New York strikes to enact statewide flavored e-cig ban

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing to enact a statewide ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes amid rising well being issues linked to vaping, particularly amongst younger folks.

The Democrat introduced Sunday that the state well being commissioner can be making a advice this week to the state Public Well being and Well being Planning Council. The council can challenge emergency laws that might go into impact as quickly as they’re voted on and begin being enforced in as quickly as two weeks, following a brief grace interval for retailers, officers mentioned.

In asserting the motion, Cuomo sharply criticized the flavors which can be on the market, like bubble gum and cotton sweet.

“These are clearly focused to younger folks and extremely efficient at concentrating on younger folks,” he mentioned.

The largest participant within the trade, Juul Labs Inc., mentioned it was reviewing the announcement, however agreed with the necessity for motion.

The ban wouldn’t impression tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes, however Cuomo mentioned the Division of Well being would proceed evaluating and that might change.

Cuomo signed laws earlier this 12 months elevating the statewide smoking age to 21, and earlier this month signed a mandate that requires state anti-tobacco campaigns to additionally embrace vaping.

Vaping can also be beneath a federal highlight , as well being authorities look into lots of of respiratory sicknesses reported in individuals who have used e-cigarettes and different vaping units.

In his first public feedback on vaping, President Donald Trump proposed the same federal ban final week.

The FDA has been in a position to ban vaping flavors since 2016, however hasn’t taken the step, with officers wanting into whether or not flavors may assist cigarette people who smoke to give up.

The worldwide market is estimated to have a price of as a lot as $11 billion. The trade has spent some huge cash in states across the nation to foyer towards state-level flavored e-cigarette bans, in states together with Hawaii, California, Maine and Connecticut.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer earlier this month ordered that state’s well being division to come back out with emergency guidelines to ban flavored e-cigarette gross sales.

Juul reiterated Sunday the agreeable stance it had taken following Trump’s proposal.

In an emailed assertion, spokesman Austin Finan mentioned, “We strongly agree with the necessity for aggressive category-wide motion on flavored merchandise,” and “will totally adjust to native legal guidelines and the ultimate FDA coverage when efficient.”