“Outraged” was the word used by local officials in proposing a county law to protect children from vaping devices disguised as pens, highlighters, and other innocuous objects. The vapes deliver nicotine, the highly addictive drug that hooked generations on cigarettes, and the officials are appalled that they’re targeting kids so early in life.
To fight the dangerous trend, Legislator James Mazzarella, joined by other lawmakers concerned over the lasting impact of getting children hooked, has proposed a bill to outlaw disguised vapes in Suffolk County. They appeared alongside District Attorney Raymond Tierney and local officials outside William Floyd High School to announce the ban.
“The industry wants to maintain the addictive nature of cigarettes by delivering nicotine to kids in devices they can hide from their teachers and parents, and it’s outrageous,” Mazzarella said. “Adults can do whatever they want, but we need to protect the children.”
According to Tierney, the opioid epidemic claims about 400 lives a year with addictive behavior starting with younger and younger generations. “Those getting involved with addictive substances at a young age are more likely to get hooked on something else later on down the line,” the district attorney said. “The county is stepping into the void since the state is not doing anything to protect our children. There are loopholes in the state law big enough to drive a truck through, and the truck is big enough to flatten our community.”
Brookhaven Councilman Daniel Panico pointed to the state’s “abhorrent rollout” of legal marijuana causing problems in the town with illegal shops selling cannabis and vaping devices to teens. “Our children are ending up in rehab across the town, the county, the state. It’s all about a craven, insatiable appetite for revenue. The state controls this field and is doing nothing. It’s appalling.” Panico likened the disguised vapes to THC-infused candies such as Sour Patch Kids. “They make it very appealing to children. It’s important for the legislature and the schools to raise awareness of this problem and coming together on this law is a great first step.”
“Addiction doesn’t discriminate; it starts with the little stuff and slowly progresses,” said Robert Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, who joined the other officials at the press conference. “Marketing vape devices to kids is wrong and now will be illegal in Suffolk County.”
The bill’s co-sponsor, Legislator Dominick Thorne, noted that the law will ban the sale of vapes disguised as USB drives, pens, smartphone cases, and even backpacks and hoodies with tubing that enable kids to inhale inconspicuously. “Vaping was created by the tobacco industry to make electronic or e-cigarettes appear less harmful and more appealing when, in reality, most vape products contain a large amount of nicotine, as well as several chemicals,” Thorne said, citing the pending law.
 |
|
Officials from across Suffolk joined together to announce a new law aimed at
banning disguised vape devices made to appeal to children. File Photo
|
Legislator Leslie Kennedy, another co-sponsor, added: “These predatory products are clearly targeted to minors and intentionally manufactured to look like school supplies or personal belongings to evade detection from administrators, teachers, and parents.” Kennedy added that the devices are also made in flavors and come with deceptive packaging to make them more attractive to children.
Violators selling vape products to anyone under the age of 21 or disguised devices will be subject to fines of $1,000 for the first offense and up to $2,000 for each offense thereafter under the proposed law.