Electronic Cigarettes Are Not Illegal in Oregon
Added: (Mon Aug 30 2010)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Sammy Jones
Company: Electric Nicotine
Phone: 503-766-2194
Email Address - contact@electricnicotine.com
Web site address - http://www.electricnicotine.com
Electronic Cigarettes Are Not Illegal in Oregon
Portland, Oregon - August 27, 2010
Last week, the state of Oregon won a legal battle and was awarded $95,000 against an electronic cigarette company for their part in misleading consumers.
A Florida company, Smoking Everywhere, Inc. - www.smokingeverywhere.com - has been ordered to pay $95,000 to the Oregon Department of Justice in order to cover the state's litigation costs.
Legal proceedings between the company and the state of Oregon first got underway in 2008, as the company was reportedly making unsubstantiated claims about the safety of their product.
According to David Hart, at the Oregon DOJ, Smoking Everywhere claimed electric cigarettes to be “safe”, “safer than smoking” etc. and that has not been proven scientifically, or certified safe by the United States Food & Drug Administration.
Mary Williams, Deputy Attorney General of Oregon said that "When products threaten the health and safety of Oregonians, we will take action,". "If companies want to sell electronic cigarettes to consumers, they have to be able to prove they are safe." she continued.
Senior Assistant Attorney General David Hart handled the case for the Oregon Department of Justice, and Attorney General John Kroger currently leads the Oregon DoJ.
Smoking Everywhere did admit in the settlement that they violated Oregons Unlawful Trade Practices Act, but the president of Smoking Everywhere, Elico Taieb, has agreed to pay just $25,000 so far.
This did not make the devices illegal, and according to David Hart (in 2009) “there is no law in Oregon specifically mentioning electronic cigarettes“.
There's a huge misconception among many the local media in Oregon, and this was NOT a change in the law regarding electronic cigarettes, and in fact it had nothing at all to do with the electronic cigarette industry.
This was a violation of the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act, and nothing more, and electronic cigarette sellers may still do business in Oregon.
Smoking Everywhere did not seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval prior to releasing its ecigs for distribution, and the company marketed its products as a safe alternative to traditional tobacco products. This was their crime, and they've been barred from doing business in Oregon.
Electronic cigarettes are an innovative device that enables smokers to inhale nicotine through a vapor created from a battery, computer chip, and a nicotine soaked "cartridge". Their popularity is increasing, and many states, perhaps fearing a loss in tobacco tax revenue, are taking steps to limit their distribution.
Based in Portland Oregon, Electric Nicotine is a website that sells electronic cigarettes online. They have been in business since January of 2008, and have become one of the nations leading sites in the industry, selling product all over the country. Their ability to sell these electric smoking devices has *not* been affected by this legal ruling.
For additional information, please contact Sammy Jones, at 503-766-2194