ALBANY – Manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarette products could be facing a major battle in Albany in the next couple of months.
A proposed bill being sponsored in both the State Senate and Assembly is one of several regulatory measures that have been proposed across the nation. The proposed legislation comes after legislators already unveiled a plan to ban the use of e-cigarettes in indoor workplaces. In recent weeks, the FDA also said it would begin regulating e-cigarettes.
Supporters and users of E-Cigarettes say they are a safer alternative to smoking. But Proponents of a ban cite the dangers of liquid nicotine, noting that it can cause serious harm if ingested or if it comes in contact with the skin. Others have cited cases in which children got hold of liquid nicotine and became ill, and they point to reports that a teaspoon can seriously harm or even kill a child. Additionally, they say calls to poison control centers have risen 300 percent between 2012 and 2013.
According to a report in the Albany Times Union, E cigarettes have only been on the market for about six years, but already it is a $3 billion a year business. Several startup busisnesses have surfaced across New York which focus solely on selling and marketing E-cigarette products. They often sell liquid nicotine in several forms, including small 10- to 30-milliliter vials that consumers of nondisposable e-cigarettes can buy and use. The liquid contains nicotine, flavorings and ingredients like propylene glycol, which is also used to create smoke effects at rock shows and other theatrical events. In addition, well-established tobacco companies have gotten into the business, largely by offering prepackaged e-cigarettes.
The liquids are subject to sales, but not tobacco taxes.
The ban on liquid nicotine, along with the proposal to ban e-cigarettes in indoor workplaces, was discussed during hearings Monday in the state capitol with more discussion expected this week and later this month.
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