RI DOH to hold public hearing on making ban on flavored vaping products permanent

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – The Rhode Island Department of Health will hold a public hearing Tuesday on whether or not to permanently ban the sale of flavored e-cigarette and vaping products.

“Leadership of the department feels very strongly about the fact that this is a really important step to help protect the health and safety of young people,” said Health Department Spokesperson Joseph Wendelken. “That being said we do want to hear as much comment as we can from throughout the community.”

At the federal level, President Trump has both raised the vaping age to 21 and banned the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in the last few weeks, but he’s left vaping products alone.

Now with a public hearing coming up in Rhode Island, vape shop owner Donna Killeen wants to know why the health department would make the state ban permanent if the national age has been raised.

“Everybody should have a choice and if grownups want to vape flavors, they should be able to vape flavors,” said Donna. “You can’t take away things from adults.”

Since the state-wide emergency ban began in October, Donna and her husband Jesse, who own The Juice Box in North Smithfield, estimate they’ve lost roughly $50,000 in revenue.

They say many customers are just driving to Connecticut or New Hampshire to buy flavored products.

“It’s been horrible,” said Donna. “It’s been torturous. And it’s a sinking ship!”

They used to have about seven sales an hour. Now they say they’re lucky if they have seven sales in a day.

They’re now being sued for bills they haven’t paid.

“This is how serious this is. Superior Court – they want their money,” said Jesse, gesturing to court summonses. “We don’t have it to pay. This is killing my family.”

They plan to be at the hearing Tuesday to show how the ban on flavored vaping products has affected them, and to caution the health department about the hole they could leave in the state’s economy.

“We are begging and begging and pleading for people to actually do their homework, find out what’s right, what’s wrong,” said Jesse. “Do the right thing.”

The Killeens think they’ll likely have to shut down their shop if the ban becomes permanent.

The public hearing will start at the health department at 4 P.M. Tuesday.

You can also submit written testimony until January 26.

© WLNE-TV 2020