Impact of Vaping on Health of Youth Leads San Francisco to Ban Sales

The impact of vaping on health, especially on the health of young people, has become such a concern that the City of San Francisco recently voted to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes within its limits, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

This novel municipal legislation is already experiencing push back from small retailers that rely upon income from the sale of vaping products. Additionally, JUUL—the top seller within the confines of the U.S. is likely to fight the ordinance.

The mayor has since signed the ordinance into law. The legislation will become effective within seven months of signing.

According to the Chronicle, the bill will prevent the sale of e-cigarettes within city limits in stores with a physical presence and address. It will also prevent delivery of vaping products to San Francisco mailing addresses, interfering with the habits of even full adult smokers that prefer this method of nicotine ‘dosing’.

As indicated in the Chronicle, it is hoped that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will undertake an extensive study of the impact of e-cigarettes on health before any access within city limits would be restored.

What Are The Health Risks of Using E-Cigarettes?

Many young people and even fully-grown adults switch to the use of e-cigarettes because they believe they are ‘healthier’. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, however, e-cigarettes not only contain addictive nicotine derived from tobacco, they also potential contain heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, flavorants including or made from diacetyl—a chemical attributed to some serious forms of lung disease, and unidentified ‘ultra fine particles’ capable of being taken deeply into the lungs.

Of particular concern to the Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) are the appeal e-cigarettes have to youth. The Surgeon General’s website reported that as of 2018 measurements—which are likely understated because they rely on self-reporting—one in five high school students have used or tried vaping in the past month.

Part of the attraction that underage youth have to vaping is the fact that e-cigarettes are shaped in such a way as their use can be hidden easily. Although this is not always the case, as indicated by the CDC, some e-cigarettes look like USB thumb drives and pens. These alternatively-shaped modules can be covered with the palm easily and indulged in unlikely places like school hallways, classrooms, and restrooms.

It is also believed that flavorings added increase the appeal. Fruity flavors marketed to kids make them believe that what they are doing is as harmless as chewing gum. In reality, the CDC claims that the use of nicotine in the teenage years can harm the neural network of the developing brain that affects attention, control of impulsive actions, the laying down of memory necessary in learning new skills, and mood stability.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.