VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Two bills are on Governor Youngkin’s desk that would fine businesses that sell unregulated vape products.
This means products that are not FDA approved.
"This is a health and safety issue," Delegate Rodney Willett said. "What really got me was going to local convenient store and seeing thousands of these products with all different colors and targeted towards youth market. Then finding out, majority of the products are not FDA regulated."
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House Bill 1069 and Senate Bill 550 would call for a fine of $1,000 a day for each product sold that is not FDA approved.
"It’s an absolute mistake for the state of Virginia to jump in and do Biden and the FDA’s work," Tony Aboud, the Executive Director for Vapor Technology Association, said.
"Unfortunately, the FDA isn’t able to enforce the registry requirements at a national level," Willett said. "That would be a much better solution. So you have states like us who are stepping up and taking into our own hands."
Virginia Delgate Rodney Willett who introduced the house bill says there are around 1,400 products that have been approved.
The owner of Vape Xotix in Virginia Beach, where customers have to be 21 years or older to enter, says the legislation would impact vape shops if passed.
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"It would shut us down," Alex Batista, the owner of Vape Xotix, said. "We would all close down because if it’s not on that registry from the attorney general, we cannot sell it at all."
They say several vape shops in the Commonwealth sell vape products that are not on the registry.
"The vape juice that we carry are American made," Batista said. "They are not made in China. They are made here. So that’s a real question on why the FDA would not want to approve a U.S. based brand."
One of their customer’s says vaping has helped him.
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“As a former smoker for 20 years, I was able to stop and go to vapes and reduce my nicotine intakes,” Joseph Chin III said, a Vape Xotix customer, said.
Dr.Ryan Light, a family medicine doctor says vaping does have health impacts.
"When your lungs are developing when you’re a teenager, the more you damage them early the more significant that’s going to be throughout your life," Light said. "The best advice is to not start at all."
Delegate Willett says Governor Youngkin has until April 8 to either sign or veto the bill.
