Flavored E-cigs Banned in Michigan
If you’ve been paying attention to the health news at all, you know that there have been some serious respiratory issues and deaths related to vaping. Because the majority of patients were young and were using flavored juices in the vaping products, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer placed a temporary ban on the sale of all flavored e-cigarette products in the state. I applaud the governor’s action. It gives the legislature six months to come up with reasonable legislation governing vaping and vaping products.
This is not a simple issue. Health is the primary concern, especially the health of teenagers and young adults. But because of the prior lack of regulation, the vaping industry has grown to be a multi-billion dollar industry. They’re firmly entrenched, much as the tobacco industry was. They’re not going to go quietly.
The products are being pitched as healthier alternatives to cigarettes. They contain nicotine but none of the other noxious chemicals in cigarettes. They may be useful in helping adults quit smoking, but I’m skeptical of that one. Why create a billion-dollar industry that’s sole purpose is to lose customers? But the operative word was adult.
The concerns are that vaping devices use flavored juices that make them appealing to teens. Even those sold to kids without nicotine set the stage for taking the next step to a nicotine product. But are juices or flavored liquids safe to vape? I’ll update what I wrote two years ago on Thursday.
What are you prepared to do today?
