Cigarettes to vape? You might want to pay attention to this change if you a vape user. There has been a change at local U.S. post offices. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has made changes relating to vape products that come in. Moving forward, unapproved vape products that come from unauthorized distributors will no longer be accepted in the post offices for shipping. The aim of this is reduce the number of unauthorized products coming into the country.
For many years, there has been many unapproved vape products that have gone into the market, especially at gas stations and convenience stores.
What Makes a Vape Legal?
Remember, as per the U.S. law, every vape products that enters the U.S. must be reviewed accordingly and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it can be sold. This approval makes sure that the product has been tested accordingly and is safe for use.
The number of vapes that have passed this process and have been approved is extremely less as compared to the thousands of vapes that are being sold in the country. Many of these vape products are brought in from China and these never go through security checks.
A Growing Market
Within the younger generation, the use of vapes have increased significantly. Within 2024, vapes sales saw approximately more than $8 billion. The vapes which are flavoured and disposable have become particularly popular especially withing youngsters.
Why Health Experts Are Concerned
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) makes it clear that no tobacco product, including vapes, is safe, despite the fact that some people view vaping as a substitute for smoking.
Some of the risks include:
– Addiction: Nicotine, which is particularly dangerous for teenagers and young adults, is delivered via vapes.
– Risks associated with pregnancy: Nicotine can harm foetal development.
– Toxins: Vape aerosol may include chemicals that cause cancer as well as tiny particles that harm the lungs.
The Environmental Problem
In addition to the health risks, there are also environmental risk associated with the use of vapes. Vapes use lithium-ion batteries and are harmful to the environment when it’s disposed in the general waste. This may cause fires, contaminate the environment or leak chemicals.
The production of vapes also results in pollution. Research indicates that the environmental impacts of vaping is increasing as it gains popularity.
Pushback From the Industry
The USPS’s decision has not been well received by everyone. Distributors claim they are unfairly singled out.
Critics also point out that Big Tobacco may profit from the crackdown. Big tobacco businesses, who have seen a decline in sales due to vaping in recent years, have greater resources to have their products approved and might benefit from the exclusion of unregulated competitors.
What Consumers Can Do
All in all, the safest option is to avoid vaping completely. Young people, pregnant women and people who’ve never smoked tobacco before should not vape, in fact, people in general should not be smoking (but this is a personal choice for everyone).
In order to minimise hazards, all those adults who vape must only use products that have been approved by the FDA. It is also very important to dispose of vapes in a safe and correct manner to prevent any harm to the environment.
Looking Ahead
In efforts to minimise and control vaping in the U.S., the USPS has made a change to support this. This will result in reducing the number of unapproved products that are transported within the U.S. The goal entirely is to mitigate this.
This issue is still a long way from being solved completely as the demand for these products keep increasing. However, it can be noted that solutions are being put in place.