On September 11th 2019, President Trump announced that his administration would be taking action against flavored vape products. Following this announcement, the health and human services secretary Alex Azar said that the FDA is outlining a plan to completely remove flavored vape products from the market.
Not long after that, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order banning flavored nicotine vaping products was released. Being retroactive for 30 days, the order gave vape shop owners in Michigan just one month to sell off their inventory. This is part of the reason that many online vaping stores are deeply discounting any and all of the flavored vape juices.
It makes sense, vaping is definitely under a microscope and no one knows where it’ll net out.
Why is this ban happening?
The ban against flavored vaping products is the result of a health scare that put thousands of people in hospital and killed at least 26. So, the justification for the ban was that it would help to prevent the occurrence of any more deadly incidents.
The executive order doesn’t ban all vape related products. It mainly focuses on flavored vape products that might attract the attention of children. As such, the ban will be targeting any flavored nicotine related products. This includes menthol, candy, cocoa, desserts, and many more possible and nice tasting flavors.
It’s worth noting that the ban will not affect traditional flavored tobacco products that may use some of the similar flavors such as menthol.
Anti-vaping groups proceeded to highlight the vaping epidemic as one of the leading motivations behind the ban. This tactic seems to have worked as the public perception of vaping has turned to one of fear and mistrust.
Effects of the ban on small businesses
If it passes, the ban will lead to tens of thousands of vape shops closing down, the tax revenue will be lost and thousands of employees will lose their jobs. There’s also a higher risk of inexperienced vapers making their own e-liquids.
This could lead to a much larger unregulated market that cannot be taxed. Plus, the people who no longer have access to vaping will probably go back to smoking cigarettes which is even worse for one’s health than vaping.
The truth about vaping
Trailblazing scientist Dr. Lion Shahab from the Institute of Epidemiology & Health, University College London conducted research which shows that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco.
The biggest factor for this is the tar, which is produced by cigarettes and it produces poisonous chemicals that enter the bloodstream to cause heart disease, stroke, and cancer among other ailments.
Also, unless you’re buying a black market THC cartridge, then there isn’t anything to worry about, as evidence shows that the leading cause of vaping death and illnesses is caused by homemade vaping products bought off the streets.
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Interesting related article: “New study finds e-cigarettes can help smokers quit.”