The eJuices.co team is working around the clock to make sure you and your business are successful despite the threat of flavor bans and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On May 18, one of the toughest-ever flavor bans took place in New York state. We previously covered the New York state ban in our Vaping News email, but we would like to go more in-depth as to what the flavor ban will do to vape shops in New York.
First, we encourage you to take action and voice your concerns regarding the flavor ban. This is especially important to all eJuices.co customers as legislators and regulators seek to place more and more restrictions on the vaping industry. Don’t let what happened in New York state happen to your locality or state! We’re here to help and are looking forward to answering your questions and concerns. This is also an election year, so your voice is needed more than ever. You have a big platform as a business owner. Remind your elected officials that they work for you and that they must earn your vote and your customers’ votes as well.
What’s Going On In New York?
New York state has banned flavors previously in 2019, but reversed course due to a court ruling, temporarily allowing flavors to be sold in New York state again. While we know the New York state flavor ban is one of the toughest in the nation, banning flavored vaping products except for tobacco flavors, the state also will ban online sales of vaping products as well as coupons for said products on July 1. The fine for carrying flavored vaping products in New York state is $100 per item, which could mean heavy fines for both small and large vaping shops in the state.
“I’ve had a lot of customers tell me that they’re going to eventually go back to smoking,” said Mike Kruger, the Capital District Director of the New York State Vapor Association. This is the last thing the eJuices.co team wants to happen to your customers. Many of us here at the eJuices.co offices are vapers ourselves, and we strongly encourage that you advocate for your customers.
Tony Abboud, the executive director of the Vapor Technology Association echoed Kruger’s concerns. “New York’s statewide ban on flavored vapor products will close most of the 694 small mom and pop vape shops, throw 6,000 more New Yorkers out of work, and add another $680 million wrench in the state’s budget crisis,” he said. The prospects of losing jobs and state revenue are just two of the many reasons access to flavors must be preserved.
This comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic which has also hit New York state especially hard. “New York lawmakers are forcing adults who rely on vapor products as their alternative to cigarettes back to traditional smoking or the dangerous black market,” Abboud continued. What particularly makes this ban heavy-handed and alarming is that the bill was passed without any public debate or concern for what the people of New York thought about the flavor ban. Seeking the public’s approval for vape legislation (or any kind of legislation, really) should be mandatory for state legislators to hear what the vape industry and vapers have to say.
We hope to one day see a reversal of this ban in New York, or at least modification of the bill. We will provide updates when we have more information. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always contact your eJuices.co account manager or sales representative.