FEATURES
USA
We have reported elsewhere in this issue of the massive negative impact that America ’ s first state-wide flavour ban had in Massachusetts . It has fuelled a ‘ meteoric ’ rise in black market products and cost an estimated $ 10M in lost tax revenue . See our story ‘ Crisis of your own creation ’ for more details .
California added vaping to its smoke-free laws in 2016 and a number of other states have imposed similar bans . There are several vape flavour bans in effect throughout the USA including New Jersey , New York , Rhode Island and San Francisco . Public health officials in San Francisco welcomed ban on the assumption that it would reduce youth nicotine use .
However , a Yale School of Public Health study found that youth smoking rates doubled after the ban was introduced . Study author Abigail Friedman said : “ These findings suggest a need for caution . Even if it is well-intentioned , a law that increases youth smoking could pose a threat to public health .
Some kids who vape choose e-cigarettes over combustible tobacco products because of the flavours .
For these individuals as well as would-be vapers with similar preferences , banning flavours may remove their primary motivation for choosing vaping over smoking , pushing some of them back toward conventional cigarettes .
At the time of writing new flavour bans have been proposed for Hawaii , Colorado and Maine .
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