CASAA Call to Action: On May 8, 2014, CASAA released their “Overview of CASAA’s Action Plan Regarding Proposed FDA Regulations”.
The first step for your reading pleasure:
“Which brings us to the first Call to Action, which will be issued in the next day or two.
FDA, which took more than three years to issue these enormous documents, has given us a mere 75 days to comment. While responding in that timeframe is challenging in the base case, the FDA has also posed, by our count, 99 requests for information about THR products (this does not include repeat questions or questions specifically pertaining to cigars). Given the length of time FDA has taken to release the proposed regulations, the massive amount of information FDA is requesting, the length of the document itself, and the devastating impact these regulations will have on a product that is estimated to be approximately 99% less hazardous than combustibles, the 75-day comment period is, at best, inadequate.
The first Call to Action will be for all consumers to request an extension of the comment period. Such an extension is needed for anyone who is going to attempt to compile the information required to answer FDA’s substantive questions. The Call to Action will provide details on how to do that. We expect that SFATA, AEMSA, and other industry groups will be providing similar guidance for vendors and manufacturers. The cigar interests are doing the same.”
Bolding by yours truly. Please read the entire document.