Remember last Monday when we tried to praise Boston? - Northland Vapor Company

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Remember last Monday when we tried to praise Boston?

September 30, 2019

Remember last Monday when we tried to praise Boston?

Yea, my bad about that.  More than a few of you wrote in, rightfully so, about the confusing nature and structure of that article.  At the time Boston was one example of a city trying to do right by it's small business owners and vapers alike, but as of last Tuesday the 24th, the governor of Massachusetts declared a public health emergency ordering a four month ban on the sale of vaping products entirely across the board in the state. 

Governor Charlie Baker’s order was hastily approved by the state Public Health Council and applies to all vaping products and devices across the board unilaterally. The temporary four month ban is far broader than similar actions pulled by Michigan and New York which only aimed to ban vape flavors.

State health officials this month health began requiring the collection of data on potential cases of lung disease related to the use of electronic cigarettes, sales of eLiquids, and overall vaping in Massachusetts.

According to the administration since last Tuesday 61 cases of potential cases of lung diseases related to the use of electronic cigarettes and vaping in Massachusetts have been reported to the state.  Three confirmed cases and two probable Massachusetts cases of "vaping related" pulmonary disease have been reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The use of e-cigarettes and marijuana vaping products is exploding, and we are seeing reports of serious lung illnesses, particularly in our young people,” Baker said at a news conference at the Massachusetts Statehouse.

During the temporary ban, Baker said, the administration will work with medical experts and state and federal officials to better understand vaping illnesses and work on additional steps to address the public health crisis. Will they uncover their hasty actions are dangerously misguided and will end up having a negative impact on Massachusetts public health? 

Michael Seilback, assistant vice president for state public policy at the American Lung Association, acknowledged the move by Massachusetts and said the federal Food and Drug Administration now needs to step up.  “From our perspective, it’s the absence of strong federal action by the FDA that is forcing states to have to make choices like this on how they are going to protect children and adults from the public health emergency of e-cigarettes,” Seilback stated.

Naturally convenience store owners who rely on the foot traffic brought in by the sale of vaping products are going to be concerned by the decision, according to Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.  “There are clearly some issues there. The question is, what’s the problem? Is it the product being sold on the shelves by companies like Juul, or is it the off-brand stuff coming from other countries and sold on the internet?” Hurst said, continuing; “I hope we can all work together and find out what is the problem and find a solution soon.”

Well there you have it, apparently my befuddled attempt to praise a city doing more than just spread hysteria and enact some sensible legislation was just a set up for preemptive curse that spread across the entire state.  To my readers, and to the entire state of Massachusetts, I am truly sorry.  What do you think about this ban? Seeing as it's the most overreaching of individual liberty I'd say there's going to be a heck of a lot of legal ramifications, but we will have to wait and see how this one plays out. 

While the CDC has finally released a press brief saying the evidence points towards THC cartridges and their lipid based thickening agents, it may just be too little too late.  The bad news has been out in the air and the people have been properly misinformed. As of this posting upcoming potential states on the ban bandwagon are: Ohio, Virginia, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Washington, Oregon, and Delaware. 



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