Writer Critical Of New FDA Rules On E-Cigarettes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Writer JD Tuccille reacted harshly to the FDA introducing new regulations regarding e-cigarettes that will now treat them similarly to other tobacco products and require that the agency approve all vaping related products dating back to 2007.
Tuccille, a contributing editor at Reason, told Rich Zeoli on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that researchers have proven that vaping is safer than smoking.
"We have had studies performed on e-cigarettes, vaping, by scientists in the United States that find that it's a great substitute, a very effective substitute for inhaling smoke from burning leaves into your lungs. You have another delivery system for nicotine, one that people really enjoy because the personalizing capabilities of it. One that is becoming more popular than smoking among younger aficionados."
He criticized the government and anti-smoking advocates of interfering too far into people's lives.
"The World College of Physicians in Britain, which is sort of the AMA of Britain, has recommended e-cigarettes be encouraged. Their take in Britain is that this is good thing, that we should encourage people to use these. What's happening is that the control freaks, the puritans, seeing something that somebody enjoys doing, that they don't appreciate, really want to crack down on it. They're getting as close to a total ban on it as they can possibly get without actually going all the way there."
Tuccille accused the FDA of implementing these regulations as a way to kill the entire industry.
"It's a backdoor way of prohibition. The FDA and other government agencies really don't want these available to consumers. They've made this pretty clear. This is a way of choking off access without explicitly going prohibitionist. They're going to have, pretty much, close to the same effect."