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By Kyra Weiss, Staff Reporter
A total of 1,300 vaping related illnesses have been reported in all U.S. states except Alaska. Of the illnesses reported, 33 were fatal. According to the CDC, 16% of these illnesses have been affecting individuals under the age of 18.
Vitamin E acetate is being blamed as the direct causative agent in vapes, especially those marijuana-based. However, there is still much unknown about the dangers of vape. While researchers search for an answer, lawmakers scramble to find a solution.
With the rise in teen cases, President Trump has pushed for more legislation on the ban of flavored cartridges.
“We can’t allow people to get sick. And we can’t have our kids be so affected,” Trump said.
The Trump administration has announced plans to take further action if the ban of flavor cartridges does not keep teens away from vaping.
As cases of illness continue to rise, state legislators and activist groups continue to push for urgent regulation. Governor Jay Inslee of Washington released an emergency bill for the halt of all flavored vape product sales, effective until Feb. 7, 2020. Massachusetts issued a four-month ban on all vape products, causing outrage amongst distributors.
“You’re talking 70, close to 80% of our business gone overnight,” smoke shop owner Nilesh Patel said.
Similar outrage rose as vape companies came under fire for their alleged marketing to young people. Organizations like The Real Cost have made advertisements and public service announcements to turn teens away from vaporizer products.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, “In 2018, with the upward trajectory of youth e-cigarette use continuing at an even more distressing rate, “The Real Cost” developed a new series of messages for reaching the 10.7 million youth aged 12-17 who have ever used e-cigarettes or are open to trying them.”
Although the trend of overall nicotine use has slowed, vaping use is at an all-time high. The US Surgeon General estimates that one in 20 middle schoolers use vape products and that number reaches as high as one in five for high school students. That number still is still sharply rising.
Along with the rising rate of teen use, the business end of vape companies is expected to reach $26.8 billion by 2023.
Vape brand Juul has since announced the resignation of CEO Kevin Burns, a temporary halt on all United States vape advertisements and has ceased selling fruit-flavored pods.
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