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In the midst of an upsurge in illnesses and deaths related to vaping, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York announced Sunday that he would enforce emergency regulations this week to quickly ban the sale of drugs. flavored electronic cigarettes.
The governor's action came a few days after President Trump announced his intention to ban similar vaping products at the federal level. If New York actually bans flavored electronic cigarettes, it will become the second state to do so, after Michigan, which passed a ban earlier this month.
From his office in downtown Manhattan, Cuomo described a growing problemhealth crisis ", comparing this disease with previous diseases related to traditional tobacco products.
"Vaping is dangerous. Period, "said the governor, a third-term Democrat, highlighting various potential health problems associated with this practice, including the encouragement of nicotine addiction. "No one can say that long-term use of vaping (where you breathe steam and chemicals deep down in your lungs) is healthy."
According to the plan presented by Cuomo on Sunday, the Council for Public Health and Health Planning, a little-known regulator, would be convened by Health Commissioner Howard Zucker. The council would then issue an emergency regulation prohibiting the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes, which would come into effect immediately.
States and federal authorities act on flavored electronic cigarettes as health authorities in the country continue to face an epidemic of a serious lung disease related to vaping. At least six deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations have been reported. In many cases, the vapotage T.H.C., the chemical strongly inducing in marijuana.
Dr. Zucker said that New York State had 64 cases of pulmonary disease related to vaping and that their numbers continued to grow. "We need to tackle this issue as quickly as possible," said Dr. Zucker, adding, "We do not need to repeat the story."
Tobacco products and menthol products would not be banned, the governor said, citing evidence that menthol products could help people quit smoking traditional cigarettes.
The decision not to include menthol on the list of potentially banned products has been sharply criticized by the American Lung Association, which said that Cuomo had missed "the opportunity to take decisive action."
"Today's announcement was well-intentioned, but it will encourage our youth to use even more menthol-flavored products," said Harold Wimmer, president of the association, calling on the state's Legislature to continue. the ban on flavored tobacco.
Austin Finan, a spokeswoman for Juul Labs, who dominates the electronic cigarette market, said the company was reviewing the governor's announcement but agreed "with the need for action aggressive on the scale of the category on flavored products ", stating that she had already stopped selling flavored. capsules in "traditional retail stores".
The company "will fully comply with local laws and the final decision F.D.A. when it is effective, "added Finan.
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