Amid national reports of vaping-related illnesses, a Utah lawmaker is looking to crack down on the industry by banning flavored e-cigarette products, requiring additional inspections and testing for the presence of illicit drugs.
Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said he’ll also encourage the state’s attorney general to explore legal action against the vaping industry and ask state and local health officials to ramp up enforcement of the rules already on the books. Ray, a crusader against e-cigarettes, said his longstanding concerns have been borne out by the recent news that 35 Utahns are suffering from severe lung diseases associated with vaping.