The fact that trace amounts of tobacco impurities were found in some cartridges does not make e-cigarettes "as dangerous as analogs" as cited in the FDA release. If that were true, Nicorette, and Nicotrol inhalers are equally useless as safe alternatives to tobacco as they have higher levels of the same trace elements. The levels of carcinogens found are actually LESS than the levels found in NRT's, and the toxicity of the DEG found in ONE sample cartridge is significantly lower than that of the nicotine itself. Even if the sample was representative of every e-cigarette manufacturer (which it is not), a GALLON of e-juice (enough to replace about 100 cartons of cigarettes) still has a lower level of carcinogens than a single pack of ultralight cigarettes.
Someone let me register as a clove smoker and mail order my cigarettes! Is this not a free country anymore?Now that obama banned my cloves and I have to order them like a criminal, I wonder if he would sign a ban that included his cigarettes now that I am scrambling to get a bunch of djarums shipped before september 1st and find a resource to get them after the ban. These cigarettes are $8 a pack and $70 a carton. Why don't we sell flavored (or all cigarettes) in cartons? Then only smokers who are dedicated can buy them, children and the poor people who can afford a single packs but not health care will have to quit. I thought I lived in america, a free country. Where as an adult I have the priveledge to make a decision if I want flavored tobacco or flavored liquor. Flavored liquor is way more desirable to teenagers than flavored cigarettes. Flavored cigarettes are not affordable but any kid can get flavored liquor for a few dollars. We already have a law that prevnts minors from smoking, it is really the obligation of the parent. Not the government. Surely we wouldn't ban menthol or whatever brand Obama smokes anytime soon. These cigarettes I have been legally smoking since college are now illegal. I may as well smoke pot, they'll legalize that and tax it but won't let me enjoy a clove with my coffee. These guys get $210 a month from me for a pack of djarums a day and $2500 a year. Kids can't afford that. Middle class men and women can barely swing that. Especially these day, kids don't really smoke like they used to. People look at you like you have a disease when you smoke. Kids and the poor are going to smoke whatever they can afford. Most kids start on the brands there family and friends smoke (marlboro,camel,newports) menthols being especially popular with kids durinf the rise of hip-hop/pop culture. They are easier to smoke. A lot of people won't even smoke cloves because they are harsh and heavy. I gave my cousin who has been smoking reds for 30 years a clove yesterday and he almost choked to death. Way to much for the average smoker. These clove cigarettes are more cigarish and elitest with their high prices and taxes. Which is weird why in a recession that we take items off the shelf that provide such high tax revenues. Cloves and even other flavored cigarettes are smoked by the college type, the intellectual, coffee shop goers, musicians, goths, eccerntrics and other berkely types. These enjoyable smokes help me relax, review and reassess while I enjoy a cup of coffee. My friend likes them once or twice a month when drinking. My friend from indonesia smokes them daily like I do except the difference between me and him is you are depriving this man of his cultural right when america is suppose to embrace the ideas of different ethnic groups. We let the jewish go to temple, we let the middle eastern folk go to mosque and put curry on everything, the russian's get their vodka and the asians get their rice, rotten eggs and dog. My friend can't ever again smell the clove scent of his country, he and I went from being successful businessmen to having to become illegal clove importers just to enjoy our lifestyles. Just for my friend to enjoy is culture and feel at home with how he was raised. Almost all clove cigarettes come from indonesia and so it really disrupts their market regardless of what the upper brass thinks. This is protectionism. This is a violation of my amendments and rights. This law gives the fda way too much control and makes us a big brother country where the government raises the children since we allow the parents to be incompetent. I am an american who has been stripped of constitutional rights. I will do what I want, this will not stop me from getting my cloves nor will the lack of the 1% of cloves in the market will not curb kids from smoking. Most kids don't smoke these days. It's not cool to smoke you get treated like a leper. Like I said, sell cigarettes by the carton only and tax them to death. The real smokers will buy them. The drinking smokers will bum them and the kids and very low income will not be able to afford them. I mean what's next? Take away my flavored mouthwash? What about super sweet apricot beer that kids love. Kids die from alcohol, not cigarettes, more kids die from fraternity activities. Kids who smoke generally have family that smoke. No one wakes up and says I think it will be cool to pay for bad breath and cancer just to hold this cool stick. Leave us free adults alone. Regulate the parents and do not let the administration and the fda turn america in to a dictatorship and make us 1% of smokers live a harder life of luxury. To much control. Iv've always leaned more democrat but honestly these liberals need to leave me alone with their whole foods infested berkelyish veagan ideas that say I can't eat meat or ill die, or transfast because ill die or oxygen because ill die. Don't worry we will all die soon enough and if you don't let smokers and drinkers kill themselves then you have population control to deal with. Well let's just let the fda put mercury in our dental fillings, and hormones in our babys milk and not let us smoke the brand of cigarettes we enjoy. Protectionsim, loss of rights. Damn is the apocolypse comming? I hope indonesia sticks their foot sideways up the behind of the WTO and fight for my rights as an american before I have to move to a country that is a little less motherly. This is how I feel and most people agree. The new ban is stupid.
<blockquote>...[W]hy do I think of the Post Office, Fannie and Freddie, Amtrak, Medicare and Medicaid? </blockquote>
I dunno, you're the one thinking of them. Why would I think of Enron and Arthur Andersen if you mentioned corporate responsibility?
When I say "democratically accountable" that has to start with our elected representatives and our representatives in Congress are mostly accountable to the moneyed interests who fund their campaigns. Like the health insurance industry, for instance.
Freddie and Fannie? The worst sort of "public-private partnership" -- profits privatized, liabilities socialized, i.e. stuck to the taxpayers.
The Post Office? Worth subsidizing for the service it provides everyone, not just the most profitable customers. Make junk mailers pay more if you want less subsidy.
Medicare? It's worked pretty well for me, I think everyone should have it. One thing -- my statements from Medicare tell me I "may be billed" for my co-pay several weeks after I've received and paid the bill. Damned inefficient government -- oh, wait: that's handled by a private contractor. You know, "private" as in "for profit."
Amtrak: You mean to tell me America, the self-styled greatest country in the world, couldn't equal or beat anything those socialistic Europeans can do, if the political will existed?
Actually,.political will does exist for all sorts of reforms you consider "socialistic" -- it's just that in this country "political will" has come to be identified as corporate will, not that of the majority of everyday Americans. Congress isn't a "natural criminal class," it's a nurtured criminal class, and your industry is one of the most attentive nurturers..
The fact that trace amounts of tobacco impurities were found in some cartridges does not make e-cigarettes "as dangerous as analogs" as cited in the FDA release. If that were true, Nicorette, and Nicotrol inhalers are equally useless as safe alternatives to tobacco as they have higher levels of the same trace elements. The levels of carcinogens found are actually LESS than the levels found in NRT's, and the toxicity of the DEG found in ONE sample cartridge is significantly lower than that of the nicotine itself. Even if the sample was representative of every e-cigarette manufacturer (which it is not), a GALLON of e-juice (enough to replace about 100 cartons of cigarettes) still has a lower level of carcinogens than a single pack of ultralight cigarettes.
I guess my neck wrinkles are here to stay then. Darn!
I have been a smoker for 15 years, and finally quit smoking successfully with the help of electronic cigarettes.
SOOOOO much tax revenue from real cigarettes. I wonder why the government would want to vilify an effective alternative? Hmmm.
Pages