Is The Contentious Vaping Ban Dead?

As one may remember, earlier in September during a press conference held in the White House, President Donald Trump of the United States made known his intention of instantaneously pulling out flavored e-cigarettes from the market. The ban was both, a reaction towards the young vaping epidemic that had escalated and to make matters worse, an ongoing outbreak of Evali – the e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury. 

Last week, however, President Trump appeared to have softened his stance on banning flavored vape products. He stalled his plans to implement the ban over the fear of losing voters by disappointment – ahead of the 2020 elections - as many of them actively partake in vaping and consider it a healthier substitute. It is quite possible that Trump could once again change his mind, given the pressure from tobacco companies; conventional cigarette sales had been decreasing since vaping products’ rise to popularity. Or he may even attempt other roads of legislation to make it harder for youngsters to get to e-cigarettes, such as raising the minimum age from 18 to 21. 

These were the political aspects of the ban. Now let’s talk about the recent developments amongst various health authorities. A new U.K.-based study suggests switching from smoking to vaping improves your cardiovascular functions in a time frame as short as one month. These studies have also made it abundantly clear that e-cigarettes are better for blood vessels than their tobacco counterparts. The study goes on to mention that consumers who have made the switch have experienced improved vascular health, potentially reducing the risks of heart attacks and strokes. Interestingly, the study pushes back against research published last week that suggested vaping products use might impair blood vessel function.

In other major news, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just announced a ‘major breakthrough’, one that debunks the myths that vaping was what caused Evali. In fact, the infamous outbreak of Evali, is almost certainly not linked with vaping legal nicotine products. The CDC reported last week that after analyzing fluid from the lungs of patients in the recent vaping-disease epidemic, it is confirmed that each victim had traces linked to marijuana vaping, not nicotine vaping. Furthermore, they claimed to have no evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes had caused any harm to their users. Ironically, the same authority had proposed opposing claims back in August, warning users not to use any kind of vaping products.

With the new studies which have shone light on matters which needed light shed on, it is safe to stay nicotine vaping in itself is not the cause of the illness it had been associated with, and that it may be a better option for people who want to quit smoking for a healthy alternative. So for people who want to make the switch, #letswitch!