On a 79-17 vote taken moments ago, the United States Senate approved the FDA tobacco legislation that was crafted by Philip Morris and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids through a Congressionally-mediated negotiation. It will almost certainly be signed by President Obama into law, although some minor differences between the Senate and House versions still need to be worked out.
The bill give unprecedented special protections to Big Tobacco, tying the FDA's hands in the most important areas in which it could actually act to make a dent in smoking rates and product safety, and allowing it only to take actions that will have little to no impact.
For example, the legislation allows the FDA to reduce the levels of nicotine in cigarettes, but not to eliminate the nicotine. Reducing nicotine levels will only lead to smokers smoking more to obtain the same nicotine dose. They will inhale more tar and thus suffer greater health damage.
Another example: all flavorings in cigarettes - such as chocolate, strawberry, banana, pineapple, light, low tar, and cherry - are banned. These flavors are hardly ever used in cigarettes. However, menthol - the one flavoring that is actually used to help entice and addict literally millions of smokers - is exempt from the ban.
The legislation allows the FDA to put minor restrictions on cigarette advertising, yet the agency is precluded from taking the two actions that might actually help keep cigarettes out of the hands of our nation's children: increasing the age of sale of tobacco and restricting the places where tobacco is sold.
The bill will require the cigarette companies to disclose the ingredients and constituents of cigarettes and tobacco smoke. As if that is really going to make a difference in people's decisions about smoking. Moreover, the majority of constituents of tobacco smoke are unknown, so it's not like the public will now understand exactly what they are inhaling.
While existing cigarettes will be grandfathered into the market, new products will find it almost impossible to enter the market. And while truly safer cigarettes will have no chance of competing in the marketplace because there is no chance of their being successfully marketed, reduced exposure cigarettes which may not actually reduce disease rates will suddenly find it possible to enter the market, opening up the tobacco market for the first time in decades.
Worst of all, the legislation will give an FDA seal of approval to cigarettes, undermining decades of efforts to educate the public about the severe hazards of smoking. It will create the perception that cigarettes are safer, when in fact, they will be no safer and will still be killing hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. But now, they will be doing so with the blessing of the United States government.
The federal government will now be a willing partner - knowingly complicit - in the tobacco epidemic.
Electronic Cigarette-E Liquid at this point and time are not tied into this tobacco bill. Even though US customs are trying to make it apply by seizing electronic cigarettes and e liquid entering the US. Once challenged the shipment is usually released to the US buyer.
Electronic Cigarettes and e liquid are not at this time FDA approved, no have they been disapproved. It has to be approved first before it can be acknowledged, in order for it to be applied to this bill or any bill. If they are disapproved, then they become illegal in the USA. Right now they are neither one. With the massive number of users growing every day, eventually they will be approved with all kind of selling restrictions.
When approved we will have to wait and see what the FDA is going to do about the e-juice, either regulate the amount of mg of nicotine in it, or make us list all the ingredients in it. Which at this point and time is not a hidden secret. Millions of Americans daily make their own e-juice with various recipes. FDA will probably impose heavy taxes onto e-liquid being imported into the US, which will put most small business out of business with the e-liquid sales. If they don’t sell e-liquid, they will not sell the electronic cigarette either. If they restrict the mg of nicotine you will be limited to buying low, or medium strength of the e-liquid. No longer will we have high, extra high, or super high, or above.
I don’t see flavoring becoming a problem in the e-liquid. They may try to band it or control it, the truth is flavoring is and can be sold separately as an additive to your already existing e-liquid.
Unknown secret, one of the largest mfg of cigarettes in the US are now in the development process of making their own e-cigarette, and e-liquid. ( CAN’T SAY THE NAME), but when they are ready to flood the US market with their product, I can assure you it will have a patent on it and will almost eliminate all sale of the e-liquid product except thru them in the US. (Monopoly as usual.) It will cost about the same as two cartons of cigarettes do today if not more. That is the main reasons, this company was for this bill promoted it and helped pushed it thru.

this is the saddest part about this bill.  grandfather a known dangerous product and exclude new safer products.

If the tobacco manufacturer that pushed this bill through plans to market an e-cig, wouldn't that help get approval for all e-cigs?

I can see the juice going sky high though.  And no flavors just as menthol is the only flavor left under this bill.  DIY juices are fine, but it's a lot of trial and error and unusable batches.  I would really miss the great premixed flavors myself.

Time will tell how it will play out either way.

Do you believe in conspiracy? I didn't use to but I'm a believer now. People stopped buying as many real cigs after they raised the tax, so to get back what the poor socialists wannabies felt they lost they put FDA in charge which will in turn lower the nic in real cigs which will in turn make people buy more to get the same nic they have been used to for many years so they will get more tax $'s. It's manipulation is all it is. Some of us fortunate ones that have been introduced to the e-cig will be their next target (we finally find something that actually works). I agree grammie, menthol and reg is all we'll have if we can afford it. I've got a couple cigar cartridges in the freezer right now that I'll check in a week or two so I can see if freezing works without hurting it. I just suggest to get stocked up on everything because we all know they're comming after us shortly. They aren't even hiding their agenda that much anymore. They say they care about our health but thats a lie or they would just outright ban tobacco products.....period. They say they're doing it for the children, yeah right. They are doing it for their own selfish power and greed and nothing else. I was registered with one paticular party that I won't mention here but I have since changed to independant because I'm ashamed to be connected with either of them. Hey, I'm sorry to blow off so much steam here but we are being abused by the people that are supposed to be on our side but they are only biting the hands that feed them. Speaking of blowing off steam I'm going to go vape some of this red bull juice while I can still get it.

They don't need to hide their agenda any more... THEY are in charge (or so they think). Get involved, join a Tea Party group, join a 9.12 group. Let your voice be heard!! WE THE PEOPLE run this country. I don't care what party you vote for.. it is still WE THE PEOPLE! and WE THE PEOPLE want to smoke without being cast under the bus for "the sake of the children". It is an unConstitutional tax... where were we represented? Did you have a chance to vote on this tax ??

Yes its good to get involed.. But we don't have the hundredes of millions of dollars the tabbaco industry has to throw at the FDA. and they are.. Thats Y this crap is going on.. Besides how about the hundredes of people that have died from the so called FDA.. Leting drugs on the market saying there safe when it is clear that they weren't.. That didn't stop them , It was the drug companys millions leading them.. It is just the same old story.. Money talks .. Only in the USA