A bill that would ban the sale of flavored vaping products has passed the New Jersey Assembly and Senate, according to CBS News.
The bill has been sent to the Gov. Phil Murphy, who has until Jan. 21 to decide whether to sign it. A task force Gov. Murphy set up in 2019 recommended a ban on flavored vape products, which he expressed support for.
The bill bans the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes or vape products with a "distinguishable flavor, taste or aroma." Failure to comply with the ban would result in a series of fines — $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second and $1,000 for subsequent offense.
If signed into law, the ban would curb access to vaping products amid a nationwide lung injury epidemic. There have been 2,602 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury as of Jan. 7, and 57 deaths. A majority of the illnesses have occurred in those younger than 35 years.
New York passed a similar ban, prohibiting the sale of certain flavored e-cigarette liquids. But the ban was struck down by a New York Supreme Court judge Jan. 11.