Gov. Kate Brown on Friday called for an immediate six-month ban on flavored vaping products in the state of Oregon. The order follows what the governor called the “growing public health threat of the vaping-related illness,” which has resulted in two deaths in Oregon and over a thousand cases of lung injury nationwide.
“My first priority is to safeguard the health of all Oregonians,” Gov. Brown said. “By keeping potentially unsafe products off of store shelves and out of the hands of Oregon’s children and youth, we prevent exposing more people to potentially dangerous chemical compounds, and help lessen the chance of further tragedy for any other Oregon family.”
Although the ban covers only flavored vaping products, Gov. Brown said “the safest option for Oregonians right now is to not use vaping products of any kind.”
“Until we know more about what is causing this illness, please, do not vape,” she said. “Encourage your friends and family members to stop vaping immediately. Talk to your children about the dangers of vaping. The risks are far too high.”
E-cigarettes are the most popular tobacco products used by Oregon’s youth, with 23 percent of Oregon 11th graders reporting using an e-cigarette in 2019, up from 13 percent in 2017.
Gov. Brown also called on the federal government to act to address vaping-related illness.
“It’s time for the FDA to regulate flavored vaping products and other additives for what they are: products that are addictive, dangerous, and targeted squarely at our youth,” she said.
The best-available evidence from state and federal public health experts indicates that certain ingredients and compounds contained in flavored vaping products and additives have been found in cases of vaping-related lung injury and death.
Brown’s order calls for a 180-day ban on all flavored vaping products under the emergency rule-making authority of the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, and also directs state agencies to develop legislative proposals for long-term solutions to be considered by the Legislature.
