The state is concurrently stepping up enforcement in opposition to retailers who promote to underage patrons, together with undercover investigations that may have underage volunteers making an attempt to purchase e-cigs. He’s additionally transferring ahead laws that goals to ban “deceptive marketing” of e-cigs to teenagers and youngsters. The strikes come on prime of earlier crackdowns, together with the passing of a regulation elevating the minimal shopping for age from 18 to 21 (resulting from take impact November 13th), an investigation into vaping firms and an govt order mandating consciousness packages for faculties.
Cuomo pointed to Department of Health information displaying steep climbs in e-cig use amongst teenagers. About 27 p.c of excessive schoolers have been utilizing e-cigarettes, or 160 p.c greater than they have been in 2014, based on officers. The governor additionally referenced a 2017 survey displaying that 19 p.c of state teenagers tried e-cigs resulting from flavors, with 27 p.c citing taste as a motive to maintain smoking. He went on to accuse firms of falsely claiming e-cigs are protected, noting that early research instructed they might result in cardiovascular and respiratory issues.
It’s not sure if different states will comply with swimsuit, however that is nonetheless a major blow to e-cig producers. They’ve taken efforts to curb teen vaping, resembling Juul’s stricter screening, however that clearly is not sufficient in New York’s eyes. They’ll don’t have any alternative however to promote ‘plain’ e-cigs in a single of probably the most populous states within the nation, they usually danger additional authorized motion if New York feels their sales techniques are nonetheless too inviting to teenagers. The tide seems to be turning in opposition to the e-cig business, and it won’t have a lot alternative however to honor ever-tougher restrictions.