New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is continuing to progress with plans for an emergency – ban on the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes. The ban is part of a national effort being made to tackle the recent rise in teenage vape usage. Governor Cuomo offered his explanation for the recent rise on Sunday, stating that the flavored options are what young people find so appealing about e-cig products;
But some are concerned that banning these flavored products will only drive hooked vapers to switch to cigarettes in substitution.
That is exactly what Kein Trease expressed worries of, as well. Trease is the Community Education Coordinator at the Prevention Network in Syracuse. As Trease explains, “it’s always an option and a danger that they will move over but if it is the flavoring that’s keeping them there, you’re not getting that in cigarettes either.”
He continued, stating, “it’s one of the top reasons that young kids use because when you have a flavor from captain crunch all the way up to strawberry to mango to grape to all these dessert flavors and stuff like that its certaintly something that kind of attracts the kids.”
But will the ban against flavoring be enough to trigger users to kick their vapes to the curb?
Vape user Maria Aponte says yes. “I don’t like the actual flavor of tobacco so we just got like, strawberry. Not having a flavor would deter me from buying a vape product.”
Other disagreed. Zoe Lehrhaultz says she believes that the absence of flavoring would not stop her, or others, now hooked on the craving of nicotine to quit the vape. As she explains, “Nicotine is nicotine.” People are using the vape to satisfy a craving, and will continue to do so with or without the flavor.
Click the play button below to find out why Governor Cuomo believes sweet flavoring options are to blame for increase in teen vape usage.
ANCHOR: NEW YORK STATE GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO IS CONTINUING TO PROGRESS WITH PLANS FOR AN EMERGENCY -BAN ON THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES.
N-C-C REPORTER LAUREN CHIARDIO HAS MORE ON WHY LEGISLATORS ARE ACTING WITH SUCH URGENCY.
LAUREN CHIARDIO: THE BAN IS PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT BEING MADE TO TACKLE THE RECENT RISE IN TEENAGE VAPE USAGE. GOVERNOR CUOMO OFFERED HIS EXPLANATION FOR THE RECENT RISE ON SUNDAY, STATING THAT THE FLAVORED OPTIONS ARE WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE FIND SO APPEALING ABOUT E-CIG PRODUCTS.
BUT SOME ARE CONCERNED THAT BANNING THESE FLAVORED PRODUCTS WILL ONLY DRIVE HOOKED VAPERS TO SWITCH TO CIGARETTES IN SUBSTITUTION.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT KEIN TREASE EXSPRESSED CONCERNS OF, AS WELL.
“I AM OUTSIDE THE PREVENTION NETWORK IN SYRACUSE, WHERE I GOT TO SPEAK WITH COMMUNITY EDUCATION COORDINATOR KEIN TREASE, ABOUT DEVICES LIKE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. AN E-CIG.”
KEIN TREASE: “IT’S ALWAYS AN OPTION AND A DANGER THAT THEY WILL MOVE OVER BUT IF IT IS THE FLAVORING THAT’S KEEPING THEM THERE, YOURE NOT GETTING THAT IN CIGARETTES EITHER.”
“IT’S ONE OF THE TOP REASONS THAT YOUNG KIDS USE BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A FLAVOR FROM CAPTAIN CRUNCH ALL THE WAY UP TO STRAWBERRY TO MANGO TO GRAPE TO ALL THESE DESSERT FLAVORS AND STUFF LIKE THAT ITS CERTAINTLY SOMETHING THAT KIND OF ATTRACTS THE KIDS. ”
LAUREN CHIARDIO: SO WILL THE BAN AGAINST FLAVORING BE ENOUGH TO TRIGGER USERS TO KICK THEIR VAPES TO THE CURB? SOME SAY YES, SOME SAY NO.
VAPE USER MARIA APONTE: “YES. IT WOULD DETER ME. I DON’T LIKE THE ACTUAL FLAVOR OF TABACCO SO WE JUST GOT LIKE, STRAWBERRY. NOT HAVING A FLAVOR WOULD DETER ME FROM BUYING A VAPE PRODUCT.”
LAUREN CHIARDIO: OTHER DISAGREED, EXPLAINING THAT THEY USE THE VAPE TO SATISFY A CRAVING, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO WITH OR WITHOUT THE FLAVOR.
