Some are tobacco products containing nicotine. Some are cannabis products containing THC or CBD.
As a result, hundreds of people have developed severe respiratory symptoms. Several people have died.
No one can turn back the clock here.
If we could turn back the clock, then (in hindsight) cannabis would have already been legalized nationally in the United States. And U.S. consumer products (tobacco and cannabis) would be properly regulated. With those two changes in place, this outbreak of respiratory illnesses would have never occurred.
However, with the mainstream media sensationalizing this health problem to the maximum degree, U.S. politicians have little interest in the major changes necessary in order to eliminate the problem. Instead, they are focused on knee-jerk reactions designed to make it appear that they are “doing something” about the problem in the immediate term.
This isn’t only to appease their own constituents. It’s also to address the irresponsible fearmongers in the mainstream media – who have manufactured this elevated level of public fear.
And so, one state after another, we see some form of “vaping ban” materializing in the U.S. The Seed Investor has previously addressed the lack of rationality in this approach.
If the Massachusetts’ governor wants to save lives, he should simply ban the sale of all tobacco products. Tobacco use kills over 480,000 Americans in the U.S. every year. That's a crisis. That's an epidemic.
The vaping health issue has resulted in 8 fatalities to date.
It is obviously safer for the residents of Massachusetts to consume a cannabis vaping product than to consume any sort of tobacco product. And it is safer to consume a legal cannabis vaping product than a black market vaping product.
The vaping health issue has resulted in 8 fatalities to date.
It is obviously safer for the residents of Massachusetts to consume a cannabis vaping product than to consume any sort of tobacco product. And it is safer to consume a legal cannabis vaping product than a black market vaping product.
The vast majority of illnesses/deaths from this health problem have been from unregulated black market products. Banning legal vaping products means that only these black market products will be available. How is that going to save any lives?
Obviously, it could make the problem worse – if media hype hasn’t scared consumers enough to avoid black market vapes altogether.
This is the position of the Marijuana Policy Project, which has just released a policy paper on this subject.
This paper discusses some of the underlying issues and makes specific recommendations to state lawmakers and regulators on best responses.
Regulating cannabis use is effective public policy, and we strongly urge states to regulate — not ban — vapor products.
Bans will simply make a difficult situation more dangerous by driving more consumers away from regulated businesses and toward illicit sources.
Regulating cannabis use is effective public policy, and we strongly urge states to regulate — not ban — vapor products.
Bans will simply make a difficult situation more dangerous by driving more consumers away from regulated businesses and toward illicit sources.
It’s just common sense. But, as usual, this is a commodity in very short supply among U.S. politicians.
If the politicians really want to do something about this health issue that will yield (positive) short term results, there is an option. Increase law enforcement against black market manufacturers/distributors of these tainted vape pens.
However, while banning legal vapes costs nothing (and does nothing), increasing law enforcement is expensive.
California has already started down this road, but for different reasons. It’s attacking its cannabis black market with ‘War on Drugs’ style law enforcement because the state has failed to properly regulate its legal cannabis industry.
California’s law enforcement agencies have been recently boasting about their success in shutting down black market cultivators. But that pot isn’t making anybody sick.
In the meantime, California is the nexus for the black market vapes and dangerous vape-additives that are at the root of these illnesses/deaths.
Mainstream media in the U.S. are “reporting” on this vaping health issue with little to no concern about the actual facts. Politicians are engaging in knee-jerk responses with little to no concern about the actual safety of their own residents.
Only in America.