Michigan Was the very first nation in the world to declare the creation of a flavor ban in the first week of September. You may recall that in the first week of September, President Trump stated his intentions to ban flavored vapor products on September 11, 2019. Since the announcement, a number of officials from the government have taken public stands against electronic cigarettes as well. Possible flavor bans are appearing in succession. State representatives have resisted legal procedures and have started imposing bans despite the wishes of the people within their respective states.
Michigan’s ban on flavor is in effect from October 2, 2019. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proudly announced her reasons for introducing this law. Whitmer’s principal argument is the growing popularity of vaping among teenagers, saying she believes that “It would never be permitted if it was cigarettes, but we’re letting these companies target our kids, appeal to our kids and deceive our children.” A number of stores selling vape are set to close down because of the ban. Many shop owners have said that they will no longer be able to operate solely on tobacco-flavored products.
Certain businesses in Michigan have decided to move forward with lawsuits to end the ban on vapes. In addition to the cases pending, two bills were proposed in the hope of changing all or, at the very most, a portion of Governor Whitmer’s prohibition. On September 24, State Representative Steven Johnson introduced a bill that would permit the sale of nicotine flavored with a nicotine content that is 20mg/ml or less. Another bill, proposed through Representative Beau LaFave, would reverse the state’s ban that will take effect on October 2, 2019. The reversal bill will not be able to stop this ban on vapes from taking effect on October 2. However, they have stated that they’d like to suspend the prohibition on vapes and modify this “abuse of power” demonstrated by Governor Whitmer.
On August 28, 2019, the council of the city of Boulder, Colorado, added a flavor-ban initiative to its November 5th ballot to seek the approval of voters. With these new rules, in addition to the ban on the sale of any non-tobacco-flavored e-liquids, the age limit for the city for purchasing tobacco and vape products will be raised to 21. The ballot also includes an additional 40% tax on sales of vape products. Vape shop owners have spoken about the fact they would likely shut down because of a low operating profit.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has taken executive action to ban flavor-infused vapes across the state. The restriction will be in place for 90 days and needs to be renewed to remain in effect. The only two flavors customers can purchase are menthol and tobacco. Governor Cuomo was quoted as saying, “Is vaping healthier than smoking? Technically yes, but is it better than smoking?” during his announcement of the flavor ban. Governor Cuomo offered two major arguments in support of his ban. The first was about the emergence of lung-related diseases, which he attributed to smoking vapor and claimed that we don’t know the ingredients in vape products. Another reason is his concern about youths who are vaping. The age limits for vaping in New York need enforcing; however, instead of focusing on this, Cuomo decided to attack smoking cigarettes in the first place. In the meantime, the New York Department of Health last month stated:
“Laboratory test results revealed extremely significant concentrations of vitamin E Acetate in almost all cannabis-related samples tested by the Wadsworth Institute in the course of this study. At the very least, one vitamin E vape product containing acetate was linked to every person who has offered a product to test. Vitamin E Acetate is not an approved ingredient in New York State Medical Marijuana Program approved vape products and was not found in nicotine-based products which were analyzed. In the end, vitamin E acetate is now one of the main areas of focus for the Department’s investigation into possible causes of pulmonary diseases caused by vaping. .”
Governor Lamont of Connecticut and New York Governor Cuomo met in Hartford to discuss cooperation in the banning of flavored vaping and other cannabis products that are flavored. Even though it appears Gov.Lamont is in full agreement with Governor Cuomo in New York in this matter, he has been hindered by laws for a while because of the demands of other officials who insist that the most urgent issues be dealt with first.
On September 24, 2019, Los Angeles, California, was the site of a hearing regarding a flavor ban regarding the cities that were not incorporated within the county. This could set the tone for future meetings regarding the towns that are included within the county, as well. A large number of industry and vape members attended the meeting, only to be disregarded by an anti-vape group that had collected money and paid for a group of teenagers to follow instructions to spit out scripted responses in support of the ban. For more details about this incident, read our previous blog article.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker banned the sale of all vape-related products, including cannabis and tobacco and cannabis, for four months. As a result, at least six vape shops have gathered to support a federal lawsuit against the state.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed ordinances for the ban on flavored vapes this September, too. He stands up for vaping and uses children as his soapbox. The ban also includes flavors of THC products. The next meeting will take place on October 9, 2019, in which the state health board will take a vote on the issue.
Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, has stated that he’s looking into the possibility of a ban on vapes and has informed the media that they can expect the announcement of his shortly. This year, Virginia raised the minimum age for tobacco to 21 or vape items.
Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island issued an executive order that prohibits the sale of flavor-based vape products across the state. The governor’s arguments were typical, focusing on the young of the nation as a source for her argument while also noting an outbreak that has recently occurred of illness.
Today, Oregon could be facing the possibility of a Vape prohibition. Lawmakers are contemplating banning any vape product, including cannabis, nicotine, and nicotine, for six months. This is the perfect moment to encourage Oregon Citizens to stand together and voice their opposition to the ban before it’s too for them to do so.
There is a “Fight4Flavors,” and the battle for vaping is not over, with officials using distorted headlines in the media, inaccurate information, and the infamous child-endangerment argument to discredit and denigrate the industry of vaping. There are many examples of small-scale entrepreneurs who will not give up fighting for the right to vape, and others in the community are able to take note and develop action based on inspiration from these business owners.
