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Cuomo announced Sunday at a press conference that the state would ban all flavors with the exception of tobacco and menthol, as flavored products are "extremely attractive to young people". He said that 68% of electronic cigarette users use flavored products.
Dr. Howard Zucker, Commissioner of the New York Department of Health, will hold an emergency meeting with the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) this week to implement this ban, says a press release issued by Cuomo's office.
Chair of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Children, Matthew L. Myers, praised Cuomo's executive action but said the governor should also have banned the menthol flavor.
"The evidence clearly shows that if you leave flavored electronic cigarettes on the market, kids will turn to them," Myers said in a statement. "This has already happened with menthol and mentholated electronic cigarettes over the last year, and this will continue if menthol-based electronic cigarettes are left on the market."
Cuomo said that he did not ban menthol because its flavor could be helpful to smokers of menthol cigarettes who are trying to quit. This could change in the future, he said.
Cuomo also announced on Sunday that it would introduce a bill to ban the misleading marketing of electronic cigarettes to teens and children, and it criticized the federal government for not yet taking action.
"Well, where is the federal government – who knows where the federal government is," Cuomo said Sunday. "I do not expect the federal government to come to protect the people of the state of New York, I have been disappointed time and again."
"Our destiny is in our hands and we act," he added.
In July, Cuomo signed a new law raising the age of 18 to 21 years for the purchase of all tobacco products in New York, including electronic cigarettes. This change will take effect on November 13th.
Nadia Kounang and Monica Haider from CNN contributed to this report.
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