I wrote:

> ​... e-juice ...  VG ....


Aaron wrote:
>​Say what?

Sorry.  A few months ago I started vaping, primarily because Erin wanted an e-cig, so I decided to try it.  Found out I really like it - can do it in the house with no smell or smoke residue (never smoked cigars in the house for that reason, and it's no fun smoking one outside, when its -5F/-21C, especially when they unravel almost instantly from drying out), and the flavor is great.  The liquid that is used in these devices is nicknamed e-juice, and is primarily vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) with added nicotine and flavors.  I have graduated to some serious mods and tanks and building my own coils (they heat the liquid in the tank to produce the vapor).  Last year the FDA formally began regulating e-cigs and related items as tobacco products.  In a couple of years it will cost manufacturers several hundred thousand dollars (that's just for the submission and does not include the testing costs) to get FDA approval for many of the components, including coils and e-juice, and there will be extensive reporting requirements for retailers.  So, the products will either disappear from the marketplace or become much more expensive (coils are included in the regulation, hence, my new skill in building them myself).  Many people are now making their own e-juice, and, since one of the main components (70 - 80%) is vegetable glycerin, I was joking that I now had another reason to buy it.

Rant follows:

I am a strong advocate of the FDA, since I think, by and large, they do a tremendous job protecting the public health.  And, I have worked in FDA-regulated industries for almost 35 years, mostly in the quality and regulatory space.  So, I am reasonably knowledgeable about the regs for things, like pharmaceuticals, biologics, devices, food, and the like, and I understand their value.  But, I think this new regulation is shortsighted.  It's going to affect me minimally, since I will just do-it-myself to get around the cost issues, so I don't really have a dog in the hunt.  But, not everyone can or will want to do that.  And, vaping has gotten a LOT of people off of cigarettes and other tobacco products (I have had a total of 2 cigars in the past 4 months, none since the New Year, and I don't miss them).  The jury is still out on the long-term effects of vaping (it's still too new), but it is clearly a lot healthier than smoking (e.g. the main ingredients are already used in things, like nebulizers).  So, I think this is a case, where the desire to 'rein in' Big Tobacco (they are keenly interested in this space, which is now dominated by smaller companies) as a matter of policy, is getting in the way of actually helping people.  Do we need controls? Sure.  Do we need to regulate the companies out of existence?  I think not.  If I was a suspicious person, I might think that the whole regulatory shift was orchestrated by Big Tobacco specifically to drive the smaller companies out of the market, since only the Big Boys can afford to operate under these conditions.  That's if I was a suspicious person.

Sorry for the long post, but you asked.  Before anyone jumps all over me, I'm not endorsing vaping, nor am I proposing that people run out and start making their own components.  Just expressing an opinion.

Bill
Claremont, NH US

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