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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday an "urgent action" to ban the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes. The Governor's Office announced that the Legislative Decree would advance legislation to eliminate misleading commercial practices of electronic cigarettes from underage users and increase the age of purchase of electronic cigarettes from 18 to 21 years old. .
"New York is facing this crisis head on and we are taking another decisive step today to fight a public health emergency," Governor Cuomo said in a statement.. "Manufacturers of fruit and candy electronic cigarettes are deliberately and recklessly targeted at young people, and today we are taking steps to stop them.At the same time, unscrupulous stores are knowingly selling vaping products. to minors retailers are now aware that we are intensifying the enforcement of the law and that they will be arrested and prosecuted. "
According to the governor's office, the New York state police will now associate with the Ministry of Health to conduct undercover investigations under the law on the prevention of the use of the tobacco by teenagers. Under the decree, retailers who get caught selling tobacco and vaping products to minors will be subject to criminal penalties in addition to civil penalties.
On Sunday morning, Cuomo held a press conference with Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State Health Commissioner. Cuomo said that the new executive order could come into force in two weeks and that the state police superintendent would work with the commissioner of the health ministry to crack down on shops selling products to people under 18 years old. The Cuomo administration would like to start enforcing this order. before October 4th.
Cuomo criticized the power of the vaping industry over lawmakers in Washington, DC He stated that "we are autonomous" with respect to the federal government's actions regarding firearms, opioids and vaping. action because "their money can buy Washington".
Cuomo's executive action comes as the Trump administration tries to ban all tobacco-free vaping products on the market. Last week, President Trump said at a meeting of the Oval Office on electronic cigarettes. This is a gesture to deter children from taking the habit of vaping.
Mr. Trump said he wanted parents to know that his administration was carefully examining e-cigarettes. The products have recently been associated with an increasing number of diseases and deaths of pulmonary origin.
"We may have to do something very, very strong about it," the president told reporters.
Health and Social Services Secretary Alex Azar explained the FDA's plans to develop guidelines to remove all flavors of electronic cigarettes, with the exception of regular tobacco. Azar insisted on the fact that the administration was fully entitled to do so, claiming that the Obama administration had authorized the products to be placed on the market without sufficient certainty that they were safe.
Kathryn Watson contributed to this report
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