[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76348-76357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26486]


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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The FTC is submitting the information collection requirements 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for 
review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC 
is seeking public comments on proposed information requests to 
marketers of electronic cigarettes (``e-cigarettes''). The FTC proposes 
to issue compulsory process orders to up to 15 e-cigarette 
manufacturers, distributors, and marketers per year for information 
concerning, among other things, data on annual sales and marketing 
expenditures. The Commission intends to ask OMB for a three-year 
clearance to collect this information.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information requests must be received 
on or before December 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file a comment online or on paper, by 
following the instructions in the Request for Comment part of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Write ``Electronic Cigarettes: 
Paperwork Comment, FTC File No. P14504,'' on your comment. File your 
comment online at https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/electroniccigarettespra2 by following the instructions on the web-based 
form. If you prefer to file your comment on paper, mail your comment to 
the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the 
Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Suite CC-5610 (Annex J), 
Washington, DC 20580, or deliver your comment to the following address: 
Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Constitution Center, 
400 7th Street SW., 5th Floor, Suite 5610 (Annex J), Washington, DC 
20024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be addressed to Elizabeth Sanger or Rosemary Rosso, Division of 
Advertising Practices, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade 
Commission. Telephone: (202) 326-2757 (Sanger) or (202) 326-2174 
(Rosso).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In the past few years, sales of e-cigarettes have grown rapidly in 
the United States.\1\ These devices are available in both disposable 
and refillable models, in a range of nicotine strengths (including 
nicotine-free), and in a multitude of flavors. E-cigarettes are 
manufactured, distributed, and sold by a wide variety of industry 
members, ranging from large companies, including major U.S. tobacco 
companies, to small, single-location operators. They can be

[[Page 76349]]

purchased at conventional retail stores, at ``vape shops,'' which are 
retail stores that primarily or exclusively sell e-cigarettes, and 
online.
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    \1\ These products are most commonly referred to as e-
cigarettes, but sometimes also are referenced as vape pens, personal 
vaporizers, e-hookah, and electronic nicotine delivery systems. This 
information collection would cover all such products, regardless of 
how they are referenced.
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    For many years, the Commission has published reports on sales and 
marketing expenditures by the major cigarette and smokeless tobacco 
manufacturers. These data allow the agency to analyze industry sales 
and assess how industry members allocate their promotional activities 
and expenditures. The data also provide information to policymakers and 
public health researchers that, in many instances, is not available 
from other sources. Given their increasing prevalence, the Commission 
believes it is important and necessary for the agency to begin 
collecting information about e-cigarette sales and marketing 
activities. The Commission intends to publish a report with the data it 
obtains,\2\ and to issue similar information requests regularly in 
order to track trends over time. The information will be sought using 
compulsory process under Section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission 
Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(b).
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    \2\ The report would not disclose any company-specific 
confidential data.
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    The Commission intends to issue information requests to up to 15 
industry members, including larger and smaller entities, and will seek 
information about the different types of e-cigarette products marketed, 
certain characteristics of those products, and information about 
marketing expenditures for broad categories of media. While the data 
may not represent overall sales and marketing activities for the entire 
e-cigarette industry, the information provided should provide a 
valuable snapshot of the current e-cigarette market, including its 
major players. Because the number of separately incorporated companies 
affected by the Commission's requests will exceed nine entities, the 
Commission is seeking OMB clearance under the PRA before requesting any 
information from the industry members.\3\ On October 27, 2015, as 
required by the PRA, the FTC published a Federal Register Notice 
seeking comments from the public concerning the proposed collection of 
information from e-cigarette marketers. See 80 FR 65758 (``October 2015 
Notice''). As discussed below, 37 comments were received.
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    \3\ Under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, federal agencies must 
obtain approval from OMB for each ``collection of information'' they 
conduct or sponsor if posed to ten or more entities within any 
twelve-month period. 44 U.S.C. 3502(3); 5 CFR 1320.3(c). 
``Collection of information'' means agency requests or requirements 
that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide 
information to a third party. 44 U.S.C. 3502(3); 5 CFR 1320.3(c).
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    Pursuant to the OMB regulations that implement the PRA (5 CFR part 
1320), the FTC is providing this second opportunity for public comment 
while requesting that the OMB grant the clearance for the proposed 
collection of information. All comments should be filed as prescribed 
in the Request for Comment part below, and must be received on or 
before December 2, 2016.

II. Public Comments

    The FTC received 37 comments in response to the October 2015 
Notice.\4\ Of these, 20 comments expressly supported and substantively 
addressed the proposed data collection. A joint comment favoring the 
proposal was submitted by the following public health organizations: 
American Academy of Pediatrics; the American Heart Association; 
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; Tobacco Control Legal Consortium; and 
Truth Initiative (``Joint Public Health Comment''). Comments supporting 
the proposal also were received from three individual public health or 
public interest organizations.\5\ Favorable substantive comments were 
submitted by three government-related entities or individuals: National 
Association of Attorneys General Tobacco Committee (``NAAG''); the 
Oregon Public Health Division; and the Comptroller of the City of New 
York; and from three academic centers involved in public health and 
tobacco control issues.\6\ Ten individuals, many involved in local 
health education or tobacco control activities, filed individual 
comments supporting the data collection.\7\
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    \4\ See https://www.ftc.gov/policy/public-comments/initiative-626.
    \5\ Comments by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (``CTFK''); 
American Lung Association; and Truth In Advertising, Inc.
    \6\ Comment by Georgia State University Tobacco Center of 
Regulatory Science (``Georgia State''); Comment by Glantz, et al., 
University of California, San Francisco Tobacco Center for 
Regulatory Science and Center for Tobacco Control Research and 
Education (``UCSF''); and Comment by Ribisl et al., University of 
North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health (``UNC'').
    \7\ Comments by K. Miloski (Riverhead Community Awareness 
Program); L. Rotolo (TFAC); S. Hills; D. Moore (Tobacco Free Action 
Committee); S. Fischer; A. Zanatta (Jewish Community Center); K. 
Keenan (Roswell Park Cancer Institute), M. James (POW'R Against 
Tobacco); J. DiFranza; and T. Cain (Anderson Aconee Behavioral 
Health).
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    Five comments were received from industry members: R.J. Reynolds 
Vapor Company and RAI Services Company (``Reynolds''); Altria Client 
Services Inc. and Nu Mark LLC (``Altria''); Rock River Manufacturing, 
the tobacco products manufacturing division of Ho-Chunk, Inc. (``Ho-
Chunk''); (4) Fontem US, Inc. (``Fontem''), and (5) Logic Technology 
Development LLC (``Logic''). None of these comments expressly opposed 
the proposed data collection, although two companies questioned whether 
the data collection was premature given the then-pending FDA deeming 
regulation that, among other provisions, asserts regulatory authority 
over e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.\8\ Each industry comment 
made suggestions that it asserted would enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected and reduce the burden on 
the respondents.
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    \8\ FDA has since issued its final regulation: Deeming Tobacco 
Products To Be Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 
as Amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act; 
Restrictions on the Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products and 
Required Warning Statements for Tobacco Products (``Deeming 
Regulation''), 81 FR 28974 (May 10, 2016).
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    The remaining 12 comments did not substantively address the 
proposed data collection.

A. General Support for the Data Collection

    In its October 2015 Notice, the FTC sought comments regarding 
whether the proposed collection is necessary.\9\ Many of the comments 
stated that the data collection would provide important information, 
especially given the increased use of e-cigarettes by youth,\10\ and 
the limited availability of data on e-cigarette advertising and 
marketing from other sources.\11\ The Joint Public Health Comment 
stated that the collected data could provide valuable information and 
insights into the e-cigarette market and be used as a basis for public 
policy decisions. The UNC comment stated that the data collection would 
enable public health professionals to better understand where e-
cigarette advertising and marketing dollars are being spent, and to 
help develop specific interventions to prevent underage use. The UCSF 
comment stated that the reports would enable retrospective assessment 
of advocacy activities and policy changes.
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    \9\ See 80 FR 65758 at 65759.
    \10\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment; comments from CTFK; 
UCSF; and Oregon Public Health Division.
    \11\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment; comments from CTFK; 
UNC; and Georgia State.
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    A number of comments made favorable comparisons between the 
proposed collection of information on e-cigarette sales and marketing 
expenditures and the FTC's existing reports on cigarettes and smokeless 
tobacco, noting that the existing reports are widely used by public 
health

[[Page 76350]]

professionals, researchers, policymakers, and government agencies.\12\ 
These comments stated that expansion of data collection to e-cigarettes 
is needed to inform these same stakeholders about the nature and extent 
of e-cigarette advertising and marketing practices, and to allow them 
to monitor trends.\13\
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    \12\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment; comments from 
Oregon Public Health Division; M. James; D. Moore; S. Fisher; S. 
Hills; and L. Rotolo.
    \13\ See, e.g., comment from CTFK.
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    The FTC believes that these information requests are in the public 
interest and essential to the agency's performance of its authority to 
investigate and report publicly on industry practices that affect the 
economic well-being of consumers. Consistent with the agency's 
information collection for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, 
the data will also provide important information for researchers and 
policymakers.

B. Utility of the Information Collection

    The FTC's October 2015 Notice also sought comment on whether the 
proposed data collection is necessary for the proper performance of the 
functions of the FTC, including whether the information will be 
practically useful.\14\ The NAAG comment stated that the data 
collection would greatly facilitate state efforts to better understand 
and effectively regulate e-cigarettes. The Joint Public Health Comment 
and the Georgia State comment noted that the FTC's report would 
facilitate research into e-cigarette marketing because it would provide 
access to data that are otherwise unavailable from commercial sources, 
which tend to focus on larger companies and traditional distribution 
channels such as convenience stores. The UCSF comment states that 
scholarly research of e-cigarette marketing would be best served by 
reliable data, such as data collected directly from members of the e-
cigarette market. Individual public health educators commented that a 
report on e-cigarette sales and marketing would facilitate their local 
and state health education work, which in turn informs evidence-based 
policymaking and regulatory action.\15\ One drug prevention specialist 
stated that a report on e-cigarette sales and marketing expenditures 
would also inform advocacy work and counter-marketing strategies to 
discourage youth and other vulnerable populations from using e-
cigarettes.\16\
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    \14\ 80 FR 65758 at 65759.
    \15\ See, e.g., comments by L. Rotolo and M. James.
    \16\ See comment by T. Cain.
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    One industry member, Ho-Chunk, questioned whether the value of the 
proposed data collection could be outweighed by the risk that a 
negative public perception of e-cigarettes would damage the growth of 
the industry. The company expressed concern that the FTC's data 
collection could send a premature message that the industry is engaged 
in predatory marketing or that there are as-yet-unknown health and 
safety risks associated with the use of these products.
    The Commission intends to use the data collection to provide useful 
baseline information (starting with 2015 data) concerning sales of the 
various e-cigarette products and allow the Commission to analyze how 
industry members allocate their promotional activities and expenditures 
across various media. The data also will provide researchers and 
policymakers with sales and marketing information that will assist 
their research and regulatory efforts. The Commission does not believe 
that the data collection itself will create any negative public 
perception of e-cigarettes or damage the growth of the industry. In 
particular, the proposal seeks sales and marketing expenditure data 
only and does not include an inquiry into any hypothetical predatory 
practices or health or safety information. In addition, the data 
collection here is very similar in content and methodology to studies 
that the Commission for many years has undertaken with respect to other 
markets, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products (OMB 
Control No. 3084-0134); alcoholic beverages (OMB Control No. 3084-
0138); and food (OMB Control No. 3084-0139).

C. Suggestions To Improve the Information Collection

    In its October 2015 Notice, the FTC invited comments concerning 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected.\17\ The FTC received substantive comments for enhancing 
its proposed data collection as follows: (1) Expand the scope of the 
proposed data collection by collecting data from a broad cross-section 
of market participants and increasing the number of surveyed entities; 
(2) collect and report data on a state-by-state basis; (3) collect and 
report sales data that are segmented by product type, differentiates 
product characteristics such as flavors and nicotine strength, that 
include data on refills and cartridges, and that report sales data 
separately from product give-aways; and (4) collect and report broad 
categories of marketing expenditure data.
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    \17\ 80 FR 65758 at 65759.
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1. Scope of the Data Collection
    The Commission's October 2015 Notice anticipated collecting and 
reporting data obtained from as many as 15 entities that would vary in 
size, in the number of products sold, and in the extent and variety of 
their advertising and marketing.\18\ A number of comments recommended 
that the Commission expand the scope of the data collection by 
including a broad cross-section of market participants, including 
distributors and entities whose products are sold in traditional retail 
stores (e.g., convenience stores), as well as online sellers, and vape 
shops. To accomplish this goal, some commenters recommended that the 
Commission increase the number of entities from whom it would collect 
data.
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    \18\ Id. at 65760.
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    a. Type of Market Participant. A wide range of commenters, 
including both industry and public health organizations and 
researchers, recommended that the Commission expand the scope of the 
proposed data collection by including a broad cross-section of market 
participants in the entities surveyed through the data collection. 
Logic recommended that the FTC seek a broader cross-section of the 
market. Fontem commented that vape shops comprise a large percentage of 
the market, and noted that the data collection would not be meaningful 
if vape shops were not included. Altria also suggested that the FTC 
send data requests to a selection of vape shops. Reynolds recommended 
that the Commission differentiate the information requests by type of 
market participant, reasoning that such segmentation would present less 
need for highly differentiated sales and marketing data. The Joint 
Public Health Comment recommended that the FTC survey a selection of 
large companies, as well as a geographically dispersed selection of e-
cigarette manufacturers, distributors, and retailers (including online 
sellers and vape shops) in order to get a cross-section of market 
participants. The UNC comment recommended that the proposed data 
collection differentiate the method of sale (distributors, online, 
retail) so that subsequent enforcement efforts can be tailored 
appropriately. Georgia State and one individual also recommended that 
the Commission differentiate by method of sale. Another individual 
recommended that the data requests segment market participants into two

[[Page 76351]]

groups: Those that sell only e-cigarette products and those that sell 
e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.
    The Commission agrees that seeking data from a broad cross-section 
of the overall market, including distributors to conventional retail 
sellers, online sellers, and vape shops, would provide a fuller 
perspective on the overall e-cigarette market. However, the Commission 
was not able to find sufficient, reliable market data that would permit 
it to identify and select which smaller online sellers and vape shops 
should receive data requests. The available data from which the 
Commission could identify a sample of online sellers or vape shops are 
so limited and insufficient that any separate samples of these sellers 
would at best provide anecdotal information.
    In contrast, the available market data do permit a reliable sample 
of the largest e-cigarette marketers and some online sellers. The 
Commission believes that a sample of these companies will account for 
at least 80 percent of the conventional retail market and a sizable 
share of the online market. Thus, the data will provide useful 
information concerning at least this large subset of the overall 
market. At the same time, the Commission remains interested in 
collecting and reporting sales and marketing expenditure data from a 
broader cross-section of the market. Should more reliable market data 
become available, the Commission may seek OMB clearance to collect 
sales and marketing expenditure data for a broader cross-section of 
companies at such time, and would report on the data received.
    b. Number of Entities Submitting Data. To capture data from a broad 
cross-section of market participants, several commenters recommended 
that the Commission collect data from more than 15 entities, the number 
identified in the October 2015 Notice. Altria recommended increasing 
the number beyond 15 entities given industry fragmentation and the 
increased market presence of vape shops. Reynolds questioned whether 
data collection from 15 entities would be sufficient to allow the FTC 
to characterize overall market sales and marketing activities. Logic 
stated that the proposed data collection was under-inclusive because 
too few companies would be required to report data. The Georgia State 
and Truth In Advertising comments stated that expanding the data 
collection beyond 15 entities would provide a fuller perspective and 
more accurate representation of the overall market. The Joint Public 
Health Comment also recommended that the FTC send data requests to more 
than 15 entities.
    As discussed above, reliable data permitting the Commission to 
identify a representative sample of a broad cross-section of the market 
do not appear to be available at this time. As a result, the Commission 
does not believe it necessary to increase the number of entities from 
whom it will seek to collect and report data.
2. State-By-State Data Collection
    The FTC's October 2015 Notice asked whether the agency should seek 
data on state-by-state sales of e-cigarettes.\19\ Altria recommended 
that the Commission consider conducting a state-by-state analysis given 
the highly fragmented nature of the overall market. Comments from 
public health organizations and research centers also supported state-
by-state data collection for sales and, in some comments, also for 
marketing expenditures.\20\ The UNC comment noted that reporting state-
by-state data would help tobacco control professionals understand which 
states and regions have the greatest sales, and help them target their 
tobacco control efforts accordingly. The Oregon Public Health Division 
and Georgia State comments noted that state-by-state data would be 
useful in evaluating the impact of state and local regulatory efforts. 
Reynolds opposed state-by-state data collection, stating that such data 
were not readily available for e-cigarettes sold through distributors 
who sell such products in more than one state. Reynolds further stated 
that there are no efficient and reliable means to obtain state-by-state 
data.
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    \19\ 80 FR 65758 at 65759.
    \20\ See Joint Public Health Comment, recognizing that certain 
marketing expenditures made on a national level could not be 
reported on a state-by-state basis. See also comments from Oregon 
Public Health Division; UNC; Georgia State; UCSF; and T. Cain.
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    Although the Commission agrees that state-by-state data collection 
could provide useful information, such data collection would 
significantly increase the complexity and burden of the data requests 
and might not be readily practical for some e-cigarette sellers. Thus, 
the Commission has decided against requesting approval for state-by-
state data collection at this time. The Commission remains interested 
in this issue, however, and could request OMB clearance to collect 
state-by-state data in the future.
3. Collection of Sales Data
    a. Type of Product. A number of commenters noted the wide variety 
of different e-cigarette products currently marketed. Reynolds noted 
that three general categories of e-cigarette products are currently 
available: (1) Disposable products, (2) rechargeable and pre-filled 
cartridge products, and (3) ``tank'' products that require the user to 
put e-liquid into an aerosol-generating device. The Joint Public Health 
Comment recommended that the Commission require responders to report 
separately by product type.\21\ The UNC comment also supported separate 
reporting by product type, noting that separate reporting can be useful 
to track changes in popularity and use. Similarly, the UCSF comment 
supported separate reporting as a means to help evaluate how changes in 
sales of different products correspond to changes in use.
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    \21\ Other commenters also supported separate reporting 
generally. See comments from CTFK; American Lung Ass'n; NAAG; L. 
Rotolo; and S. Fisher.
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    Reynolds recommended against differentiating by product type, 
noting that the different products generally could be categorized by 
the retail market where the products are sold, with conventional retail 
stores selling disposable and rechargeable products, and ``vape 
stores'' selling tank products. Reynolds preferred categorizing by type 
of marketer rather than type of product.
    Given the wide variety of products available, the Commission 
believes that separate reporting by product type will be useful and 
important in tracking future developments in the e-cigarette market. 
Thus, the proposed data collection contemplates separate reporting 
across three categories: (1) Non-refillable (i.e., disposable) 
products; (2) refillable closed systems (i.e., rechargeable and 
refillable cartridge products); and (3) refillable open systems (i.e., 
``tank'' systems).
    b. Differentiation by Flavors. Comments from public health 
organizations, research centers, and health educators recommended that 
the Commission seek sales data that are differentiated by their various 
characterizing flavors.\22\ The Joint Public Health Comment stated that 
flavors appear to be one of the reasons youth and adults try e-
cigarettes. The CTFK comment stated that the available data suggest 
that flavors are a key reason youth try and use e-cigarettes, citing 
the 2013-2014 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (``PATH'') 
study, which showed that most youth smoked flavored e-cigarettes when 
they first tried the product and during the past month. The comment 
also cited data

[[Page 76352]]

from the PATH study indicating that surveyed youth reported ``comes in 
flavors that I like'' as one of the reasons they used e-cigarettes. The 
Georgia State comment stated that data differentiated by flavors would 
help regulators and the public health community determine the role 
flavors play in patterns or reasons for use, perceptions of harm, and 
social norms.
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    \22\ See Joint Public Health Comment, and comments from CTFK; 
American Lung Ass'n; NAAG; UNC; UCSF; Georgia State; M. James; and 
L. Rotolo.
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    Reynolds and Fontem opposed the collection of detailed flavor data. 
Fontem noted that there is no standardized method of reporting flavors 
across the industry, and both stated that characterizing flavors is 
subjective. Reynolds stated that the utility of seeking flavor data is 
not clear.
    Given the potential importance of flavors for trial and use of e-
cigarettes, especially among youth, the Commission will seek to collect 
data that differentiate among flavors. However, as discussed infra at 
section II.D.2, to reduce the burden, the proposed data collection will 
designate only three flavor categories, rather than requiring companies 
to report each flavor individually.
    c. Differentiation by Nicotine Strength. The comments from public 
health organizations, research centers, and NAAG supported the 
collection of data on nicotine content levels. The Georgia State 
comment indicated that research suggests nicotine levels are related to 
patterns or reasons for use. The CTFK comment stated that e-cigarettes 
contain highly variable amounts of nicotine, and there are no reliable 
data providing information about nicotine strength. The UNC comment 
indicated that information about nicotine strength could be valuable 
for determining equivalence to conventional tobacco products and for 
consideration of potential long-term health risks. The UCSF comment 
noted that nicotine content data could facilitate the testing of 
competing hypotheses as to the effect of nicotine regulation on use.
    Fontem and Reynolds opposed collection of data concerning nicotine 
strength. Fontem commented that collection of nicotine content data 
would not be useful because there is no standardized method of 
reporting nicotine content across the industry. Reynolds also 
questioned whether nicotine content data would provide useful 
information.
    The Commission believes that collection of data concerning nicotine 
strength will provide useful information that is not readily available 
from other sources. The agency does not believe that the lack of a 
standardized reporting method invalidates the utility of these data. 
The FTC will take into account the various comments received in the 
course of developing its report on the data collection.
    d. Cartridges and Refills. Several commenters addressed the 
Commission's request for comments on the collection of data concerning 
refills, especially with regard to refillable products sold with more 
than one refill unit. E-cigarette products, other than disposable 
products, are often marketed to consumers with the device, battery, 
atomizer, and one or more refill units sold together in a single 
package. The Joint Public Health Comment stated that any cartridge or 
liquid unit above one should be counted as a refill, regardless of 
whether it is packaged as part of the same stock keeping unit (``SKU'') 
or sold individually. Fontem stated that there is no consistency among 
marketers as to blister packs or refills that come in a single package. 
Thus, Fontem questioned whether gathering information on refills would 
yield meaningful information. The company recommended that if the 
Commission opted to track refills, that it simply track the total 
number of refills. Reynolds recommended that for products sold with 
more than one cartridge, the FTC should abide by the product 
configuration as sold to consumers, i.e., allow companies to use the 
SKUs for reporting. Reynolds stated that relying on existing SKUs would 
allow responders to use existing records to produce data and, thus, 
would be simpler and clearer.
    On balance, requiring companies to report the total number of 
refill units will provide a more accurate picture of e-cigarette sales. 
Thus, if an e-cigarette product is sold with more than one cartridge or 
e-liquid unit, each cartridge or unit above one should be reported as a 
refill. Likewise, each cartridge or e-liquid unit sold individually 
also would count as a refill. In addition, the Commission believes this 
approach is consistent with the approach it has taken with regard to 
the collection of sales data for other tobacco products. For example, 
if three pouches of smokeless tobacco are packaged together as a single 
unit for sale to consumers, the Commission's compulsory process orders 
have required a responding company to report each pouch separately, for 
a total of three units.
    e. Sales and Give-Aways. Comments from public health organizations 
and research centers generally supported the collection of data on both 
sales and give-aways and the reporting of these data separately.\23\ 
CTFK noted that currently only limited data are available concerning 
market size and that current estimates do not differentiate between 
sales and give-aways.\24\ The UNC comment stated that collecting sales 
and give-away data and reporting those data separately is important for 
evaluating which products are most frequently purchased, and the 
Georgia State comment noted that reporting the data separately more 
accurately reflects market transactions. The UCSF comment stated that 
give-aways are important to identify separately given their potential 
to reach youth under the age of 18.
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    \23\ See Joint Public Health Comment; see also comments from 
CTFK; UNC; UCSF; Georgia State; American Lung Ass'n; and NAAG.
    \24\ The CTFK comment and the Joint Public Health Comment also 
noted that collecting data on give-aways was especially important 
because at the time there were no national restrictions on free 
sampling. These comments noted that such restrictions would not take 
effect until FDA issued its final Deeming Regulation that, among 
other things, asserted jurisdiction over e-cigarettes and other 
tobacco products. As noted supra note 7, FDA has now issued its 
Deeming Regulation. As a result of this regulation, the national ban 
on the distribution of free samples will apply to all tobacco 
products. 90 FR 28974 at 29054; 21 CFR 1140.16(d). The prohibition 
on free sampling took effect on August 8, 2016. 90 FR 28974 at 
28976.
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    The Commission agrees that data on sales and give-aways should be 
collected and reported separately given the distinct role each plays in 
the overall market. In addition, the agency collects and reports data 
on sales and give-aways separately in its data collection for 
cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products and, therefore, separate 
collection and reporting will be consistent with the approach taken for 
these other tobacco products.
4. Collection of Marketing Data
    A number of comments supported data collection for the various 
media specifically identified in the FTC's October 2015 Notice, as well 
as other marketing channels.\25\ The NAAG comment stated that 
collection and reporting of broad categories of marketing expenditure 
data would be useful not only to the public but also to state officials 
who are assessing regulatory options and enforcement efforts.
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    \25\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment; comments from CTFK; 
Oregon Public Health Division; American Lung Ass'n; and NAAG.
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    The Joint Public Health Comment and the CTFK comment stated that it 
is important to collect marketing expenditures for television, radio, 
and other broadcast media, noting that unlike cigarettes and smokeless 
tobacco products, no statutory broadcast ban applies to e-cigarettes. 
Several

[[Page 76353]]

comments specifically noted the importance of collecting and reporting 
data for marketing expenditures for media especially attractive to 
youth, such as point-of-sale advertising,\26\ sponsorship of concerts 
and other events as well as sports teams or individual athletes or 
drivers,\27\ and celebrity endorsers.\28\ Several comments specifically 
identified product placement as a category where marketing expenditures 
should be collected and reported,\29\ with the Joint Public Health 
Comment noting that expenditures for all forms of product placement 
should be collected, including product placement expenditures for 
broadcast media, movies, digital, and other media. The Georgia State 
comment supported detailed data collection for web-based and social 
media marketing expenditures, noting that availability of these data 
from commercial data sources is limited. Fontem recommended that the 
FTC include couponing as a category of marketing expenditures; the UCSF 
and Georgia State comments likewise identified coupons as well as other 
forms of price promotion as categories where the Commission should 
collect marketing expenditure data.
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    \26\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment.
    \27\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment, comments from 
Oregon Public Health Division and NYC Office of the Comptroller.
    \28\ See, e.g., comments from Oregon Public Health Division and 
NYC Office of the Comptroller.
    \29\ See, e.g., Joint Public Health Comment, comments from CTFK 
and Oregon Public Health Division.
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    Reynolds recommended that the data collection focus on the 
marketing expenditure categories already used by the FTC in its data 
collection for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, noting that 
the Commission has decades of experience collecting those data. One 
individual commenter also recommended that the Commission seek and 
report the same categories of marketing expenditure data tracked for 
cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products in order to facilitate 
comparisons.\30\
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    \30\ Comment by J. DiFranza.
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    The Commission agrees that collecting and reporting data for broad 
categories of marketing expenditures will be useful, including data 
concerning traditional and newer media, product placement, sponsorship, 
endorsements, and price promotions. The agency will seek to collect 
marketing data in categories that generally track those used for 
cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, with two primary 
differences. First, the Commission will seek to collect and report data 
for marketing expenditures on broadcast media such as television and 
radio because, unlike cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, no 
statute prohibits using these media to advertise and market e-
cigarettes. Second, some of the categories have been updated to 
explicitly recognize newer forms of media now used for advertising and 
marketing, such as digital and social media.

D. Suggestions To Minimize the Burden of the Information Collection

    The Commission's October 2015 Notice invited comments on ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on entities 
required to respond to the data requests.\31\
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    \31\ 80 FR 65758 at 65759.
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1. Defer Data Collection Until Issuance of FDA Final Deeming Regulation
    Reynolds and Fontem suggested that the Commission defer its data 
collection until after FDA issued its final Deeming Regulation. 
Reynolds noted that the final regulation would clarify the scope and 
impact of FDA's regulation of e-cigarettes. As noted above, FDA issued 
its final regulation on May 10, 2016. There is no overlap between FDA's 
regulation and the proposed data collection. Accordingly, it is not 
necessary to defer the data collection.
2. Categorize Product Flavors and Nicotine Strength
    As discussed above, the Commission plans to collect data concerning 
e-cigarette flavors and nicotine strength. To reduce the burden of 
reporting each individual flavor, the Joint Public Health comment and 
comments from CTFK and the American Lung Association recommended that 
companies report three categories of flavors: Tobacco, menthol/mint, 
and other. The Joint Public Health comment stated that these three 
categories would most easily capture the breadth of flavors available, 
and make it easier for the industry and the FTC to count all the 
flavors. CTFK noted that categorizing in this manner would also 
eliminate the overlap that might result from more limited flavor 
categories. Comments from UCSF and NAAG, on the other hand, stated that 
the Commission should collect data on each individual flavor. Given the 
variety and number of different flavors, the Commission believes that 
classifying e-cigarettes into three categories of flavors--tobacco, 
menthol/mint, and other--will provide useful information while 
significantly reducing the burden on reporting companies, and will use 
these categories in the data collection, if approved.
    The Joint Public Health Comment and the CTFK comment also indicated 
that reporting nicotine strength by categories might be sufficient and 
would reduce the reporting burden on responding entities. The UCSF 
comment, on the other hand, recommended that the Commission require 
companies to report each different nicotine strength. Categorizing 
nicotine strengths would require consultation with scientific 
authorities to determine the appropriate categories for reporting. In 
addition, reporting in categories could blur trends over time due to 
inherent imprecision. Thus, the Commission plans to require reporting 
for each individual nicotine strength sold by the reporting entity, 
rather than for categories. Once the Commission has these data, it will 
consider how best to organize and discuss them in the course of 
developing its report.
3. Narrow Scope of Data Requests by Requiring Less Specificity
    Reynolds and Fontem each recommended that the Commission require 
less detail in the data requests as a means of reducing the burden of 
responding, and suggested that the collection of certain information 
might not be useful. Fontem suggested that the Commission not seek 
information concerning product flavors, nicotine strength, or blister 
packs and refills. The company suggested that if the Commission did 
decide to collect flavor data, it require only two categories of 
information: Tobacco and other. It also suggested that if the agency 
decided that some information about refills was needed, it simply track 
total number of refills sold. Reynolds suggested that the Commission 
model its requests on the information requests for cigarettes and 
smokeless tobacco products, and not require differentiation by type of 
product, nicotine concentration, size, method of sale, and flavors. If 
the Commission opted to seek information about flavors, Reynolds 
recommended that the agency request data based on brand style names and 
descriptions the product manufacturers created to describe their 
products. For the reasons discussed above, the Commission believes that 
the information collection should include information concerning 
flavors, nicotine strength, refill units, and other product 
characteristics. Collection of flavor information by broad categories, 
rather than individually, will reduce the burden on responding to the 
information requests.

[[Page 76354]]

4. Limit Information Collection to Age Screening and Ad Content Review
    In its comment, Logic proposed that the Commission limit its 
information collection to data applicable to: (1) Youth access and (2) 
illegal, inaccurate, or deceptive advertising claims about e-
cigarettes. According to Logic, these two areas address the relevant 
societal issues for information collection, consistent with the FTC's 
mandate to prevent unfair or deceptive business practices. Logic stated 
that collecting substantial data concerning sales and marketing 
expenditures would represent a substantial burden and, thus, suggested 
that the Commission confine the information sought to companies' age-
screening mechanisms and to production of their advertising campaigns 
for review to ensure they are not making deceptive claims. The 
Commission disagrees with limiting the data collection to these two 
categories of information. Rather, broader information collection about 
sales and marketing expenditures is in the public interest, because it 
will allow the Commission to analyze sales and assess how industry 
members allocate their promotional activities and expenditures. For 
decades, the Commission has collected and reported information about 
sales and marketing expenditures for other tobacco products, as well as 
for other consumer products, and the e-cigarette information requests 
are consistent with the data collection and reporting for those 
products. Although the Commission agrees that preventing false and 
deceptive advertising is an important component of its consumer 
protection mission, law enforcement action against specific marketers, 
rather than information collection, is a better means of addressing 
potentially unfair or deceptive e-cigarette advertising.

E. Age-Screening Mechanisms

    In its October 2015 Notice, the Commission anticipated that its 
data collection requests would include seeking information concerning 
efforts such as age-screening mechanisms to prevent youth from being 
exposed to advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes or from obtaining 
free product samples. One industry member, Logic, supported data 
collection regarding age-verification methods, stating that many online 
sellers use no age-verification methods at all while conventional 
retail stores require rigorous age-verification. The Joint Public 
Health comment, and comments from CTFK, Georgia State, UCSF, and one 
individual, also supported data collection for this category, with 
Georgia State and UCSF also specifying age verification for online 
purchases. The Georgia State comment noted that data collection and 
reporting for this category would be useful to determine whether more 
stringent regulatory action was needed.
    The Commission agrees that data concerning age-verification methods 
would be useful, and plans to collect and report data concerning age-
screening mechanisms to prevent youth from being exposed to e-cigarette 
advertising and promotion or from obtaining free product samples.

F. Accuracy of Estimated Burden of the Information Collection

    The Commission's October 2015 Notice invited comments on the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used.\32\ The Commission estimated a per company 
average of 200 hours for each recipient of an information request for 
the first year, and a per company average of 150 hours for the 
remaining years. Thus, the total hours burden for 15 information 
requests was estimated to be 3,000 hours for the first year, and 2,250 
for each of the subsequent two years, for a total of 7,500 hours. The 
Commission estimated that the total labor costs for 15 information 
requests to be $300,000 for the first year, and $225,000 for each of 
the subsequent two years, for a total of $750,000. This estimate 
assumed an average $100/hour wage, which is the same estimated wage 
average used in the Commission's recent request for reauthorization of 
information requests to cigarette and smokeless tobacco companies.
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    \32\ 80 FR 65758 at 65759.
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    The comment from Reynolds asserted that the Commission had 
underestimated the total hours burden. The company stated that it 
usually takes it twice as long as the FTC's estimated time burden to 
compile information for similar data collections for cigarette and 
smokeless tobacco companies. Reynolds also stated that the FTC should 
include in its estimate the amount of time companies will need to 
communicate directly with Commission staff when seeking clarification 
regarding the data collection. Reynolds and Fontem commented that the 
FTC's labor cost estimate also underestimates the total burden costs, 
stating that an average wage of $100/hour was too low. Neither company, 
however, provided an alternative figure or other information indicating 
what a more accurate hourly labor cost should be.
    The Commission believes that its estimate burdens with respect to 
both average hours and labor costs are reasonable, especially in the 
absence of more specific information to calculate estimates that are 
more precise. However, out of an abundance of caution, the Commission 
has revised its burden estimate from that stated in the October 2015 
Notice by increasing its estimated hours burden by 50 percent. As 
revised, the Commission calculates a per company average of 300 hours 
for the first year, and 225 hours for each of the two remaining years, 
resulting in a cumulative total of 11,250 hours for 15 information 
requests over three years. The Commission has not changed is average 
hourly cost estimate. The Commission's estimate is based on the 
assumption that the labor costs will include varying compensation 
levels among staff, management, and legal review, with most work 
performed by non-legal staff. In the absence of more precise data, the 
Commission believes that the same $100/hour wage that it used in its 
recent application for reauthorization of information requests to 
cigarette and smokeless tobacco companies is appropriate here as well. 
As discussed infra, however, the total cost burden will increase due to 
the increase in the estimated hours burden.

G. Other Comments

    The Joint Public Health Comment and the comments from CTFK and 
American Lung Association recommended that the Commission coordinate 
its data collection with FDA. The American Lung Association stated that 
coordination might be mutually beneficial for both agencies, and CTFK 
indicated that coordination might help assure consistency in measures. 
Altria also encouraged the Commission to consider how it would interact 
with FDA once the Deeming Regulation was issued. The FTC staff and FDA 
staff already have a long tradition of working together on tobacco 
issues and the many other areas where the two agencies share 
jurisdiction. The FTC staff expects that tradition will continue. To 
the extent that coordination is required for specific issues concerning 
the proposed information collection, the agencies already have 
processes and procedures in place to address those issues.
    The Georgia State comment recommended that the FTC require detailed 
brand-specific information, noting that the Commission's reports for 
cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products report aggregated rather than 
brand-specific data. The UCSF comment also recommended that the 
Commission collect and report brand-specific data.

[[Page 76355]]

The Commission's compulsory process orders to surveyed companies will 
collect brand-specific data. However, because Section 6(f) of the FTC 
Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), protects confidential commercial information that 
is submitted to the Commission, the agency cannot publicly identify 
sales and marketing data for particular brands or companies that is not 
already public. Thus, the Commission's report on the data collection 
will provide aggregated rather than brand-specific data.
    Commenters also recommended that the Commission seek more detailed 
differentiation of certain marketing expenditure data. The Joint Public 
Health Comment recommended that the Commission obtain data concerning 
the demographic composition of social media networks. The UCSF comment 
suggested collecting data regarding the amounts spent for different 
population subgroups, specific information concerning the time when 
marketing activities occurred, and requiring each responding company to 
identify its top three outlets and top three marketing programs within 
each media category. The added detail would significantly increase the 
complexity and burden of responding to the information requests. In 
addition, as indicated above, the Commission cannot publicly identify 
sales and marketing data on particular brands or companies and, thus, 
would not be able to include the specific data in its report. Thus, the 
Commission will not seek to include these data in the proposed 
information requests.
    The Georgia State comment recommended that the Commission collect 
data on e-cigarette device specifications and capabilities. The comment 
indicated that this information would permit assessment of product 
differences concerning characteristics such as nicotine delivery, 
patterns of use, and puff topography. Collection of these data, 
however, is beyond the scope of the information requests' purpose.
    Fontem's comment recommended that the Commission review e-
cigarettes as smoking cessation devices and that it expand the 
information requests in order to collect data on other smoking 
cessation products, such as nicotine patches. This suggestion is beyond 
the scope of the proposed information collection, which concerns sales 
and marketing data for e-cigarette products, not products intended to 
treat nicotine addiction, which is the intended use for smoking 
cessation products. Whether any product is approved for use as a 
smoking cessation product is a question within the jurisdiction of FDA, 
not the FTC.
    As noted earlier, the FTC received twelve comments that did not 
address the proposed data collection. One individual raised concerns 
that some e-cigarette marketers were making false claims that the 
products were effective for smoking cessation, and four individuals 
indicated that e-cigarettes helped with smoking cessation. Three 
individuals called for regulation of e-cigarettes, which FDA's recent 
issuance of its Deeming Regulation accomplishes. One individual stated 
that e-cigarettes should not be available to persons under the age of 
18. FDA's Deeming Regulation prohibits the sale (both in-person and 
online) of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products to persons under the 
age of 18.\33\ One individual commented that e-cigarette advertisements 
seem to be targeted to youth. One individual commented that the FTC 
should consider that a substantial portion of the e-cigarette market is 
for cannabis e-cigarette products rather than tobacco. Finally, one 
commenter asked the FTC to keep public health at the forefront of its 
decision-making.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ 90 FR at 28974 at 29103; 21 CFR 1140.14. This provision 
took effect on August 8, 2016.
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III. Information Requests to the E-Cigarette Industry

    The Commission proposes to send information requests to the 
ultimate U.S. parent entities of up to 15 e-cigarette marketers in the 
United States. These companies will vary in size, the number of 
products sold, and in the extent and variety of their advertising and 
marketing activities, and will include the largest marketers of e-
cigarettes. As noted above, based on available market data, the 
Commission estimates its sample will account for more than 80 percent 
of the conventional retail market and a sizable portion of the online 
market.
    The proposed information requests will seek sales data about the 
types and variety of e-cigarette products sold. The sales information 
will be reported under three broad categories: (1) Non-refillable 
(i.e., disposable) products; (2) refillable closed systems (i.e., 
rechargeable and pre-filled cartridge products); and (3) refillable 
open systems (i.e., ``tank'' systems). Within these three categories, 
companies will report data differentiated by the strength of nicotine 
content and three categories of flavors: Tobacco, menthol/mint, and 
other. Data will be reported separately for sales and give-aways. The 
information requests will collect data for both unit sales as well as 
by net sales revenues. Data on net sales revenues will be reported by 
flavor only.
    The information requests also will seek information and data 
concerning advertising and marketing activities and expenditures in a 
broad variety of media categories, including: (1) Radio, television, 
and print advertising; (2) Web site, digital, and social media 
marketing; (3) product placement; (4) endorsements, including celebrity 
endorsements; (5) sponsorship of concerts and other events and as well 
as of sports teams or individual athletes such as racing car drivers; 
(6) distribution of free samples; and (7) price promotions, including 
couponing programs. These expenditure categories generally track those 
used by the FTC in its data collections for cigarettes and smokeless 
tobacco products, with two exceptions. First, the proposed information 
requests will seek data concerning television and radio expenditures, 
since e-cigarette advertising is not subject to statutory broadcast 
media prohibitions. In addition, the media categories have been updated 
to provide more differentiation among online and digital advertising 
media.
    The proposed information requests also will include information 
about company policies pertaining to age-screening mechanisms to 
prevent youth from being exposed to e-cigarette advertising and 
promotion or from obtaining free samples of e-cigarettes.

IV. Burden Estimates and Confidentiality

A. Estimated Hours Burden: 11,250 Hours

    FTC staff's estimate of the hours burden is based on the time that 
would be required to respond to the Commission's information requests. 
The FTC currently anticipates sending information requests to as many 
as 15 e-cigarette companies each year. Because the Commission 
anticipates that these companies will vary in size, in the number of 
products they sell, and in the extent and variety of their advertising 
and promotion, and given the currently evolving nature of the e-
cigarette industry, FTC staff has not calculated separate burden 
estimates for large and small companies, as is traditionally the case 
for the Commission's cigarette and smokeless tobacco information 
requests. For example, an e-cigarette marketer with a large volume of 
sales but a relatively small product line could potentially require 
fewer resources to respond to the Commission's information request than 
a marketer with lower overall sales but a

[[Page 76356]]

substantially larger product line that offers consumers a greater range 
of flavor and nicotine options. Rather than account for each potential 
permutation of factors, FTC staff has calculated a per company average 
at the upper limit of this potential range. Some companies likely will 
require less time to compile their responses.
    The Commission anticipates that even if it provides models for the 
Excel datafiles the companies will be required to submit, recipients of 
its information requests will need substantial time to prepare a 
response the first time. Once an e-cigarette marketer has prepared its 
first response to a Commission information request, however, it will 
need less time in subsequent years to prepare its reports because it 
will know what information it will be required to produce, and will 
already have a template for its submission.
    Accordingly, as an approximation, FTC staff assumes a per company 
average of 300 hours for each recipient of the Commission's information 
requests the first year they have to comply with the Commission's 
information request. Staff anticipates that in subsequent years, the 
per company average will be 225 hours. Thus, the overall estimated 
burden for 15 recipients of the information requests is 4,500 hours for 
the first year and 3,375 hours for each of the two subsequent years, or 
a total of 11,250 hours. Thus, the average yearly burden, over the 
course of a prospective three-year clearance, is 3,750 hours, or 250 
hours per recipient (large and small). These estimates include any time 
spent by separately incorporated subsidiaries and other entities 
affiliated with the ultimate parent company that has received the 
information request.

B. Estimated Cost Burden: $1,125,000

    Commission staff cannot calculate with precision the labor costs 
associated with these data requests, as they entail varying 
compensation levels of management and/or support staff among companies 
of different sizes. FTC staff assumes that computer analysts and other 
non-legal staff will perform most of the work involved in responding to 
the information requests, although legal personnel will likely be 
involved in reviewing the actual submission to the Commission. FTC 
staff believes that the same $100 per hour wage that it used in its 
recent request for reauthorization of information requests to the major 
cigarette and smokeless tobacco manufacturers is appropriate here also 
for the combined efforts of these individuals. Using this figure, FTC 
staff's best estimate for the total labor costs for 15 information 
requests is $450,000 (4,500 hours x $100 per hour) for the first year 
and $337,000 for the two subsequent years (3,375 hours x $100 per hour 
x 2), for a total of $1,125,000 over the entire three-year period. The 
annualized labor cost per respondent will average approximately 
$25,000.
    Staff believes that the capital or other non-labor costs associated 
with the information requests are minimal. Although the information 
requests may necessitate that industry members maintain the requested 
information provided to the Commission, they should already have in 
place the means to compile and maintain business records.

C. Confidentiality

    Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), bars the Commission 
from publicly disclosing trade secrets or confidential commercial or 
financial information it receives from persons pursuant to, among other 
methods, special orders authorized by Section 6(b) of the FTC Act. Such 
information also would be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of 
Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4). Moreover, under Section 21(c) of 
the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 57b-2(c), a submitter who designates a 
submission as confidential is entitled to ten days' advance notice of 
any anticipated public disclosure by the Commission, assuming that the 
Commission has determined that the information does not constitute 
Section 6(f) material. Although materials covered under one or more of 
these various sections are protected by stringent confidentiality 
constraints, the FTC Act and the Commission's rules authorize 
disclosure in limited circumstances (e.g., official requests by 
Congress, requests from other agencies for law enforcement purposes, 
and administrative or judicial proceedings). Even in those limited 
contexts, however, the Commission's rules may afford protections to the 
submitter, such as advance notice to seek a protective order in 
litigation. See 15 U.S.C. 57b-2; 16 CFR 4.9-4.11.
    Finally, the information presented in the report will not reveal 
company-specific data, except data that are public. See 15 U.S.C. 57b-
2(d)(1)(B). Rather, the Commission anticipates providing information on 
an anonymous or aggregated basis, in a manner sufficient to protect 
individual companies' confidential information, to provide a factual 
summary of e-cigarette industry marketing activities and sales.

V. Instructions for Submitting Comments

    You can file a comment online or on paper. For the Commission to 
consider your comment, we must receive it on or before December 2, 
2016. Write ``Electronic Cigarettes: Paperwork Comment, FTC File No. 
P114504'' on your comment. Your comment--including your name and your 
state--will be placed on the public record of this proceeding, 
including to the extent practicable, on the public Commission Web site, 
at http://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm. As a matter of 
discretion, the Commission tries to remove individuals' home contact 
information from comments before placing them on the Commission Web 
site.
    Because your comment will be made public, you are solely 
responsible for making sure that your comment does not include any 
sensitive personal information, like anyone's Social Security number, 
date of birth, driver's license number or other state identification 
number or foreign country equivalent, passport number, financial 
account number, or credit or debit card number. You are also solely 
responsible for making sure that your comment does not include any 
sensitive health information, like medical records or other 
individually identifiable health information. In addition, do not 
include any ``[t]rade secret or any commercial or financial information 
which is . . . privileged or confidential'' as provided in Section 6(f) 
of the FTC Act 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 
4.10(a)(2). In particular, do not include competitively sensitive 
information such as costs, sales statistics, inventories, formulas, 
patterns, devices, manufacturing processes, or customer names.
    If you want the Commission to give your comment confidential 
treatment, you must file it in paper form, with a request for 
confidential treatment, and you have to follow the procedure explained 
in FTC Rule 4.9(c).\34\ Your comment will be kept confidential only if 
the FTC General Counsel grants your request in accordance with the law 
and the public interest.
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    \34\ In particular, the written request for confidential 
treatment that accompanies the comment must include the factual and 
legal basis for the request, and must identify the specific portions 
of the comment to be withheld from the public record. See FTC Rule 
4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
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    Postal mail addressed to the Commission is subject to delay due to 
heightened security screening. As a result, we encourage you to submit 
your comments online. To make sure that the

[[Page 76357]]

Commission considers your online comment, you must file it at https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/electroniccigarettespra2, by following 
the instructions on the web-based form. When this Notice appears at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!home, you also may file a comment through 
that Web site.
    If you file your comment on paper, write ``Electronic Cigarettes: 
Paperwork Comment, FTC File No. P114504'' on your comment and on the 
envelope. You can mail your comment to the following address: Federal 
Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Suite CC-5610 (Annex J), Washington, DC 20580, or deliver your comment 
to the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the 
Secretary, Constitution Center, 400 7th Street SW., 5th Floor, Suite 
5610 (Annex J), Washington, DC 20024.
    The FTC Act and other laws that the Commission administers permit 
the collection of public comments to consider and use in this 
proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and 
responsive public comments that it receives on or before December 2, 
2016. For information on the Commission's privacy policy, including 
routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.htm.
    Comments on the information collection requirements subject to 
review under the PRA should additionally be submitted to OMB. If sent 
by U.S. mail, they should be addressed to Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk 
Officer for the Federal Trade Commission, New Executive Office 
Building, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, 
DC 20503. Comments sent to OMB by U.S. postal mail, however, are 
subject to delays due to heightened security precautions. Thus, 
comments instead should be sent by facsimile to (202) 395-5806.

David C. Shonka,
Acting General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2016-26486 Filed 11-1-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-P