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Ruyan America http://ruyanamerica.com/ is televising infomercials
http://www.nathanandjamesgroup.com/ in 13 US cities this week (press
release below) marketing its smokefree nicotine alternative (called an
E-cigarette) to smokers.  

While appearing like a cigarette, the product lets smokers inhale smokefree
atomized nicotine vapor, which contains no carcinogens, carbon monoxide or
other tobacco smoke contaminants.  Smokers can sharply reduce their
morbidity and mortality risks by switching to smokefree tobacco/nicotine
products, and Ruyan's cigarette alternative may appeal to many smokers who
won't use NRT (gum, lozenges, patches, inhalers) or smokeless tobacco
products.   

Long-time public health professional and smokefree activist Dr. Murray
Laugesen (Health New Zealand) has been commissioned by Ruyan to research
the product, with Laugesen's presentation at the 2008 Society for Research
on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) conference at:
http://www.healthnz.co.nz/Portland2008ECIG.pdf

While the E-cigarette also may prove effective as a smoking cessation aid,
I'm not aware that Ruyan America has made that claim, which the WHO
recently urged other companies to stop making at:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28117&Cr=&Cr1= 

Note that similar products are being marketed in different countries by
other companies, including:
NJoy at http://www.njoy.com/index.php
Crown Seven at http://www.crown7.com/
Supersmoker at http://supersmoker.co.uk/ and
http://supersmoker.com/en/index.php

Since the E-cigarette is not a tobacco product, it and other smokefree
nicotine products would not be regulated by the Philip Morris / CTFK
negotiated FDA tobacco legislation, which protects cigarettes and Philip
Morris in the future at the expense of smokefree tobacco products.  

This is another reason the next Congress should improve the FDA tobacco
legislation to:
- reasonably and responsibly regulate all tobacco/nicotine products, 
- inform smokers of the relative and comparable health risks of different
tobacco/nicotine products, and 
- encourage industry and smokers (who won't quit) to transition from
cigarettes to smokefree tobacco/nicotine products. 

Scott Ballin and AHEAD also advocate similar public health improvements to
the FDA legislation at http://www.tobaccoatacrossroads.com/  

Bill Godshall
Smokefree Pennsylvania

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Ruyan E-cigarette DRTV Infomercial to Debut Week of October 13, 2008

Ruyan E-cigarette Starter Kits to Be Featured on Spots Produced by
Incredible Discoveries on Behalf of Nashvilles Nathan and James Group

MINNEAPOLIS - October 9, 2008 - Ruyan America, Inc., announced today that
an infomercial featuring the companys V-8 electronic cigarette will
premiere next Monday, October 13, 2008, in 13 selected markets, which are
Pittsburgh, Pa., Portland, Ore., Baltimore, Md., Cleveland, Ohio, Miami,
Fla., San Diego, Calif., Hartford-New Haven, Conn., Indianapolis, Ind.,
Orlando, Fla., Sacramento, Calif., Denver, Colo. and St. Louis, Mo. It is
expected that a nationwide roll-out of the program will begin shortly after
this initial run, which is slated to conclude on Sunday, October 19, 2008..

The infomercial is a standard long form 28 and one-half minute program that
introduces viewers to the Ruyan V-8 E-cigarette smoking substitute, a
product that allows smokers to satisfy their desire for tobacco without
producing second hand smoke and the 4,000 or so chemicals found in that
smoke. 

The infomercial features many individuals, smokers and non-smokers alike,
who speak to the quality and usefulness of the product; both from the
standpoint of it not producing an intrusive smoke or odor to offend
non-smokers and of satisfying the urge for traditional cigarettes for
smokers. 

William Bartkowski, President of Ruyan America, Inc., stated, "The
production of this show involved putting our unique product in the hands of
many people in many walks of life. We were extremely pleased and to a
certain extent humbled by the overwhelmingly positive response from smokers
and non-smokers. We would encourage everyone who has the opportunity to
take the time to view this program and become educated about this product
and product category." 

The infomercial can be viewed in its entirety on the internet at
http://www.nathanandjamesgroup.com. Viewers will be able to order and buy
the product at that site under the same terms and conditions as offered in
the infomercial. Nathan and James Group is based in Nashville, TN, and is
the exclusive DRTV distributor of Ruyan products.

Ruyan America, Inc. is a U.S.-based joint venture partner of Ruyan Holdings
Ltd. of Hong Kong. Ruyan Americas Chairman, Mr. Hon Lik, is the inventor
and patent holder of the E-cigarette and the atomizing technology that is
critical to it, the E-cigar and the E-pipe. These products, varieties of
replacement cartridges and their accessories are designed, manufactured and
sold for the cigarette alternative/smoking substitution market. They allow
smokers to satisfy their cravings in places and situations where they
otherwise cannot smoke by law, regulation or common courtesy. Ruyan is the
only manufacturer of E-cigarette pursuant to Mr. Hons patents and Ruyan
America is the only Company providing E-cigarettes, E-cigars, E-pipes,
their cartridges and accessories to distributors and retailers in concert
with safety test results, product liability insurance, detailed ingredient
lists, documentation of proprietary intellectual property and the support
of a $4 million Direct Response Television campaign. Additional information
about the company and its products can be found at 

http://www.nathanandjamesgroup.com. 

Warning: be advised that nicotine is addictive. The Ruyan products have not
been evaluated by the US FDA. They are not intended to be drug products
that diagnose, treat, cure or mitigate any disease or condition. Do not use
these products if you are under the age of 21; if you are a non-smoker, if
you have a demonstrated allergy or sensitivity to nicotine or any
combination of inhalants; or if you are pregnant or nursing.
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