Expand / Collapse search
☰
Fire Weather Watch
from MON 12:00 PM MST until MON 7:00 PM MST, Northern Graham-Northern Greenlee-White and Gila Mountains, Eastern Pima-Southeastern Pinal-Santa Cruz-Western Cochise, Southern Graham-Central and Eastern Cochise-Southern Greenlee-Lower Elevations of the San Carlos Apache Nation in Graham County
7
Fire Weather Watch
from TUE 11:00 AM MST until TUE 8:00 PM MST, Eastern Pima-Southeastern Pinal-Santa Cruz-Western Cochise, Pima-South Central Pinal-Tohono Oodham Nation, Southern Graham-Central and Eastern Cochise-Southern Greenlee-Lower Elevations of the San Carlos Apache Nation in Graham County, Northern Graham-Northern Greenlee-White and Gila Mountains
Lake Wind Advisory
until SUN 8:00 PM MST, Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Wind Advisory
from MON 11:00 AM MST until MON 7:00 PM MST, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County, Eastern Mogollon Rim, Coconino Plateau, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County, Kaibab Plateau, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County, White Mountains, Grand Canyon Country, Western Mogollon Rim
Wind Advisory
from MON 12:00 PM MDT until MON 8:00 PM MDT, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau, Black Mesa Area, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas Hwy 264 Northward
Wind Advisory
from MON 8:00 AM MST until MON 11:00 PM MST, Northwest Plateau, Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Air Quality Alert
until SUN 9:00 PM MST, Maricopa County

Reaction to government proposal to ban flavors used in e-cigarettes

By and Associated Press
Published  September 11, 2019 5:24pm MST
Vaping
FOX 10 Phoenix

PHOENIX - The Federal Government will act to ban thousands of flavors used in e-cigarettes, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, responding to a recent surge in underage vaping that has alarmed parents, politicians and health authorities nationwide.

Across the country, there are more than 450 cases of respiratory illnesses and six deaths linked to vaping, and investigators believe Vitamin E Acetate may be to blame.

The surprise White House announcement Wednesday could remake the multibillion-dollar vaping industry, which has been driven by sales of flavored nicotine formulas such as "grape slushie" and "strawberry cotton candy."

The Food and Drug Administration will develop guidelines to remove from the market all e-cigarette flavors except tobacco, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters during an Oval Office appearance with the president, first lady Melania Trump and the acting FDA commissioner, Ned Sharpless.

Trump, whose son Barron is 13 years old, said vaping has become such a problem that he wants parents to be aware of what's happening. "We can't allow people to get sick and we can't have our youth be so affected," he said.

Meanwhile, there's some anxiety and confusion in the vaping community, both for those who own stores and those who buy their flavored vape juice. In addition, to say the vaping ban issue is cloudy and unclear is an understatement.

"I think its a lot of misinformation," said one people.

Customers at a vape bar in Phoenix are worried that a ban will impact their favorite flavored juices, which they believe are safe.

"He will regulate some of the e flavored juices, but I hope he doesn't completely all the way back, because it does help people quit smoking," said Lance Fulton.

Some believe those who fell ill with lung disease or even died have used devices or products that were not well known on the market or not designed to be vaped.

Matthew Burger, who runs a vape bar in Central Phoenix, wants the government to focus on what specifically is making people so sick. 

"I want them to focus on the stuff that's killing people immediately," said Burger. "I've been vaping for eight years, and I can name hundreds and thousands of customers that have been vaping as long as I have and they're not dying. That's the reality."

Burger's store sells vape juice that they manufacture in a lab, and he is hoping the ban does not impact him. However, Burger says he knows people don't differentiate between electronic cigarettes that will be banned and the vaping devices he sells.