Oregon's ban on tobacco-based flavored vaping products put on hold

SALEM, Ore. – The ban on flavored vaping products containing nicotine in Oregon has been blocked.

An appeals court issued a temporary stay on part of Governor Kate Brown’s executive order on October 17, citing the damage it would do to stores that are heavily invested in flavored vaping products.

According to an Oregonian/OregonLive report, the order appears to apply to nicotine vaping products under the purview of the Oregon Health Authority. Marijuana-based products are under the authority of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, therefore the court action does not apply to THC-containing vaping products, leaving that ban in place.

The OLCC and OHA planned to use the six-month bans to develop permanent regulatory changes at the state level to make flavored vaping products safe for Oregonians.

A spokesperson for Governor Brown’s office provided the following statement to KGW News:

“The court’s decision to enter a temporary stay today is unfortunate due to the ongoing public health threat posed by vaping-related illness. In the meantime, in the absence of action from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to adequately regulate vaping products, Governor Brown will continue to work with the Vaping Public Health Workgroup, state agencies, stakeholders, and the Legislature to find long-term solutions that will protect the public health from vaping-related illness. Governor Brown continues to urge Oregonians to heed the public health warning of the Oregon Health Authority and to stop vaping immediately.”