Editor, Ceres Courier,

Here comes the sound of anti-smokers talking about the harms of e-cigarettes, you know the ones that burn no tobacco, only heat up a solution containing nicotine. No harms are known either to the smoker or anyone close by but that still will not stop the shrill voice of the tobacco critic claiming regulation must be done to protect the public from the great unknown.

What part of no danger don't you understand?

It is classic that e-cigarettes has given public health everything they said they wanted, smoke with no odor or effects to bystanders and much safer for smokers because they don't inhale anything burning to get nicotine. Are anti-smokers happy now? No. An e-cigarette legitimizes smoking again, and that scares anti-smokers to death. This means they will lose absolute control of the debate. It also means that things will become much better for smokers. Public health will improve and smokers may well be saved from illness by quitting regular cigarettes. It is a public health win-win for everyone who legitimately cares about social welfare. Many cities and states have banned them or are in the process of trying or taxing them like a tobacco cigarette, which is not in the real public interest. Real lives could be at stake.

The FDA is now taking public comment through July 9 about the possible regulation of e-cigarettes and it invites your comments. Go to www.regulations.gov and do a search for e-cigarette regulation by the FDA to leave a comment.

Dave Pickrell,
President & Founder,
Smokers Fighting Discrimination, Inc.

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