GRESHAM, Ore. — A national outbreak of vaping-linked lung illnesses could change the rules in Oregon and Washington.
The governors of both states have taken executive action to temporarily ban all flavored vaping products.
Gov. Kate Brown and Gov. Jay Inslee are also looking to ban anything found to be the cause of the illnesses.
Inslee is also asking for draft legislation that would, if approved, permanently ban all flavored vaping products, force companies to list ingredients on their vaping products, and more. The Washington State Board of Health is meeting Wednesday to act on his order.
A number of doctors and health organizations are applauding the ban on flavored-vaping products.
Both Washington and Oregon's proposed bans target flavored liquids in both nicotine and cannabis products.
Most of Fat Boy Vapors' business is flavored e-liquid. But it might be cleared off the Gresham store's shelves soon, depending on whether Gov. Brown's proposed six-month ban on flavored vaping products goes into effect.
“It would definitely take out a lot of our profits. Most of the sales come from liquids. We don’t make a lot of money on the hardware and coils we sell,” Fat Boys Vapor employee Bryant Cordell said. “It is going to be quite an impact. But hopefully we'll be able to work around it.”
Oregon Liquor and Control Commission (OLCC) is meeting this week to act on the governor's executive order. They still have to decide when it would go into effect. According to the governor’s office, agency rules can take immediate effect or have a delayed date.
Because of the announcement, Fat Boy Vapors is selling a ton of flavored juice.
“I just sold somebody 36 bottles of liquid the other day so stock up make sure you're set. I’ve been doing like $400-$500 sales left and right because of this,” Cordell said.
Signs on their windows and counters urge customers to call Gov. Brown's office.
"We’ve just been trying to do everything we can - petition after petition, phone calls after phone calls, spreading the word to customers. If people walk by they get to see that phone number,” Cordell added.
“A lot of the arguments I’ve been hearing are: you have to choose between kids getting hooked on vape or adults going back to cigarettes, which is an argument I can understand,” customer Tyler Johnson told KGW. “Kate Brown’s arguments seem based in bias and I think a lot of the arguments are based in tobacco industry lobbying.”
Johnson feels flavors are the only reason he's off cigarettes, and he's not alone.
"If I stopped vaping I would almost certainly go back to cigarettes and that's not something I want to have in my life. So even if I have to vape tobacco I will do it,” Johnson added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is still investigating at least 1,080 reported cases of severe lung illnesses and 18 deaths in 15 states.
So far, they're finding most people getting sick are reporting vaping products with THC. According to the CDC, the latest research suggests products containing THC play a role in the outbreak.
A Gresham dispensary is already acting on the proposed ban, but they won't be hit nearly as hard as vape shops if it goes into effect. Cannabis Nation already pulled flavored THC products with synthetic or artificial terpenes off their shelves.
"The ban hammer came down from Governor Brown on Friday so when that happened we pulled all products that fit that note or those regulations; anything that had artificial terpenes, any synthetic terpenes or food-grade terpenes steeped back in to the cannabis-derived product,” regional manager Anthony Fritts told KGW.
He says of Cannabis Nation's vape sales, flavored products make up less than 10 percent. More people prefer the taste and smell of weed, while a smaller portion of customers like to be more discreet.
“A few customers will be hit. It’s not going to be anything detrimental but at the same time we still felt it. It's still a good chunk of inventory,” Fritts said.
A glaring difference, still, from Oregon's vape shops.