Washington state's temporary flavored e-cigarette ban will expire on Friday

On February 8, it was reported that Sublime Vapor in North Spokane, Washington, once had endless shelf options. Now, they only have two shelves of unflavored e-cigarette liquids.

The layoffs are a result of the statewide ban that took effect in October. However, starting this weekend, the e-cigarette ban will be lifted.

Joey Blodgett, the manager of Sublime Vapor, said: "It destroyed us."

The Washington State Health Board implemented a temporary ban in October following numerous vaping-related illnesses and deaths nationwide.

According to the health department, Washington has reported 25 cases of lung injuries related to vaping since last April.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while this may seem high, it is much lower compared to other states like Illinois and Texas.

The four-month ban on flavored e-cigarette products in Washington State will expire on Friday. On February 8 (Saturday), licensed retailers can legally sell flavored e-cigarette products to customers again.

Blodgett said that over the past four months, Sublime Vapor had to close two stores in Spokane and lay off all employees except one.

Blodgett said: "We had to close our south and valley stores; the south one is permanently closed, and we hope the valley store can reopen soon, but that entirely depends on what happens next."

They are not alone. Many e-cigarette stores have not been spared from the 120-day flavor ban approved by the National Health Commission in October.

Dr. Bob Lutz, a voting member of the state health board in the Spokane Regional Health District, said that there has been a nationwide decline in vaping-related injuries over the past few months.

Dr. Lutz said: "We have clearly seen a significant decrease in the number of cases nationwide."

Dr. Lutz believes that people are more aware of the risks and have reduced their vaping usage. He also mentioned that the CDC has conducted more research, identifying vitamin E acetate and tetrahydrocannabinol as potential causes of the illnesses.

Dr. Lutz said: "There may be a few months without any cases. We are not sure, but flavored vaping products remain a priority for legislators."

After the ban expires, stores can start selling again, but it is uncertain how long this will last.

Blodgett said: "We are kind of in a holding pattern; we will bring our products back, but we don’t know how long it will take to reach what capacity."

With multiple bills in the state legislature, flavors may disappear again.

Dr. Lutz said: "This is an addictive substance."

Blodgett hopes that lawmakers can find a solution that works for his customers, as he said some are turning to cigarettes.

Blodgett said: "E-cigarettes do not have the 5,000-plus toxic chemicals; they contain nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and we hope to have artificial or natural flavors on Saturday."

However, Dr. Lutz is more concerned that young people are not using e-cigarettes to develop this habit.

Dr. Lutz explained: "Once they turn 21, they can use them, so we are again making addiction, legal addiction, and the associated health consequences permanent."

Lawmakers are meeting and considering several bills, some of which strengthen regulations while others allow certain flavors. For now, it’s a waiting game to see what happens.