The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo announced recently that he would take executive action and emergency regulations to ban the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes in the state. However, tobacco and menthol-flavoured products would not be included in the ban.
Cuomo said that fruit and candy-flavoured cigarettes enticed youngsters to get addicted to nicotine. “No one can say long-term use of vaping — where you’re inhaling steam and chemicals deep into your lungs — is healthy,” he said.
This move comes in the wake of the outbreak of a severe lung disease affecting hundreds of youth, potentially linked to vaping. And New York has witnessed 64 cases of lung disease.
The Commissioner of the New York Department of Health, Dr. Howard Zucker will hold an emergency meeting with the New York Public Health and Planning Council to take this further.
This move also coincides with an announcement by President Donald Trump that the administration would bring in regulations to take these flavoured products off the shelves.
If the ban is implemented, New York would become the second state to ban the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes. Earlier in the month, Michigan became the first state to do so.
Earlier in July, Cuomo had also signed a new law that raised the age to buy tobacco products in New York from 18 to 21. This law will come into effect from November onwards.
With all the health concerns linked to vaping, this is certainly a welcome move by the New York state administration. What do you think?
