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U.S. NEWS Monday 30 SepteMber 2019

Washington to issue flavored vape ban, joining other states

SEATTLE (AP) — Washing- the illness have been re- devices or cartridges.
ton is joining several other ported across the U.S. The One vape shop owner,
states in banning the sale Centers for Disease Con- Shaun D'Sylva, repeatedly
of flavored vaping prod- trol and Prevention said interrupted Inslee's news
ucts amid concern over Friday that its investigation conference in Seattle Fri-
the mysterious lung illness into the outbreak is increas- day to accuse him of mis-
that has sickened hundreds ingly focused on products representing the issue.
of people and killed about that contain the marijuana D'Sylva, who runs Fatboy
a dozen across the country. compound THC. Vapors in Silverdale, said he
Gov. Jay Inslee signed Public health officials have and other vape-product
an executive order Friday long been alarmed about vendors are interested in
asking the state Board of big increases in youth helping people stop smok-
Health to issue the emer- vaping — the segment of ing tobacco, but that In-
gency rule at its next meet- Washington high school se- slee's action would cripple
ing, scheduled for Oct. 9. niors who reported vaping them.
The ban, initially slated to jumped from 20% to 30% Flavored vaping products
last four months but which from 2016 to 2018 — be- make up about 85 percent In this Sept. 16, 2019 file photo Flavored vaping solutions are
could be renewed, will ap- cause they say exposure of his sales, he said after the shown in a window display at a vape and smoke shop in New
ply to products containing to nicotine at a young age news conference.q York.
nicotine as well as the can- increases the likelihood of Associated Press
nabis extract THC. It would long-term addiction and
not apply at tribal shops, other problems. Across the
but the governor's office country, they have seized
said the administration is on the illnesses as a way
reaching out to tribal gov- to crack down on vaping's
ernments for their coopera- appeal to youth by calling
tion. for flavor bans, though it's
"We need to act for the not clear whether the fla-
public health of our peo- vors have anything to do
ple," said Inslee, a Demo- with the lung injuries.
crat. "I'm confident this "Although there is much
executive order will save we do not know about the
lives." health effects of e-ciga-
President Donald Trump rette use and vaping, what
has said he plans to ban fla- we do know is not good,"
vored vaping products na- said Jeff Duchin, the health
tionally. The vaping industry officer for Public Health Se-
has been heavily criticized attle and King County.
for marketing flavors such Inslee's order said the ban
as vanilla and mango that is necessary because even
could appeal to kids. if a vaping ingredient or
New York, Michigan and compound were conclu-
Rhode Island are among sively linked to the illnesses,
the states that have an- the state would have no
nounced at least tempo- way to identify which prod-
rary bans. Officials in Or- ucts contain the substance
egon and California have so they could be removed
urged consumers to stop from store shelves. There
using them. Massachusetts are about 4,000 stores in
has gone the farthest, issu- the state that sell nicotine
ing a four-month ban on vaping products, and there
all vaping products — fla- are about 480 licensed
vored or not. marijuana retailers who
More than 800 cases of also may sell THC vaping