A proposed vaping ban in Florida could find its way to the national stage as lawmakers look to crack down on illicit products being brought into the United States from foreign countries.
The Florida legislature passed a bill earlier this month to implement stricter restrictions on flavored vape products and allow the state attorney general to compile a registry of products that are deemed attractive to minors. Once a product is added to the list, vendors have 60 days to remove it from their inventory.
The bill has passed through both chambers in the state legislature and awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) signature to take effect. It’s unclear when DeSantis plans to take action on the bill, and the Washington Examiner contacted his office for comment.
Advocates of the bill praised its passage, arguing the legislation is needed to address the rising number of possibly dangerous vapes being brought into the country, particularly in Florida. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of federal regulations on these products, prompting some states to take further action.
“The federal regulations that are in place, there’s really no enforcement mechanism from the feds,” Ned Bowman, president of the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, told the Washington Examiner. “I mean, the amount of vaping and the amount of imports that are coming in from China — it’s very difficult for the FDA, within their budget means, to stop all the products.”
