On Sunday, Sept. 15, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he is intending to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and vape pens.

Proposed Regulations Would Ban E-Cigs, Vapes

Governor Cuomo reportedly announced that he is pursuing emergency regulations meant to quickly prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes and vape pens and remove these products from store shelves. According to Gov. Cuomo, the e-cigarette health risks associated with these devices pose a serious threat.

Speaking about the ban, he said, “Vaping is dangerous. Period. No one can say long-term use of vaping—where you’re inhaling steam and chemicals deep into your lungs—is healthy.”

Under the proposed plan, according to the New York Times, the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council would issue an emergency regulation to immediately ban the sale of flavored vape pens and e-cigarettes. Although this ban would not include tobacco products or products flavored with menthol, though Gov. Cuomo stated that a menthol ban may happen in the future.

The American Lung Association criticized Gov. Cuomo’s reluctance to include menthol products in the current proposed ban. According to the New York Times, Harold Wimmer, the President of the American Lung Association, stated, “While today’s announcement was well intentioned, it will drive our youth to use menthol-flavored products in even greater numbers.”

The proposed ban on flavored e-cigarettes comes only a few months after the announcement that New York would also be raising the age requirement for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21. Gov. Cuomo signed the bill raising the age requirement in July, and the new criteria will be set in place in November.

If New York bans the sale of flavored cigarettes, it would become the second state to institute this type of ban. Earlier this month, Michigan also announced that the state would be prohibiting the sale of these products, due to the apparent severity of e-cigarette health risks.

E-Cigarette Health Risks, Vaping Illnesses, and Lung Disease

Hundreds of hospitalizations and several deaths have reportedly been attributed to vaping lung conditions caused by the use of e-cigarettes and vape pens.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have received reports of at least 530 cases of lung injuries related to vaping, as well as 7 deaths. These vaping lung diseases can be severe and may cause serious side effects including shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and fever, according to Vox. At least 64 cases of vaping lung disease have been reported in New York.

As the condition is still very new, it has not yet been determined which exact substance or product is to blame for e-cigarette health risks. However, the New York State Department of Health has linked many of the cases of the illness to vaping products containing a high level of vitamin E acetate. The CDC is recommending that people avoid using vape pens or e-cigarettes, unless they are a prior combustible cigarette smoker who is using the devices to wean themselves off of traditional cigarettes.

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