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California Is Inching Closer & Closer to E-Cig Regulations

Last updated on August 20, 2016

There are definite changes ahead for the electronic cigarettes industry, and in some places, it may soon become more difficult to vape and to purchase e-cigarettes. While the FDA is still working on the preliminary stages of drafting national ecig regulations, California has made major progress on legislation that would regulate the selling of vapor pen products and accessories. Most Sacramento insiders feel that laws are right around the corner.

What’s Happening in California?

Discussions over tighter tobacco laws have been underway since early 2015 in California, but earlier legislation did stall out before managing to get through the California Assembly. Among the laws that were proposed was one that would make it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase tobacco products and numerous restrictions on ecig sales. After the first set of laws failed to move forward, new legislation was drafted. On August 27, the new bill got a favorable vote in the California State Senate, making it ready to be voted on in a special session of the Assembly.

Why Regulate?

Many e-cig users in California are wondering why it’s necessary to control the sale and use of electronic cigarettes even more. According to Senator Mark Leno, the sponsor of the legislation, and those who voted in the affirmative, e-cigarettes may encourage people to begin to use tobacco. Those in favor of regulation think that many people begin using electronic cigarettes and then move on to smoking tobacco.

The alarm over e-cig use was triggered by statistics like one from the California Department of Public Health that shows that there was more than a 5 percent increase in e-cig use among people aged 18 to 29 in California from 2012 to 2013. Still, it bears noting that there are no studies that show that any of these users went from vaping to smoking. It also does not tell how many of the people in question quit smoking cigarettes with the help of a vapor pen.

About the California Law

The California law would cause the following:

  • Electronic cigarette retailers would have to apply for a license and pay a fee to the state in order to sell e-cigarettes and other products.
  • All e-cigarettes, vapor pen accessories, and vape liquids sold in the state would have to come in childproof packaging.
  • There will be a ban on using electronic cigarettes in any public places, including inside of businesses and in schools. The law would make it illegal to vape anywhere but on private property.

E-cig industry insiders worry how the regulations will affect small businesses and ecig users alike. Those who oppose the legislation are urged to let their Assembly members know.

Reference: vaporplants