KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As the Food and Drug Administration continues an investigation into vaping, which has been linked to 10 deaths and hundreds of illnesses in recent weeks, state and local governments aren't waiting to take action as popularity of e-cigarettes grows among teenagers.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday that the state would place a four-month ban on all vaping products, including non-flavored tobacco e-cigarettes.
Earlier in September, New York and Michigan announced less restrictive bans, which temporarily halt the sales of flavored vaping products. President Trump also announced this month that his administration would look into banning the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes.
At least 530 cases of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarettes or vaping have been reported, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.Ten deaths have been linked to vaping, including individuals in Kansas and Missouri as well as California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has directed the Department of Health and Environment to review it's policy options with respect to vaping and e-cigarettes.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Lee Norman testified before lawmakers Wednesday in Washington D.C.
"We need help on the state level," Normn said. "We need to broaden the anti-smoking laws to include e-cigarettes."
Only a handful of states have raised the age of tobacco and e-cigarette sales to 21 years old. Missouri and Kansas have not, so it has been left up to individual cities to do so.
"When you're raising the age to 21, people are in college by that time and they are that more separated from the younger population that is going to try and get their hands on it," Christina Cowart, the Kansas grassroots manager at American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said.
Both Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, along with Overland Park, Olathe, Independence, Lee's Summit and other numerous cities have passed Tobacco 21 ordinances.
