Today is the last day to comment on the FDA's future regulation of tobacco. As you may recall, tobacco was moved under FDA regulation earlier this year.
Regardless of how you personally feel about tobacco use, it is important to remember that liberty means that some people will be doing things, with which you may disagree, and as long as you're not forced or fraudulently coerced to participate, it should be legal for them to do so.
Steps to Comment
Commenting on this proposed regulation is somewhat painful, but here are the steps.
1. Type up your thoughts in a coherent method in Microsoft Word or other word processing program of your choice. Be sure the grammar and spelling are cleaned up.
2. (optional) Print document to PDF. If you don't have a PDF printer, google "Cute PDF" and download and install CutePDF Writer, a free product. Reboot, reload the document, and print to PDF. IF YOUR COMMENT IS MORE THAN 2000 CHARACTERS, YOU MUST DO THIS.
3. (optional) Find supporting documentation and print to PDF format. (How about some quotes from the founders? Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, etc)
4. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/
5. Search for document HFA–305 or FDA-2009-N-0294
6. Scroll down and choose the tab that says "View By Docket Folder"
7. Click on "Submit a comment" under one of the various existing comments.
8. Select the Checkbox next to something that says "Comment directly on NOTICES:", check it. The message above this box should now say "Success! You will now be commenting directly on NOTICES:"
8. Fill out your information in Section 1. For "Submitter Category" you will probably select "Individual Consumer".
9. If you printed a document to PDF, you can just write a summary in section 2; otherwise, copy your comment from your word processor into the comment field.
10. Attach any and all PDF documents at the bottom of section 2. If you have more than one document, you must attach each document one at a time.
11. When satisfied, hit "Preview Comment" to verify everything looks good. Then close the preview box.
12. If not satisfied, change it. If satisfied, hit submit.
BE SURE TO NOTE YOUR COMMENT TRACKING NUMBER. If there are any shenanigans, we'll call them on it.
Form letter
Here is a form letter, in case you do not have time to write your own.
To whom it may concern:
Legal adults must be allowed to make fully-informed decisions, even when they're counter-productive to their own health, in order to maintain a free society.
I would like to suggest that the FDA require that cigarette manufacturers include an ingredients list, with "processed tobacco" and all other additives, just as in all other consumable products. This, combined with current tobacco education, allows the consumer to make a fully-informed choice, prior to consumption of tobacco products.
Consumers need protection from fraudulent business practices, but do not need to be protected from their own selves.
Thank you.