Massachusetts bans flavored vapes

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on Sept. 24 imposed a temporary sales ban on all vapor products effective immediately that will extend to Jan. 25, 2020. The retail and online sales ban includes all nicotine and marijuana vapor products. Retailers have been told to remove vapor products from their shelves but not to destroy their products.

The proposed ban, which was approved by the state’s Public Health Council later in the day, could be extended past Jan. 25 if the governor and the board choose to extend it.

Governor Baker said, “The use of e-cigarettes and marijuana vaping products is exploding, and we are seeing reports of serious lung illnesses, particularly in our young people. The purpose of this public health emergency is to temporarily pause all sales of vaping products so that we can work with our medical experts to identify what is making people sick and how to better regulate these products to protect the health of our residents.”

According to the Baker administration, the four-month long ban is meant to give the medical community and federal officials time to investigate the recent spike in illnesses and deaths connected with vapor product usage. Baker referred to an upcoming meeting with the medical community that will examine many questions including what types of additives and what parts of the vapor devices can attributed to these illnesses and deaths.