Massachusetts to Ban All Vape Sales for Some Months

24/ September/ 2019

Charlie Baker, the governor of Massachusetts, declared a state of public health emergency and also announced a ban of vape sales in the entire state for four months. The ban applies to vape cartridges which are sold in dispensaries that are licensed.

 In his report, Baker said that there have been 61 incidences of a pulmonary disease related to vape in Massachusetts, which in the recent weeks has appeared in the whole of US. The US president, Trump, has ordered the removal of flavored cigarettes from the market by the Food and Drug Administration. The cannabis industry has also faced a lot of scrutiny and skepticism of its own vape products.

Earlier that day, Baker told the reporters that they had their full attention on the matter. He pointedly said that the Cannabis Control Commission of Massachusetts has worked with his office to enforce the ban.

In the United States, Massachusetts is the first state to ban vape sales fully.

Today at the press conference, Baker said that at the point, it is very clear that something is wrong with vaping and people should bear that in mind.

 Shaleen Title who is a commissioner with the Cannabis Control Commission said on tweeter that Baker’s decision was a terrible mistake that would force consumers to buy from the illegal market (where products are more harmful) does not go in line with any principal of harm reduction and public health. According to him, the decision is short-sighted, dangerous, and erodes the legal regulation’s benefits.

The president of 4front Ventures (a Cannabis company whose retail arm is operated in Massachusetts as Mission Dispensaries) Kris Krane, agreed with Sharleen’s opinion on the matter saying that the decision of Governor Baker to ban vape sales in the state of Massachusetts was a regrettable reaction to the sincere concern of the public health. “Evidence has shown that most of the health conditions related to vape have been generated by the consumption of unregulated and unlicensed vape cartridges bought from the unlawful market. His intentions might be the best but prohibiting the sale of vape products which are manufactured in an industry that is highly regulated will force medical patients and consumers to buy from the illicit market, perhaps worsening these concerns on public health instead of alleviating them. Therefore, we support our products, and we have no doubt that a market that is lawful and highly regulated is able to protect its consumers,” Kris added.