Massachusetts bans vaping

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) on Tuesday announced a temporary ban on the sale of vape products, declaring a public health emergency over the series of illnesses and deaths across the country that have been linked to various forms of e-cigarettes. 

The ban on the sale of flavored and non-flavored vaping products will take effect immediately and will last through Jan. 25, according to a statement from Baker's office. It applies to all vaping products and devices, including tobacco and marijuana. 

The statement said that 61 cases of vaping-associated pulmonary disease have been reported to the state's Department of Public Health.

“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 in the statement. “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.”

The move to ban all vaping products appears to go further than other states have to address the outbreak of cases. Both New York and Michigan earlier this month outlawed the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, and in June, San Francisco became the first major city in the country to ban the distribution or sale of e-cigarettes.

Get your last orders in before your state pulls a fast one here