NEW: MA Governor Baker Extends Ban on Vaping Products
GoLocalProv News Team
NEW: MA Governor Baker Extends Ban on Vaping Products
“In light of the growing health crisis associated with e-cigarettes and vaping, our administration implemented a temporary ban on the sale of e-cigarette and vaping products to provide time for legislative and regulatory bodies to better understand what's making people sick and act to protect the health of Massachusetts residents,” said Baker.
The announcement comes as three Massachusetts residents have died from vaping-related lung injuries.
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New Law Introduced
The new law titled "An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control," includes restrictions on the sale of tobacco products, including limiting the sale of flavored nicotine vaping products to licensed smoking bars where they may only be smoked on-site.
The legislation also grants the Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH) new authority to regulate the sale of nicotine vaping products, to ensure the public is informed about the potential dangers of vaping and to implement other provisions of the law in order to protect the public health.
“Today, as we sign this new legislation implementing new restrictions on vaping and tobacco products, we are also keeping the temporary ban in place as the Department of Public Health develops permanent regulations that will ensure risks are known to consumers, clarify what interventions DPH can take to address clear risks identified by the developing science, and ensure sellers are not skirting the new law and selling to kids,” added Baker.
The legislation restricts the sale of vaping products with nicotine content over 35 milligrams per milliliter to licensed, adult-only retail tobacco stores and smoking bars.
Non-flavored vaping products with a nicotine content of less than 35 milligrams per milliliter may be sold in retail stores generally licensed to sell tobacco products, including convenience stores, gas stations, and other retail outlets.
Starting on June 1, 2020, the sale of all other tobacco products that have a characterizing flavor (e.g. menthol cigarettes and flavored chewing tobacco) will also be restricted to licensed smoking bars where they may be sold only for on-site consumption.
In addition, the new law imposes a 75% excise tax on the wholesale price of nicotine vaping products (in addition to the 6.75% sales tax), which also takes effect June 1, 2020.
Other egulations of Baker’s new law include:
- Require the posting of signage in any location where vaping products are sold to warn customers of the dangers of severe lung disease associated with vaping products and more generally advising of the health risks of vaping.
- Specify the authority of the Commissioner of DPH to prohibit the sale of a designated vaping product on a determination that the product causes vaping-related lung illness or poses a substantial risk to public health.
- Strengthen state and local enforcement, including by specifying procedures by which DPH or local Boards of Health may inspect retail locations and the products they are selling for compliance with the law, and providing for penalties for violations.
- Establish how retailers and manufacturers must comply with the law's requirement that vaping products with nicotine content of more than 35 mg/ml may only be sold in 21+ establishments.
- Require vaping products to be placed behind the counter in all non-age restricted retailers (e.g., convenience stores).
PHOTO: Lindsay Fox/EcigaretteReviewed.com