Why Vape Flavor Bans Won't Work!

 With all the controversies surrounding vape right now, it’s time to clear the air. States like Michigan, New York, California, and soon, Rhode Island, are looking towards the wrong solutions to tackle the teen vaping epidemic; claiming that e-liquid manufacturers are seeking to target underage teens by promoting flavored e-liquids. As advocates for choosing your own e-liquid, we at BLANKZ! will tell you why flavor bans won't work and why it's total hypocrisy!

1. Flavored Alcohol!

Do you enjoy a vodka soda with a wedge of lime? Well guess what, that’s a flavor! State governors and politicians are trying to ban flavored e-liquids when they should be banning flavored alcohol, which is, without a doubt, more toxic to your body. When someone drinks alcohol, their reaction time slows down and they have an increased potential to harm themselves and others if they behave irresponsibly. 

2. Flavored Tobacco!
Many who vape are former cigarette smokers. Well, they sell a pack of smokes that begins as a traditional tobacco cigarette, but when you pop a small bead into the filter, it releases a menthol liquid, turning it into a flavor! We're sure you’ve seen them around. Don’t even get us started with hookah, one of the oldest traditions in the Middle East, but gaining popularity all over the world.

3. Increased Engagement with Law Enforcement!
If vape shops are caught selling flavored e-liquids, they can face up to 6 months in jail and a heavy fine. A similar sentence would be applied to any user who is caught with flavored e-liquid as well, which means an increased engagement with law enforcement. We're sure that police officers have better things to do with their time than to crack down on flavored vape e-liquids. If vape shops and their patrons receive similar punishments, this will fill up our prison systems with innocent individuals instead of real street thugs.

4. It Violates Our Rights!
We vape, we choose! Simple as that! Vaping is a lifestyle, and more importantly a healthier lifestyle. Implementing a bill that limits our ability to choose also limits our rights.

5. Transitions People Back to Cigarettes!
Prohibiting flavors will most likely convert people back to smoking combustible cigarettes and all the poisonous ingredients that come with it: tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia, etc. Not to mention the odor that comes with them. 

Alternative Solutions

Instead of banning flavored vape e-liquids, law enforcement needs to crack down on sales to underage teens. Many offenders come from smoke shops that sell everything under the sun, with only one guy standing behind the counter. From marijuana paraphernalia to vaporizers and other sketchy substances, these are the places that you need to watch out for. 

However, for vape shops that are caught selling to minors, we need to implement the same consequences given to liquor stores, and hold each other to the same standards. If you are caught selling or distributing to a minor, you should face jail time, a high fine, and possible closure of your store. Even checking ID’s at the door would help regulate sales to minors. 

Implementing stricter regulations on imported e-liquid would also help promote safety and use of vaping, as many e-liquids are produced in foreign countries like China. Foreign e-liquids may potentially be filled with undisclosed chemicals in unknown working and manufacturing conditions. We need to do more REGULATING!

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