NY Ban On Flavored Vape And Tobacco Products Begins Today

With the news being dominated by the coronavirus and the re-opening of the state of New York, this ban kinda slipped in unnoticed and without much fight or fanfare.

Starting today, May 18, it is illegal for retailers to sell flavored vape and tobacco products in New York. In addition, it is now illegal for pharmacies and retail stores with a pharmacy in them to sell any tobacco product in New York. Some pharmacies didn't wait for the ban to take effect, they had already pulled tobacco products off the shelf years ago. CVS Pharmacy eliminated tobacco products five years ago and Marra’s Pharmacy in Cohoes took them off the shelf all the way back in 1988 according to WNYT.

According to the American Lung Association, some 40% of high school seniors in New York State use e-cigarettes. 27% of overall high schoolers do the same. That is the real aim of the flavored tobacco and vape ban. Lawmakers have argued that these products are targeted to young people and encourage them to try vaping and smoking with their flavors and then get them hooked on their products with highly addictive nicotine.

Opponents of the flavored vape and tobacco ban argue that this ban will force people to go back to cigarettes and it will crush a huge industry in the state and cause more businesses to close.

Also, there is another ban on the horizon you should be aware of, starting July 1, it will be illegal to sell vaping products online in New York, and there will also be a ban on coupons for vaping and tobacco products.