SF Gate: New Jersey bans flavored vaping products

[LoveVanilla]

New Jersey law bans sale of flavored vaping products

The sale of flavored vaping products is banned in New Jersey under legislation Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed Tuesday.

Murphy signed the measure that moved to his desk amid a nationwide scare last year over mysterious illnesses linked to vaping. The ban will take effect in April.

Opponents of the legislation, who crowded the statehouse when the measure passed the Democratic-led Legislature, argued that officials should better enforce the smoking age instead of barring of-age adults from buying products they enjoy using.

The smoking age in New Jersey is 21.

Matthew Elliott, a consumer vaping advocate who attended the statehouse protest, predicted that the new law would expand the black market and that people could begin trying to make the flavored liquids at home.

“(Murphy) has welcomed the black market," Elliott said. “You will not see the youth vaping decrease. But what you will see is businesses closing and people going back to smoking. In essence, he has removed the gatekeepers and rewarded the drug dealers."