Smoking 2.0 » eca

What if there were an alternative to smoking?

Jrd — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:10:46 +0000

Video by the ECA – Please Digg it!

ECA Urges Unbiased Evaluation of E-Cigs as Debate Intensifies

Jrd — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:50:55 +0000

As the debate heats up concerning the use of electronic cigarettes, Electronic
Cigarette Association (ECA) President Matt Salmon today encouraged those
involved in this discussion to carefully and honestly study how these devices
work and recognize that the more than one million adult committed smokers, who
use electronic cigarettes, are seeking an alternative to combustible cigarettes
that contain a multitude of toxic, harmful chemicals.

The debate on these devices has intensified in recent months as events have
fueled and focused attention on electronic cigarettes, including a front-page
story last week and a follow-up editorial in yesterday`s edition of USA Today
and stories or editorials in other major newspapers such as the New York Times
and Los Angeles Times. Governor Schwarzenegger`s veto of a bill that would have
denied California citizens the right to purchase electronic cigarettes and a
warning by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on a flawed, narrow
study have also contributed to the growing debate.

“Unfortunately, many of the arguments we`ve seen recently against electronic
cigarettes have been driven by fear of the unknown, insufficient evidence,
political agendas, and ignorance about our members` products,” said Salmon. “As
in the case of California Governor Schwarzenegger, we`ve found that reasonable
people, when willing to honestly and intellectually evaluate the information
about electronic cigarettes, find that these products provide smokers a viable
alternative to combustible tobacco cigarettes.”

Some legislators have taken a stance against electronic cigarettes as a result
of an FDA study that Salmon says was extremely narrow in scope and failed to
follow established scientific protocols. The Electronic Cigarette Association
has called on the FDA to take a more scientific approach and to work with ECA
members before making any hasty decision to ban electronic cigarettes
altogether. Such a ban would leave smokers without an alternative to combustible
cigarettes, whose toxic substances and life-threatening health effects are
clearly documented and which the FDA has no intention of banning.

“We understand that to protect the public, some form of regulation may be
necessary, and we welcome that. Our goal, nevertheless, is to ensure committed
adult smokers the freedom of a clear, better alternative and to prohibit sales
to minors,” said Salmon.

About the Electronic Cigarette Association

The ECA (www.ecassoc.org) is an association of private sector companies engaged
in electronic cigarette technologies. Its mission is to provide the tools and
information necessary for policy-makers, opinion leaders, media, and private
sector companies worldwide to make informed decisions about the management and
use of electronic cigarette technologies. The association institutes and
promotes industry-wide standards and a code of conduct, works to maintain sound
professional practices, educates the public and policy-makers on the industry`s
activities and potential, and works to ensure the ethical use of electronic
cigarette technologies.

Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA)
Media Contact:
Matt Salmon, 202-841-6729
msalmon@policyimpact.com

Source : BussinessWire

ECA Urges Congress to Make E-Cigs Illegal to Those Under The Legal Smoking Age

Jrd — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:15:53 +0000

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In a letter sent to Congressional members on August 14, the Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) criticized the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study on electronic cigarettes as it failed to follow standard scientific protocols and was too narrow in scope. In addition, the letter called on Congress to enact legislation that would make it illegal to sell electronic cigarettes to those below the legal age of smoking.“Our products are not intended for those under the legal smoking age. We are extremely careful to market only to committed, adult smokers looking to avoid the toxins found in combustible cigarettes. We would like to see legislation that will back up our efforts in restricting sales to those underage,” said ECA President Matt Salmon.

The letter called on Congress to urge the FDA to conduct further studies on electronic cigarettes and to take a more scientific approach, follow standard protocols for proper study design, to include a significant sample of products on the market, and to study the potential for giving smokers an alternative that reduces the known risks found in traditional cigarettes until they can make the commitment to quit.

“We readily acknowledge the health risks of cigarette smoking and advocate smokers to quit. However, we recognize the struggles many have in quitting and offer an alternative to adult smokers who want to avoid the toxins found in cigarettes. The more than 1 million users of electronic cigarettes also like the fact that they can use these products in the workplace and in public without violating any laws or policies and not annoy or expose non-smokers to tobacco smoke,” said Salmon.

About ECA

The ECA is an association of private sector companies engaged in electronic cigarette technologies. Its mission is to provide the tools and information necessary for policy-makers, opinion leaders, media, and private sector companies worldwide to make informed decisions about the management and use of electronic cigarette technologies. The association institutes and promotes industry-wide standards and a code of conduct, works to maintain sound professional practices, educates the public and policy-makers on the industry’s activities and potential, and works to ensure the ethical use of electronic cigarette technologies.