E-cigarettes are a national health emergency, and some municipalities are taking steps to make it harder to use them.
San Francisco — home of Juul Labs, the company that is probably the most-recognized name in e-cigarettes — has just banned the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes within city limits. This is a blow to the booming e-cigarette business, and a step in the right direction in terms of our health and well-being. Though e-cigarettes are often marketed as a way for adult smokers to wean themselves off of traditional cigarettes, a series of alarming recent studies indicate that large numbers of young people are becoming addicted to the nicotine delivered through e-cigarettes. Kids are also being exposed to countless chemicals and potential carcinogens when they take a fruity-flavored vape hit on one of these devices.
If you’re new to the problem of teens and e-cigarettes, read our introductory blog “Should You Worry About JUUL”
The San Francisco ordinance places the burden of public safety with the Food and Drug Administration, and shines a light on the FDAs perplexing failure to review e-cigarettes, even while middle and high school vaping has spiked to epidemic proportions.
The alarm bells have been ringing for a while now in terms of the risks to young people when they vape, and it’s encouraging to see San Francisco moving the ball forward on limiting the ability of people to become addicted to using these devices. We have no doubt that other organizations, cities, and states will follow suit in trying to limit the prevalence of e-cigarette use — just this April in Massachusetts the the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University initiated a class-action lawsuit demanding that the Juul Labs fund addiction treatment and research initiatives throughout the state. We applaud these efforts, and hope to see more.
At Burnett & Williams, we’re committed to the health and well-being of every member of our community. If you or someone you love has been injured, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to call us at 800-969-1650, or contact us here.