Shock, Anger and Sadness as Vape Shops Face Looming Bans
Massachusetts merchants rocked by order to shut their doors for four months as health officials probe mystery lung sickness
More than 300 operators of vaping shops across Massachusetts are reeling in the wake of a state order that they immediately cease operations for four months as U.S. health officials rush to determine the cause of a lung ailment that’s killed 12 people and sickened 805 others.
“It's a mix of shock and anger and sadness,” said John Nathan, president of the New England Vapor Technology Association.
Governor Charlie Baker’s emergency decree last week was the most aggressive action yet taken by officials seeking to contain the illness and a nationwide surge in the use of nicotine and marijuana vaporizers by minors. The impact on the fledgling industry in Massachusetts may provide a window into how consumers and businesses might cope with similar moves planned by other states, as the prospect of tighter federal regulations looms.