Will California Ban Flavored Cannabis Vapes?

banning flavored vapes

The world of cannabis is definitely quite different from where it used to be. This is both on the angle of state governments as a number of states have legalized the use of cannabis recreationally despite the stance of the federal government. This growing acceptance has also seen an increase and change in the ways people are using cannabis. Unlike before we now have several innovative and exciting ways of consuming cannabis such as the use of vape pens, cannabis edibles, tinctures, and topical creams. The impact of this has been immense for cannabis businesses and has seen a considerable increase in the cannabis industry.

Impact of vape pens on the industry

The cannabis industry has since seen a good influx of companies into the industry and this has been complemented by an increase in sales of cannabis products. One of the new cannabis products that have helped many cannabis users to enjoy the experience is cannabis vapes. Vape pens have largely been a revolutionary product in the cannabis industry as a good number of cannabis users seem to prefer the use of vape pens as opposed to a regular joint or blunt. This is not to take anything away from the joy of enjoying a regular joint or blunt but the convenience and comfortability that comes with enjoying your cannabis using a blunt cannot be overlooked.

One additional quality that has helped improve the business and the acceptance of cannabis vapes across the cannabis world has been the presence of special and unique flavors that are added to improve the experience. Different types of special and attractive flavors have been added into cannabis flavored vapes that help to open up the cannabis user to a new kind of feel. The case of flavored cannabis vapes has been somewhat of a two-edged sword lately as there has been a sort of push back for the use of flavored vapes in some states in the US.

Which states are against vape pens?

One state in particular where the people and especially the cannabis community seemed to be concerned about their stance and law regarding flavored cannabis vapes is California. Since the federal government still classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 narcotic drug, the onus still falls on the laws that guide states where cannabis is regarded as legal for recreational and medical use to give operating conditions. The operating conditions as it stands presently regarding flavored cannabis vapes is that there is no outright ban yet, but it is only a matter of time. California is expected to follow the footsteps of four other states where bans have been placed for flavored products of cannabis and tobacco. The other states include New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.

The move to ban these flavored products is based on the premise that they are bound to attract the younger generation to delve more into cannabis at an early age. Although these suggestions are not the purpose for which flavors have been added to cannabis vapes, the conditions still suggest that a ban is already in the works in California. The law in the Golden state that moves to cement this ban is designated as AB-1639 which seeks to ban the use of flavor additives in cannabis vapes. A closer look into the law helps to paint a picture of how this new law affects both the cannabis businesses and cannabis users.

The law will greatly impact cannabis businesses in terms of the restrictions the law will place on how cannabis vape products are made. The law seeks to prevent the addition of flavors to cannabis vape products that are not naturally occurring in the cannabis or other natural sources. The implication of this that all flavors artificially introduced to make the cannabis experience more fulfilling cannot be used except they are derived or synthesized from cannabis. It is common knowledge to every cannabis user the large difference that exists between the cannabis flavors and the artificial flavors introduced into flavored cannabis vapes. This law ultimately denies a good number of cannabis users an experience that many have come to love and enjoy. The expected ban on flavored cannabis vapes removes the wide array of wonderful flavors that have beautified the cannabis world so much over the years.

How big of an impact will the ban have?

The impact of this law and the subsequent ban will be felt more by the cannabis businesses because the impact on an economical scale is projected to be astronomical. The clampdown on the flavored cannabis vapes ultimately puts businesses in a difficult position when it comes to balancing the books. The law doesn’t compel outright closure. A stay period of 90 days after the effective date of AB-1693 is to be offered for the business. The purpose of the 90 days is to allow cannabis businesses time to sell produced products prior to the passing of the law. Now a period of 90 days doesn’t fully account for the large number of flavored cannabis vapes that such cannabis businesses have produced in the expectation of a welcoming market. Unfortunately, this is to be the present state of things in the Golden state.

The loss of products on the shelves and the economic losses for the cannabis business alongside the deprivation being felt by many cannabis users are the downsides of the ban on flavored cannabis vapes. This law prohibits the manufacture of flavored cannabis vapes within the state reducing the might and possibly the workforce of many of these companies. It must be stated once again that the reason for this clampdown on flavored cannabis products is that it gives a premise for many young ones to indulge in cannabis and tobacco early. These claims are far from the truth as the reason for the flavors are not solely for that. Flavored vapes are for those within the legal age of cannabis use and for their enjoyment.

Bottom line

The situation as it is in California concerning flavored cannabis vapes is not too good for many in the cannabis world. However, the cannabis industry is growing day by day and with the increase in acceptance in different regions, it is bound to keep on rising irrespective of what comes up. This isn't the first time the cannabis industry will face adversity, the industry always overcomes and bounce back even stronger.