Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker supports a ban on flavored e-cigarettes and is urging residents to stop vaping while authorities investigate a series of serious respiratory illnesses linked to electronic cigarette products.
Pritzker’s office issued a statement Friday in which the governor said he supported legislation in the upcoming veto session to stop the sale of flavored vaping products in the state. Flavors such as cotton candy and mango, among thousands of others, have been blamed for huge spike in the number teenagers vaping.
“There is much more research needed to understand the short and long-term health effects of using e-cigarette products,” Pritzker said in the statement. “During this investigation into recent respiratory illnesses associated with vaping, I am urging Illinoisans to avoid using these products.”
The number of those impacted by a mysterious respiratory illness linked to vaping continues to grow. As of Friday, 69 cases of have been reported in Illinois, including one fatality, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Another 13 potential cases are still under investigation. It’s unclear whether e-cigarettes containing nicotine or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, are to blame.
The cases were reported in Chicago and in 19 counties throughout the state, including Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, Kendall, Will, DeKalb and Winnebago, IDPH said. The victims ranged from 15 to 42 years old with a median age of 22.
“The safety and health of our residents — especially our young people – is critical to our future as a state, and I’m committed to using the best science to move forward in a bipartisan way to inform and protect our residents,” Pritzker said.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin earlier this month called for “immediate, decisive action” to curb e-cigarette use by minors, urging the FDA to “ban all e-cigarette flavors and devices that have not been approved for sale by the agency.” The FDA is also considering a ban.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot also recently called for a city ban on flavored nicotine products, while Ald. Ray Lopez called for a ban of all e-cigarettes.
