your new V2.1 Sling will hold well over a 70 lb. load.
Chairman Johnson Demands Further Answers from FDA on E-Cigarette Regulations
Please help if you approve of Vapor products as a Life saving and/or Harm reduction industry.
Credit to @tw11tch of IG for preparing this letter:
Please download and send this prepared letter or your own to Sen Johnson—->SenJohnsonLetter
Send to:
Sen. Ron Johnson
328 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, demanded further answers from the FDA on Friday after sending a third letter to FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf seeking information on the recent e-cigarette regulation.
Johnson raised concerns in May about the agency’s recent e-cigarette regulation, which could create undue burdens on small businesses and possibly lead to negative unintended health consequences.
“In my initial letter, I asked the FDA for data on the number of e-cigarette businesses that will be affected by the rule,” Johnson said in the letter. “The FDA gave an inadequate response that lacked the requisite details. Further, the FDA noted that it did not possess some important information about the economic effect of the rule, writing that ‘[t]he baseline number of manufacturers and importers of [e-cigarette] products is uncertain.’ The FDA’s acknowledgement that it has, at best, incomplete information raises questions about the adequacy of the FDA’s justification for the rule. Further, many job creators in the e-cigarette industry fear that they will be forced to shut down if the rule is implemented. Without a concrete understanding of the rule’s effect on growing industry, the FDA’s decision to implement this regulation could lead to the elimination of thousands of jobs and businesses.”
The FDA responded to Chairman Johnson’s inquiry on June 16, 2016 with insufficient answers. On July 8, 2016 the FDA provided the Committee with an initial document production consisting of materials that were already publicly available. Johnson originally sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf about the e-cigarette regulation on May 17, 2016 and then sent a second letter to the FDA on June 6, 2016.
The FDA’s June 16, 2016 response can be found here.
I write to reiterate my request for information about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulation over e-cigarettes and its potential consequences. I first wrote to you on May 17, 2016 requesting information and data regarding the consequences that this new regulation may have on small businesses and the public’s health. After I did not receive a response, I wrote a follow-up letter on June 6, 2016 that reiterated my initial questions and requested documents and materials based on FDA communications relating to the regulation. The FDA provided partial responses on June 16, 2016 and July 8, 2016. The FDA’s answers to my questions, however, provided only limited new information, and the FDA did not provide a complete document production. While I appreciate the FDA’s offer of a briefing, the Committee must first possess the full universe of requested documents and materials to fully understand FDA’s decision-making process. Therefore, I write to again reiterate my requests.
In my initial letter, I asked the FDA for data on the number of e-cigarette businesses that will be affected by the rule. The FDA gave an inadequate response that lacked the requisite details. Further, the FDA noted that it did not possess some important information about the economic effect of the rule, writing that “[t]he baseline number of manufacturers and importers of [e-cigarette] products is uncertain.”
The FDA’s acknowledgement that it has, at best, incomplete information raises questions about the adequacy of the FDA’s justification for the rule. Further, many job creators in the e-cigarette industry fear that they will be forced to shut down if the rule is implemented. Without a concrete understanding of the rule’s effect on a growing industry, the FDA’s decision to implement this regulation could lead to the elimination of thousands of jobs and businesses.
Additionally, I asked whether the FDA would issue a revised rule if sufficient data demonstrates that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. The FDA did not answer this question. Instead, the FDA gave an ambiguous answer, reasoning that the FDA must regulate in order to obtain more information about e-cigarettes. The FDA stated:
The rule is the beginning of the process of the regulation of e-cigarettes, and the other products covered in the final rule. That regulatory framework will evolve over time as we learn more about the products. Now that FDA will finally have regulatory authority over these previously unregulated products, the Agency can expand its knowledge base regarding these products.
The FDA’s statement is concerning. Rather than conduct research to better understand the effects of the product prior to regulating, the FDA chose to issue a rule without a proper understanding of the product itself. Because federal regulatory agencies seldom shrink their own jurisdiction, the FDA’s action could result in a far-reaching regulation that fails to consider the regulatory impact on small businesses selling e-cigarettes, product innovation, and the public’s health.
I also questioned the FDA about the potential unintended consequences of its rule that may result in decreased access to e-cigarettes and increased consumption of traditional cigarettes. The FDA responded by citing to a scientific paper that concluded that the decline in adolescent smoking rates slowed in states that enacted restrictions on access to e-cigarette products. However, the FDA also cited “several limitations” with the study. The FDA states that it “acknowledges this paper as a first attempt to study the potential impacts of youth [e-cigarette] access restrictions, but more research will be necessary to explore the potential effects of this rule on product switching or dual usage.”
In addition to asking the FDA to respond to several questions, I also requested documents and communications referring or relating to the FDA’s regulation of the e-cigarette industry. On July 8, 2016 the FDA provided the Committee with an initial document production that consisted of materials that were already publicly available. Based on conversations between my staff and the FDA, I am willing to accommodate the FDA’s request to prioritize the production of certain material. As discussed between our staffs, I ask that the FDA initially prioritize its production of documents and communications referring or relating to the FDA’s interactions with industry, advocacy groups, government entities, and other stakeholders as the FDA developed its regulation.
The American public deserves complete answers from the FDA about its rulemaking. The information and material that I requested from the FDA will help to inform the Committee’s oversight responsibilities and address the public’s concerns about the e-cigarette regulation. Therefore, I request that you please provide complete responses to my prior letters as soon as possible but no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 29, 2016. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Tickets: There are still some tickets available. Click here to help us sell them out today and send a message. A group discount of 20% is available. [email protected].
Thanks to Molecule Labs, the entry fee for the official after-party is included with your ticket.
Official Hotel: InterContinental (On the Milwaukee River and adjacent to the Pabst Theater)
We have a limited number of rooms at a reduced rate of $149 (normally $300) for Friday & Saturday. Available until July 29th.
Attire: I will be wearing a tuxedo, but it is not required (or expected) of everyone in attendance. However, please dress to impress the media. The world will be watching.
Schedule
Friday, August 5th
7:00pm – Opening Night
Enjoy an epic night out with me, members of the cast, and the Milwaukee-based crew. We will meet at the InterContinental lobby (adjacent to the Pabst Theater). Details to follow.
Saturday, August 6th
12:00pm – Lunch at Top Secret Location (Details to follow)
7:00pm – Red Carpet festivities begin at the Historic Pabst Theater
8:05pm – North American Premiere begins
10:00pm – After-party begins at Lucid Light Lounge (Presented by Molecule Labs)
Sunday, August 7th
Sleep in.
Drink water.
Take an ibuprofen.
There will be additional festivities scheduled. Details to follow.
This model was developed to accommodate users with an unrestricted Mod/e-cig carry, however, not in the form of a lanyard.
This latest creation using our Patent Pending concept is the V2.0 Ring Sling HP from VapeSling®.
This new sling model is a Finger/Hand sling. Your HandChecks will be secure in your hand with the Ring Sling loop on one of your fingers. As with all our Slings, Mods of ALL SIZES, WEIGHT and SHAPE are held, comfortably and securely. This tough carry will handle all Mods, e-cigs, vaporizer sizes and weights, securely and comfortably.
Attachment is done with the cradle sandwiched between the Atty and the Batty (Atomizer and Battery). Your Mod will be in full display and always ready to vape.
We had several visits from our beloved IG FAM at VPX.
Thank you all for showing some vapelove at our booth.[twitter_follow username=”https://twitter.com/vapesling” count=”false” language=”en” float=”left” show_screen_name=”false”]
The warriors at LostArtWarriors Joe and Alex with J.G.Nic from DailyVapeTv@Irathient and GF with J.G.GregConley_JGJ.G., Dawn, and R.G@mndvapers and familyAZGang1tongueAZGang_JGArt_Militia_JGAZGang2NewAgeCleo_JGEthan_AZRobin_JGLostArt1NeonCradles_BlackLight
The Following Photos were taken at our VapeSling® VPX booth by WiteRaven
Vape Warriors spoke at VPX Vegas 2016
We thank every warrior fighting for our cause, and that includes all fighting vapers.
