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THE EYEOPENER’S KATIE THOMPSON IS LIVE IN NEWTON WITH THE CRUSHING BLOW FOR BUSINESSES. >> VAPE DADDY’S SAYS THEY SAW A RUSH OF CUSTOMERS YESTERDAY AS THEY LEARNED OF THE 4-MONTH BAN. THEY’RE OUTRAGED, SAYING TH PRODUCTS THEY SELL ARE DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE STOP SMOKING. >> WE JUST LOST OUR LIVELIHOOD. >> WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS DONE HERE IS GOING TO KILL PEOPLE. >> THEY PREDICT THE BAN MAY CAUSE MORE HARM THAN GOOD, AS PEOPLE TURN TO BLACK MARKET PRODUCTS. HEALTH OFFICIALS IN ARLINGTO ARE PRAISING THE BAN. ESTIMATES SHOW THAT MORE THAN 40% OF TEENS IN THE STATE HAVE TRIED VAPING, AND OFFICIALS HOPE THE BAN WILL HELP KEEP KIDS SAFE >> WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS REDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG TEENS. >> WE DO NOT WANT ANOTHER GENERATION OF CHILDREN TO BECOME ADDICTED TO NICOTINE >> THE BAN COVERS SALES IN STORES AND ONLINE AND APPLIES TO BOTH TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA PROD

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Citing confirmed and suspected cases of severe lung disease associated with e-cigarettes and marijuana vaping products, Gov. Charlie Baker and state health officials Tuesday declared a public health emergency and banned the sales of all vaping products in Massachusetts for four months. "The purpose of this public health emergency is to temporarily pause all sales of vaping products so that we can work with our medical experts to identify what is making people sick and how to better regulate these products to protect the health of our residents," Baker said. Baker said the temporary statewide ban on the sale of flavored and nonflavored vaping products took effect after the state's Public Health Council approval and will remain in place until Jan. 25, 2020. The ban applies to all online and retail store sales of vaping products and devices, including tobacco and marijuana."The use of e-cigarettes and marijuana vaping products is exploding and we are seeing reports of serious lung illnesses, particularly in our young people," Baker said. Local health officials will be tasked with enforcing the sale ban. The announcement comes on the heels of reports that the number of people diagnosed with a lung illness related to vaping is surging in Massachusetts. As of Tuesday, the Department of Public Health said 61 cases of unexplained vaping-associated pulmonary disease have been reported. Three confirmed cases and two probable cases of vaping-associated pulmonary disease in the state have already been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health officials said. The rest are pending further clinical analysis.Nationwide, there are hundreds of cases across dozens of states.Earlier this month, Department of Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel temporarily added possible cases of vaping-associated pulmonary illnesses to the list of conditions clinicians are required to report to the state. That reporting requirement will continue for at least one year. Gathering that information will allow the department to provide case counts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, help public health officials understand the magnitude of the situation in Massachusetts and shape what steps the state takes next, Bharel said.The American Vaping Association called the ban "illegal," "unconstitutional" and "absolutely absurd.""In the four months this ban will be in effect, approximately 150,000 people across the United States will die from smoking cigarettes," Association President Gregory Conley said in a statement. "With the evidence on these illnesses continuing to point squarely at illicit and contaminated THC cartridges, particularly in the northeast U.S., this ban on nicotine vaping products is absolutely absurd. We look forward to supporting lawsuits against Gov. Baker's illegal and unconstitutional ban." E-cigarette maker JUUL said such a ban could result in new dangers. "Removing e-cigarettes from the market will create a thriving black market of counterfeit and compatible products, made with unknown ingredients under unknown manufacturing standards," JUUL Labs said in a statement. Two other states have banned the sales of flavored e-cigarettes, and others are considering similar action. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Sept. 4 that her state would move toward a ban, accusing companies of using candy flavors and deceptive advertising to appeal to kids. New York officially became the first state to do so last week when regulators there approved emergency rules.At least one Rhode Island lawmaker is also preparing a similar proposal. The American Lung Association said it supports the move and urges action from federal agencies. "In the absence of strong federal action especially by the FDA, states are being forced to make decisions to protect the health of children and adults from a vaping-related public health emergency," American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold Wimmer said in a statement. "Gov. Baker’s announcement reinforces the need for the FDA to clear the market of all flavored e-cigarettes in order to address the youth e-cigarette epidemic."