Smoke shops react to Trump administration’s plan to ban flavored e-cigs

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The Trump administration on Wednesday announced plans to ban flavored e-cigarettes amid an outbreak of vaping-related illnesses and deaths.

Already, there have been some changes in Ohio’s smoking laws. The age to buy tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is now 21. But now, there are plans to ban flavored e-cigs all together.

News Center 7’s Monica Castro smoke to local smoke shops, which said this measure would hurt their bottom line.

For Vapor Haus, e-cig sales are the bread and butter of their business.

“Flavored e-liquid is the most popular type of product in the industry,” owner Chris Voudris said.

RELATED: Ohio to spend $4.1M on initiatives aimed to fight youth vaping

But Trump’s administration wants to put a ban on those kinds of products amid what they say is a “vaping crisis.”

This could mean sales at Vapor Haus go up in smoke.

“It would hurt us,” Voudris said. “We have eight locations in the Dayton area. But there are thousands of businesses like ours that would be affected.”

Smokers Plus managers also said sales would suffer.

But they understand why the Trump administration is pushing for this to keep e-cigs out of the hands of children.

“There are so many fruity flavors, kids get attracted,” Rabie Ahmed, Smokers Plus manager said.

The ban also is for the growing concern for vaping-related illnesses.

RELATED: FDA, local schools take steps as teen e-cigarette use surges

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of cases has jumped to about 450 with several deaths.

Both stores agree if the ban does happen, people may turn back to old habits.

“You would have thousands of people go back to traditional cigarettes. If you take that option away you’re basically saying, ‘I would rather you use something you know will kill you and has killed people for decades.’”

San Francisco was the first major city to ban e-cigs.

Michigan has a ban that will take effect in the next few weeks.

About the Author