New legislation in the State of New York was passed recently requiring flavored e-liquid distributors to house their products in childproof containers. This legislation comes shortly after the death of a toddler who accidentally consumed a tube of e-liquid. While harmless in vapor form, swallowing a tube of e-liquid can cause illness for adults, and sometimes severe or lethal illness for children. Will the new law affect the sales or distribution of e-cigarettes?
About Flavored e-Liquid
E-Liquid, or e-juice, is the nicotine substance placed inside an e-cigarette. With the popularity of electronic cigarettes, flavored e-liquids have become a popular addition to devices, with hundreds of flavors widely available in smoke shops and pharmacies.
The e-liquid tubes can come in a variety of flavors—everything from menthol to caramel. Since e-juice tubes really started to see an increase in popularity, more and more cases appeared detailing ingestion by children. One of the most recent cases involved the death of an infant, prompting the New York state legislature to take action.
New Restrictions in NY for E-Cigarettes
The legislation states that all flavored e-liquid must be sold in childproof containers. Lawmakers believe that the containers will eliminate the risk of children becoming fatally ill from ingesting the liquid. The law also requires that buyers in New York City be over 21 to purchase e-liquid, and over 18 throughout the rest of the state. This will help keep the substances out of the hands of minors.
Many proponents and industry leaders are wondering if this will impede the momentum e-cigarettes have had over the past few years. Local governments and some members of the general public are concerned with safety issues involved with e-cigarette devices and the toxic substances often sold with them. The result of several injuries and illnesses has prompted legislators to place minor regulations on e-cigarette products.
E-Cigarette Sales Still Strong
Regulations like the ones in New York should be of no concern to e-cigarette consumers and merchants. Sales of the devices are still strong, with many people adopting an e-cigarette in place of traditional tobacco products. In addition to high sales, many believe that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes, and some retailers and governments are beginning to embrace this notion.
E-Cigarette Merchant Accounts
If you’re an e-cigarette merchant, you’re going to need a great credit card processing solution on your side. Despite the emerging popularity of e-cigarettes, many acquiring banks still view the industry as high risk. With Instabill, you’ll find customizable e-cigarette merchant accounts through our wide network of acquiring bank partners. We work with high risk e-cigarette merchants all over the world, so contact us today to learn how you can get started.
