Government Crackdown Prompts Major E-Cigarette Manufacturer To Suspend Sales Of Some Products
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The country's leading manufacturer of e-cigarettes is suspending some sales on its most popular products.
It's taking the action because of teenage vaping, which, according to surveys, is at an all-time high.
One government survey estimated three million middle and high school students use e-cigarettes, with one-in-three saying flavors were a major factor in their choice.
Juul Labs, the nation's largest e-cigarette manufacturer, says it will now stop sales of it's mango, fruit, creme and cucumber pods at more than 90,000 retail stores, mostly gas stations and convenience stores.
It will continue selling menthol, mint and tobacco flavors.
Also, it will require additional age verification measures for online sales of flavored pods.
Mike Martin, who works at Vapor Galleria on Pittsburgh's South Side, says he's both shocked and impressed by the government's e-cigarette crackdown because vaping by teens has given vaping a bad name.
Amy Wadas' Report:
Martin told KDKA-TV News Tuesday night, "That's the negative side of vaping, that's been the whole dark side of the full benefit of actually vaping. It's helping way more people than it's hurting."
Dr. Allyson Larkin co-authored a recent study on a teenage restaurant hostess who started vaping and ended up at UPMC Children's Hospital suffering from respiratory failure.
When the study was published, in the medical journal "Pediatrics," Dr. Larkin talked to KDKA-TV about the dangers of teenage vaping.
Larkin said we should be teaching teens not to smoke or vape, because it's dangerous.
Juul Labs say it's also decided to end its social media promotions.
