MEP and MP Letters

[Smokescreen]

I've also emailed my MP and MEPs (including Catherine Bearder) and would encourage others to do the same. The core of my email was:

I've smoked 20-30 cigarettes a day for over 30 years. I had no great will-power to give up. I liked smoking. I could afford it. I ignored the health risks - death is one certainty in life. On the few attempts I tried NRT I did well if I gave up for 48 hours, but rarely managed a day without topping up with cigarettes.

In January a family friend suffered a 'colon attack' (Ischemic colitis) obviously related to smoking. His son-in-law bought an e-cigarette and stopped smoking cigarettes. I thought I would try too and bought one from Tesco. Now six weeks later I'm amazed (as is everyone who knows me) that I haven't smoked a cigarette since. Despite another significant warning of the health risks in smoking I really wasn't that motivated, I just thought I'd try it and see.

I'm addicted to nicotine - that is something to solve later. But I've cut the risks significantly, avoiding the carcinogenic effects of smoking and the hundreds of chemicals added to the tobacco. I've moved on from e-cigarettes that try to look and taste like cigarettes to buying refillable devices and e-liquid. The e-liquids typically contain nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine, water and flavouring. I personally prefer citrus or mint flavours rather than tobacco, often from small specialist suppliers rather than the mass produced Chinese or American ones. Doubtless they will go out of business if they have to meet medicinal testing standard for their blends, rather than say being required to use certified ingredients.

The heavy-handed legislation proposed by the EU will significantly reduce the opportunity for smokers to satisfy their nicotine addiction in a much safer way. If the legislation does get approved I will doubtless mix my own e-liquid - the flavourings are simply food flavourings. But many hardened smokers will not get the chance to significantly reduce the risk they face from smoking in a very simple way through products available from general retailers, an idea that seems to have support from the Cabinet Office's behavioural insight team (the nudge unit) and the chairman of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group. E-cigarettes significantly reduce the risk for smokers, do not create passive smoke issues, do not create a litter problem or of course the smell.

Please consider carefully how you vote later this month.

 

[AnnaLaw]

I've also emailed my MP and MEPs (including Catherine Bearder) and would encourage others to do the same. The core of my email was:

I've smoked 20-30 cigarettes a day for over 30 years. I had no great will-power to give up. I liked smoking. I could afford it. I ignored the health risks - death is one certainty in life. On the few attempts I tried NRT I did well if I gave up for 48 hours, but rarely managed a day without topping up with cigarettes.

In January a family friend suffered a 'colon attack' (Ischemic colitis) obviously related to smoking. His son-in-law bought an e-cigarette and stopped smoking cigarettes. I thought I would try too and bought one from Tesco. Now six weeks later I'm amazed (as is everyone who knows me) that I haven't smoked a cigarette since. Despite another significant warning of the health risks in smoking I really wasn't that motivated, I just thought I'd try it and see.

I'm addicted to nicotine - that is something to solve later. But I've cut the risks significantly, avoiding the carcinogenic effects of smoking and the hundreds of chemicals added to the tobacco. I've moved on from e-cigarettes that try to look and taste like cigarettes to buying refillable devices and e-liquid. The e-liquids typically contain nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine, water and flavouring. I personally prefer citrus or mint flavours rather than tobacco, often from small specialist suppliers rather than the mass produced Chinese or American ones. Doubtless they will go out of business if they have to meet medicinal testing standard for their blends, rather than say being required to use certified ingredients.

The heavy-handed legislation proposed by the EU will significantly reduce the opportunity for smokers to satisfy their nicotine addiction in a much safer way. If the legislation does get approved I will doubtless mix my own e-liquid - the flavourings are simply food flavourings. But many hardened smokers will not get the chance to significantly reduce the risk they face from smoking in a very simple way through products available from general retailers, an idea that seems to have support from the Cabinet Office's behavioural insight team (the nudge unit) and the chairman of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group. E-cigarettes significantly reduce the risk for smokers, do not create passive smoke issues, do not create a litter problem or of course the smell.

Please consider carefully how you vote later this month.

Good luck with Catherine Bearder. She is now concerned about trace amounts of propylene glycol in ecigs as well and a colleague of her is asking a written question.
I sent her a lot of studies, she thanked me for them than carried on. But her website does say that she's an MEP to do the things she thinks important, not what her constituents think are.
Labour will send you the same as everybody else. I had two letters from Peter Skinner because in the first one he forgot to say that some ecigs contain 48 mg nicotine. I had an almost identical email the next day.

UKIP haven't responded to me at all, but I tweeted Nigel Farage and got a tweet back when I asked if he was against ecigs as medicines... one word, yes.

 

[KulrMeStoopid]

Just wanted to share that MP's and MEP's are taking notice of your letters and the places you are discussing them!

I have spoken to my colleagues in the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee who have informed me that a significant amount of information concerning our Group's approach to this issue has previously been disseminated on internet forums such as http://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk of which you may be aware.

- Jim Nicholson MEP


Keep up the good fight folks!

 

[AndyC1971]

Here is the reply to my original email that I have received today: -

Dear AndyC1971,
Thank you for contacting me on the subject of the European Commission's recent proposal for a revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive, particularly with regard to the proposed new rules surrounding 'nicotine containing products', such as e-cigarettes.
I would first like to point out that the proposal does not contain an outright ban on nicotine-containing products such as e-cigarettes, so such products may still be sold as long as the amount of nicotine contained in them does not exceed a certain threshold.
Article 18 of the proposal states that nicotine-containing products that have a nicotine level exceeding 2mg, or a nicotine concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml or an intended use which results in a mean maximum peak plasma concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml may be placed on the market only if they have been authorised as medicinal products on the basis of their quality, safety and efficacy, and with a positive risk/benefit balance.
There are many arguments for and against nicotine-containing products, in particular with regards to their safety, functioning and impact on health, as well as the effect more stringent regulation would have on the habits of nicotine addicts. Some argue that the relatively low level of nicotine permitted by the revised Directive in devices like e-cigarettes would render them useless to those attempting to quit smoking. However, others suggest that not enough is known about the safety of such products, and that they are in need of greater regulation in order to safeguard against an increasing over dependency.
My Liberal Democrat colleague Rebecca Taylor MEP, who is a substitute member of the Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, is monitoring the proposal on behalf of the LibDems. She has extensive experience in the field of public health and is still examining the issue of nicotine-containing products and has not yet taken a position on this particular part of the Directive. Over the coming months she will be looking at a range of studies and meeting various experts and stakeholders in order to have as sound an understanding of the issue as possible. I have also forwarded your comments to her.
Yours sincerely,
Sarah Ludford

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP
Liberal Democrat MEP for London
Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman.

Here is my response: -

Dear Baroness Ludford,

Firstly, may I thank you for your response to my email dated 12^th February 2013. You can imagine my excitement, when I initially saw your reply sitting proudly in my ‘inbox’ as I have never received an email from such an important person before, other than my daughter. But it is with great regret that my excitement started to diminish upon reading the said response.
I understand that you don’t have the time to respond personally, but the feeling that again, I have troubled you, and in response receive a template letter is both demoralising and makes me feel slightly worthless, remember the part within my original email with regards to when I have failed in my quest of quitting tobacco, well, let me state that there is a feeling of ‘De Ja Vu’ as I type.
The whole purpose of my email, was to try and put a ‘face’ to the plight of vapers and smokers alike, and try and inject some emotion into the argument, after all, whilst I appreciate it might not affect you, I am a human with feelings and emotions too. When I am cut, I bleed, when I am hurt, I feel pain. No different to yourself, and every other person that will be discussing these proposals in the next few weeks.

Now, I understand I am different to you, I am not ‘elected’ but I know I say this for many thousands of vapers both from this country and the EU, we have a right, we have a voice, and I cannot see for the life of me, why if I choose to vape a nicotine based product of over 4mg per ml, why for the love of god, that I cant.
Smoking is bad for you, I am aware of that, but I feel like I am being forced back into that, after all, its legal and allowed?!
I am fiercely patriotic and proud of my roots to being dare I say it English, and I the same as many have fought for this country in both Kuwait, and peace keeping in Bosnia. I come from a long line of servicemen and women within my family, and unfortunately not everyone was as fortunate as me to survive. I take into question my Grandfather, who unfortunately sacrificed his life in order to keep tyranny from these shores.
Now I never met him, never got the chance to sit on his knee and talk about war stories, or to share a pint with him on my 18th birthday, but that doesn’t mean to say, I am not proud of what he did for this country, and remember him every day, especially on Remembrance Sunday, known as ‘Pickled Onion’ day in our family, because it’s the day, when pickled onions are made, the real reason is we can blame the onions for the tears in our eyes.
Now you are probably wondering what this has to do with vaping and the legislation, well to put it bluntly, thank god our forefathers didn’t roll over and give in to tyranny in 1914 or 1939, please for the sake of us all, don’t give in now.
If at any time, you or your colleagues want to engage in meeting the ‘faces’ to this legislation, I have absolutely no problem meeting with anyone. Hey I know people will look at me a bit strange and at times with aghast, but I am used to that, after all that the reaction I got every day for 24 years, when I was a smoker.
Please there is no need to respond, unless you want/need my help or if you wish to discuss things further, I appreciate that you are incredibly busy.

Yours Sincerely,

I hope this actually fires her into action, but somehow I think I am pissing in the wind

 

[KulrMeStoopid]

I do believe the study they are quoting was mis printed.... Someone help me on this one!

 

[AnnaLaw]

I do believe the study they are quoting was mis printed.... Someone help me on this one!

Which study? I didn't see one named.
I did see this mistake in the dear Baroness's letter:
Article 18 of the proposal states that nicotine-containing products that have a nicotine level exceeding 2mg, or a nicotine concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml or an intended use which results in a mean maximum peak plasma concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml may be placed on the market only if they have been authorised as medicinal products on the basis of their quality, safety and efficacy, and with a positive risk/benefit balance.

It is 4 ng per ml, the same as eating a lot of aubergines!

 

[KulrMeStoopid]

Thats what I meant, i knew it was misprinted, just wasnt sure where I read it.

 

[AndyC1971]

Which study? I didn't see one named.
I did see this mistake in the dear Baroness's letter:
Article 18 of the proposal states that nicotine-containing products that have a nicotine level exceeding 2mg, or a nicotine concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml or an intended use which results in a mean maximum peak plasma concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml may be placed on the market only if they have been authorised as medicinal products on the basis of their quality, safety and efficacy, and with a positive risk/benefit balance.

It is 4 ng per ml, the same as eating a lot of aubergines!

Sorry peeps, in her response was a embedded link, I have highlighted it a different colour for you all. sorry

 

[AnnaLaw]

Sorry peeps, in her response was a embedded link, I have highlighted it a different colour for you all. sorry

Thanks for showing where the link is, but I've already read it.
Do you know that it (or a part) will be streamed? I'll be watching europarliament tv on my computer on the 25th.

Anybody know the time it starts?

 

[Mark]

Another Tory on board

Dear Mr Davis

Thank you for your email regarding the issue of electronic cigarettes. I have had a number of constituents raising similar concerns about the proposed reduction of nicotine in e-cigs and effectively banning them in the EU.

As you may know my stance towards the European Union is not one of further integration, quite the opposite. Nor am I in favour of banning things which are ultimately an issue of personal choice. Many, if not all, of those who use e-cigs will have taken the time to learn about the product before using them. These choices should be respected especially if it leads to a healthier alternative to normal cigarettes. I am concerned by the theory that this ban is coming after pressure from tobacco companies and if that is the case then questions must be asked of the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs, Tonio Borg.

The Commission’s proposal will result in nicotine thresholds which will be insufficient for individuals who use these e-cigs as a means of quitting tobacco cigarettes all together or as a replacement for them. This could very well send ex-tobacco smokers back to square one therefore making the proposal completely counter-productive.

I have always been opposed to legislation which seeks to control and nanny the British public from an unaccountable seat in Brussels. Laws which govern Britain must be made in Britain and it is for that reason that I have been campaigning so strongly for a referendum on our relationship with the EU. As your MEP, I will be voting against this proposal because it is about personal freedom as well as personal health.

Yours sincerely


David Campbell Bannerman MEP
Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the East of England

www.dcbmep.org
Twitter: @DCBMEP