• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Wellesley Square
  • Private schools
  • Camp
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Athlete of the Week
  • Seniors
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

11 Wellesley shops told to comply with state-wide vaping ban

September 25, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

misidro / Pixabay

The Wellesley Health Department on Wednesday said it hand-delivered letters to eleven local retail outlets to ensure these business are complying with an emergency order from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts banning the sale and public display of all vaping products sold in stores, online and by any other means.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced the ban on Sept. 24, after Gov. Charlie Baker declared a public health emergency due to severe lung disease associated using e-cigarettes and vaping products and the epidemic of e-cigarette use among youths. More info at Mass.gov

The Health Department letter was delivered to the eleven Wellesley retailers who sell vaping products and accessories and must be posted in these stores at front and back entrances. You can see the Health Department letter here.

The products prohibited from sale and display are:

  • All non-flavored and flavored vaping products, including mint and menthol; and products used to vape tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and any other cannabinoid
  • Vape products are any product intended for human consumption by inhalation, regardless of nicotine content, whether for one-time use or reusable, that relies on vaporization of aerosolization, including but not limited to e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-pipes, vape pens, hookah pens, and other similar devices that rely on vaporization or aerosolization. This includes any component, part or accessory of these products or devices defined, even if sold separately.

The emergency order is effective immediately and lasts for four months, but may be extended. It is enforced by the Health Department. Officials will follow up today’s letter and visit with a repeat visit in 24 hours to ensure that Wellesley businesses are complying with the order. Retailers who fail to comply may be fined, have their vape products seized and face other penalties.

vaping sign
Vaping ban sign at Wellesley Variety: Eat ice cream instead

 

“Diligent work with all of our retailers is crucial to preventing further illnesses and death from vaping products. Information from the State shows that this is a public health crisis affecting both adults and youth that is rapidly escalating. Our job is to respond quickly and protect all residents,” said Lenny Izzo, Health Department Director.

Vaping consists of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol (often called vapor) produced by an e-cigarette or similar battery-powered device. The U.S. surgeon general has called teen e-cigarette use an epidemic. According to MDPH reports, in Massachusetts, 41% of all youth in 2017 reported trying e-cigarettes and 1 in 5 reported using e-cigarettes regularly.

Vaping at Wellesley High School

Wellesley High School Principal Jamie Chisum, on the front lines of the teens and vaping issue, is a fan of the ban.

“We definitely have vaping at the high school,” Chisum says. “We smell it as much as we see it, simply because vaping is really easy for kids to disguise.”

The school tries to get ahead of the issue by educating kids about the dangers. “Vaping is discussed in health class during 10th grade. It is often discussed as part of the good decisions work done in guidance seminar as well,” he says.

When education about the dangers doesn’t work and a student is caught vaping, a first-step punishment is to be assigned a Saturday school detention. During that time students must write a short research paper about the dangers and impacts of vaping for the Assistant Principal of their house. Although it’s mostly juniors and seniors who are found vaping, Chisum says they do have students in all grades who are doing it.

Why kids vape varies from student to student, but the answer falls into a few general categories. “It’s natural for adolescents to be rebellious and try out risky behaviors, so that would be part of the equation for at least some of the kids. Other kids tell us they just like it or they like how it makes them feel. Some say it relaxes them. Many don’t believe there are health risks. Some use it as a way of using Marijuana or at least the THC,” Chisum says.

Between marketing efforts aimed directly at teens, particularly with popular flavors such as strawberry, cola, cherry, and even cereal and buttered popcorn, and the misconception that vaping is neither addictive or dangerous, young people are under siege by companies like Juul who want to reel them in as loyal (and addicted) customers from an early age.

On the heels of multiple local bans on vaping and the Trump administration’s likely ban of flavored vapor products, Juul has agreed to stop advertising in the United States. Juul’s CEO Kevin Burns has stepped down.

According to the Center for Disease Control, there have been nine vaping-related deaths in the US, and 530 people have come down with vaping-related illnesses.

Get Help Quitting

Both MDPH officials and the Health Department are working on public education campaigns to reduce e-cigarette use in both adults and youth and address the withdrawal symptoms associated with the prohibition of vaping products.

Cessation resources:

  • MDPH Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program 617-624-5900
  • MDPH quit line 1-800-QUITNOW or makesmokinghistory.org
  • Resources for Youth and Parents

Additional information on the State ban of vaping products is available on the Wellesley Health Department website.

print

Share

Filed Under: Business, Government, Health, Safety, Wellesley High School

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Linden Square, Wellesley
Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley, see what's new

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to [email protected]

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Edge on Science
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Family withdraws plan for large house near Wellesley's Brook Path
  • Father's Day rescue in Wellesley
  • One final Hunnewell clap-out & shouts of "Judie! Judie! Judie!" for beloved crossing guard
  • Wellesley Public School employees honored for loyalty
  • Wellesley overwhelmed by Westwood in state final for girls' lacrosse

Upcoming Events

Jun 28
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Fay School admission information session

Jul 6
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Open House at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

Jul 16
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wellesley Square July Jubilation Sidewalk Sale

Jul 19
8:00 am - 9:00 am

Fay School admission information session

Jul 20
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Tour at Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • Gordon on Family withdraws plan for large house near Wellesley’s Brook Path
  • L..C. on Family withdraws plan for large house near Wellesley’s Brook Path
  • Uncle Danny on Wellesley overwhelmed by Westwood in state final for girls’ lacrosse
  • Fred Wright on Father’s Day rescue in Wellesley
  • Michael on Father’s Day rescue in Wellesley

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • Animals (416)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (576)
  • Beyond Wellesley (47)
  • Books (365)
  • Business (1,499)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (48)
  • Churches (79)
  • Clubs (228)
  • Construction (295)
  • Dump (127)
  • Education (3,108)
    • Babson College (250)
    • Bates Elementary School (16)
    • Dana Hall School (34)
    • Fiske Elementary School (9)
    • Hardy Elementary School (44)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (42)
    • MassBay (55)
    • Schofield Elementary School (24)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (608)
    • Wellesley High School (961)
    • Wellesley Middle School (203)
  • Embracing diversity (69)
  • Entertainment (786)
  • Environment (748)
  • Fashion (141)
  • Finance (14)
  • Fire (161)
  • Food (342)
  • Fundraising (612)
  • Gardens (157)
  • Government (554)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (14)
  • Health (850)
    • COVID-19 (200)
  • Hikes (3)
  • History (388)
  • Holidays (405)
  • Houses (153)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (849)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (6)
  • Letters to the Editor (62)
  • Media (70)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (11)
  • Morses Pond (108)
  • Music (568)
  • Natick Report (29)
  • Neighbors (273)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (73)
  • Outdoors (642)
  • Parenting (62)
  • Police (757)
    • Crime (386)
  • Politics (551)
  • POPS Senior Profile (8)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (330)
  • Religion (131)
  • Restaurants (331)
  • Safety (150)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (120)
  • Shopping (143)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (980)
    • Athlete of the Week (6)
  • STEM (107)
  • Technology (164)
  • Theatre (392)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (230)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,230)
  • Volunteering (346)
  • Weather (177)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (276)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (19)
RSS Feed Icon Subscribe to RSS Feed
Deland, Gibson Insurance, Wellesley

© 2022 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login