WE ARE ALSO WORKING DEVELOPING
NEWS--
OUT OF THE STATE HOUSE--
GOVERNOR GINA RAIMONDO HAS
TAKEN EXECUTIVE ACTION TO BAN
----FLAVORED VAPING PRODUCTS IN
THE OCEAN STATE.
(MM)
THIS BAN IS NOT AS----
FAR-REACHING AS THE ONE
-----GOVERNOR BAKER SIGNED FOR
MASSACHUSETTS JUST YESTERDAY.
BUT IT CAME AMIDST PROTESTS
-----OUTSIDE THE STATE HOUSE -
FROM PEOPLE CONCERNED FOR THEIR
VAPING BUSINESSES - AND THEIR
HEALTH.
(SN)
EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER KAIT
WALSH WAS THERE AS THE GOVERNOR
SIGNED THIS ORDER -
SHE JOINS US LIVE FROM THE STATE
HOUSE - WITH WHAT THIS MEANS
MOVING FORWARD.
GOVERNOR RAIMONDO WANTED TO MAKE
IT CLEAR - HER FOCUS ON THIS BAN
IS CHILDREN - AND PROTECTING
THEM.
THAT MEANS VAPING BUSINESSES
WILL STILL BE ALLOWED TO STAY
OPEN - BUT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO
SELL MANY PRODUCTS - THAT THE
GOVERNOR SAYS - TARGETS CHILDREN
TO START BECOMING ADDICTED.
GOVERNOR RAIMONDO WANTED TO MAKE
IT CLEAR - HER FOCUS ON THIS BAN
IS CHILDREN - AND PROTECTING
THEM.
THAT MEANS VAPING BUSINESSES
WILL STILL BE ALLOWED TO STAY
OPEN - BUT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO
SELL MANY PRODUCTS - THAT THE
GOVERNOR SAYS - TARGETS CHILDREN
TO START BECOMING ADDICTED.
TAKE PKG
STARTING NEXT WEEK - FLAVORED
VAPING PRODUCTS WILL BE BANNED
FROM STORES IN RHODE ISLAND.
"This is a serious issue getting
more serious every single day.
And I don't think we can wait.
So that's why I've decided to
act, and act with the urgency
that I think it requires."
EYEWITNESS NEWS WAS THERE AS
GOVERNOR GINA RAIMONDO SIGNED AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER DIRECTING THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
IMMEDIATELY ISSUE EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS THAT WILL LAST 120
DAYS - WITH A POTENTIAL 60 DAY
EXTENSION.
"It's dangerous for our kids.
We're seeing people get hurt and
they're getting hooked on
nicotine products at 10, 11,12,
13 years old."
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH DIRECTOR
DR. NICOLE ALEXANDER-SCOTT SAYS
THE BAN LIKELY WON'T GO INTO
EFFECT UNTIL SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.
RHODE ISLAND VAPING STORES WILL
STILL BE OPEN - BUT ONLY ALLOWED
TO SELL E-CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO
PRODUCTS THAT AREN'T FLAVORED.
THERE'S NO WORD YET ON IF
MENTHOL WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE
BAN.
BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNING -
VAPING SUPPORTERS PROTESTED
OUTSIDE - CONCERNED WHAT ANY BAN
WOULD MEAN FOR BUSINESS.
"The biggest consideration is
going to be the loss of over 200
jobs and not only the 200 jobs,
but people having over a quarter
million dollars of merchandise
in their stores that have a
shelf-life."
"I hear that. I do hear that and
when you make a decision, you
listen to all constitutents, but
I have to put the health and
safety of our children first."
THE GOVERNOR SAID THERE WILL BE
A PERIOD OF PUBLIC INPUT WHEN
THEY'RE CONSIDERING PERMANENT
SOLUTIONS IN THE FUTURE.
NEW AT 6 - I ASKED IF THERE'S
CONCERN THIS WILL NOW LEAD TO
MORE BLACK MARKET SALES AND
AT-HOME CREATIONS OF FLAVORED
PRODUCTS.
LIVE IN PROVIDENCE -I'M KAIT
(MM)
TONIGHT, RHODE ISLAND GOVERNOR
GINA RAIMONDO HAS FOLLOWED
MASSACHUSETTS LEAD, IN ORDERING
A BAN ON CERTAIN VAPING
PRODUCTS.
(SN)
WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE AT SIX ---
TARGET 12 CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR
SUSAN CAMPBELL IS STANDING BY.
FIRST --- EYEWITNESS NEWS
REPORTER KAIT WALSH JOINS US
LIVE FROM PROVIDENCE TO EXPLAIN
THE BAN, AND CONCERNS HEALTH
OFFICIALS HAVE ABOUT IT.
THE BAN HERE IN RHODE ISLAND -
IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT IN
MASSACHUSETTS.
IN MASSACHUSETTS - ALL VAPING
PRODUCTS ARE BANNED FOR FOUR
MONTHS.
HERE IN RHODE ISLAND - THE BAN
IS ONLY ON FLAVORED VAPING
PRODUCTS - MEANING THE STORES
CAN STILL STAY OPEN - BUT
THEY'RE LIMITED WITH WHAT THEY
CAN SELL.
"It's time to protect our kids.
15 percent of middle school kids
are addicted to this stuff and
that's rising."
EFFECTIVE NEXT WEEK - FLAVORED
VAPING PRODUCTS WILL BE BANNED
FROM RHODE ISLAND.
GOVERNOR GINA RAIMONDO SIGNED
EXECUTIVE ACTION WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON - DIRECTING THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
IMMEDIATELY ISSUE EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS THAT WILL LAST 120
DAYS - WITH A POTENTIAL 60 DAY
EXTENSION.
"Electronic cigarettes and
tobacco products will still be
available and adults who are
using them to quit smoking. That
will still be readily
available."
D-O-H DIRECTOR DR. NICOLE
ALEXANDER-SCOTT SAID TO DATE -
THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY REPORTED
LUNG INJURIES FROM VAPING IN
RHODE ISLAND - BUT THE CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL HAS REPORTED
530 CASES IN 38 STATES.
MIKE RUNSHE/OWNER, GIANT VAPES
EAST PROVIDENCE: "All of these
lung illnesses that have been
reported over the last month can
be traced back to THC
cartridges. Black market. Not
legitimate THC companies. Black
market THC companies and that
doesn't have anything to do with
e-cigarettes. They're not the
same product."
EYEWITNESS NEWS ASKED IF THE DOH
IS CONCERNED A BAN ON FLAVORED
PRODUCTS - WILL MEAN MORE BLACK
MARKET, UNREGULATED SALES.
"1-800-quit-now is the phone
number people can call for a
number of services that are
available for people that are
looking to quit. We hope that
will be a mechanism that will
help prevent moving to the black
market."
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL BE
LOOKING AT IF MENTHOL IS
CONSIDERED A FLAVOR THEY'LL BAN
ALONG WITH THE REST.
WHEN THIS BAN IS ENACTED - THE
GOVERNOR SAID - IT WILL BE
ENFORCED BY RHODE ISLAND STATE
POLICE.
LIVE IN PROVIDENCE - I'M KAIT