A new state law is cracking down on vaping, looking to better regulate a product rising in popularity.
Effective Oct. 1, only FDA-authorized vape products will be available for sale in Mississippi, DeSoto County News reported.
Mississippi Commissioner of Revenue Chris Graham will release a list of approved vapes for sale. After Oct. 1, retailers have a 60-day grace period to sell or remove any unapproved stock.
According to DeSoto County News, "Violations can lead to fines, product seizures, and potential loss of a retailer's tobacco sales license."
Those in favor of the ban appreciate the regulation of the devices as an added safety measure, but those opposed fear it could put small businesses into financially precarious situations.
From a health perspective, vaping poses various risks to humans. Many vapes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can also have cognitive impacts for those under 25.
While the term "vapor" seems harmless, the American Cancer Society notes that this vapor can contain a variety of addictive or toxic substances that the vaper and those around them can inhale. One of these substances is the volatile organic compound formaldehyde, which is known to cause cancer.
From an environmental perspective, vapes are often disposable, which generates waste. Vaping waste is more problematic than typical waste for a variety of reasons. For one, the plastic in a disposable vape can take decades or centuries to break down, and it doesn't decompose but merely becomes microplastics.
Vapes also contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. As these sit in landfills or are discarded in natural spaces, the chemicals and metals can leach into the soil and water supply, harming the local ecosystem.
A report published by the Public Interest Network notes that if you lined up the disposable vapes sold every year, they would cover 7,010 miles, which is long enough to cover the continental United States twice.
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Vaping is a health concern around the world, as is the electronic waste generated through the activity. Singapore and Bangladesh have implemented full vape bans. In the United States, partial vape bans have been implemented in multiple states, including North Carolina and Virginia.
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