BREAKING: Senator Menendez Calls for moratorium on selling, using vapes in NJ amid public health crisis

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy, today laid out a five-point plan to curb vaping use, especially among teens, and reduce the risk of vaping-related illnesses, including calling for a moratorium on the sale and use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products until experts determine what’s causing the current public health emergency. Health officials have been unable to determine what has caused the hospitalizations of over 380 people and six deaths due to serious pulmonary diseases linked to vaping across 36 states over the past 90 days.

“The fruity flavors. The catchy colors. The promoted tweets and Instagram ads. The false claims vaping is safe. Enough is enough,” said Sen. Menendez. “The truth is we don’t know if it’s a single substance being vaped or a cocktail of chemicals being vaped that’s making Americans sick. What we do know is that taking another puff from your vape pen is not worth the risk of winding up on a ventilator. It’s time to press pause, to find answers, and above all else to protect our children.”

Standing with parents, students, administrators and health advocates outside Ridgewood High School, Sen. Menendez called for a comprehensive response to the vaping health crisis that includes action from the private sector, federal, state and local levels. He outlined five separate federal actions he is pursuing to address the current and potential long-term risks associated with vapes:

1. A moratorium on sales and use of all vaping products until it is determined what is causing serious, sometimes fatal illness in users

2. Crackdown on deceptive marketing, especially targeted to teens and young people, which offer exotic flavors that appeal to kids and/or portray vapes as a safer alternative to cigarette smoking

3. Close the online loophole that allows young people in states like New Jersey with strict over-21 laws to purchase vapes over the internet without proper age-verification

4. Dedicate $500 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study the impact of e-cigarettes on young people and to develop campaigns and grants for communities to educate youth and parents about the dangers of e-cigarettes

5. Tax vaping products at the same level as traditional tobacco products as a financial deterrent to curb usage

“The Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) urges people of all ages to refrain from using electronic cigarette products until public health authorities can delve deeper into their investigations regarding the escalating number of serious and acute lung disease cases in New Jersey and around the nation,” said John Poole, M.D., a New Jersey physician and former president of MSNJ. “MSNJ is proud to join with Senator Menendez in calling for a moratorium on sales of e-cigarette products.”

Gov. Phil Murphy last week launched a task force to explore actions the state can take to address e-cigarettes, and the State Division of Consumer Affairs announced it is seeking information from more than a dozen e-cigarette businesses about their marketing and sales of vaping products in New Jersey.

“Governor Murphy and I are very alarmed about electronic smoking devices and their impact on public health and we are thankful that Senator Menendez is demanding swift action by the Federal Government today to help protect and save lives,” said Acting Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who also serves as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. “New Jersey has already begun investigating the risks associated with e-cigarette and vaping devices as well as the potentially deceptive practices used by manufacturers to market and sell these products. We join the CDC and New Jersey Department of Health in urging adults and minors to immediately stop using all electronic smoking devices.”

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected].

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at [email protected], Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.

1 COMMENT

  1. the contradictions are so powerful! no vaping but yes smoking pot?? there was 6 people that had health issues from vaping, and its possible it was a contaminated off- brand Chinese nock off. Millions of people have ruined their lives on pot, but that’s fine to smoke. after all we need to be progressive!

Comments are closed.