FEATURES
THE RHODE TO BETTER REGULATION
Politicians rarely like U-turns , but when local vapers spoke out against a new flavour ban , Rhode Island state representartive Julie Casimiro changed her stance on the issue .
Words : Caroline Barry
Rhode Island politician Julie Casimiro was once an outspoken critic of e-cigarettes . Concerned about media reports of EVALI deaths and the teen vaping ‘ epidemic ’ sweeping across America , she called for tough action from policymakers . She voted for flavour bans , believing she was doing the right thing to protect the health of the citizens she represented . But then , in a surprising twist … she had a change of heart . Casimiro , who has served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives since 2017 , was moved by the impassioned pleas of local vapers . They told her how e-cigarettes were the only thing that had helped them quit and explained how a range of flavours kept them from returning to harmful combustible cigarettes . She said : “ When all of the hospitalisations and deaths started occurring , I immediately asked for a ban on flavoured vaping products . “ But I was soon bombarded with emails , phone calls and social media posts from people who use vaping to quit smoking . “ So , I sat down with shop owners and experts in the field who quickly changed my mind .” She also spent some time visiting local stores to observe customer habits , and soon discovered the crucial role that flavours play in helping adult smokers quit .
Julie highlighted that Rhode Island is already seeing the negative effects of the ban , similar to that of Massachusetts , which suffered a surge in black market activity and a loss in tax revenue after its prohibition of e-cigarettes . “ I ’ ve heard stories of people who are making their own flavoured
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