What to Know
- NY lawmakers are seeking solutions to regulate vaping products that may have caused more than 1,800 cases of sickness in the country
- Senator Kevin Thomas, Chair of the Senate Consumer Protection Committee, will lead a public hearing in Manhattan on Monday
- Health experts, students and other stakeholders are expected to speak
New York state lawmakers are expected to hear from health experts, students and other stakeholders on Monday as they hold a public hearing on the potential harm of e-cigarettes.
Senator Kevin Thomas, Chair of the Senate Consumer Protection Committee, will lead the hearing in Manhattan as the number of U.S. vaping illnesses continue to rise.
Lawmakers are seeking legislative solutions to regulate the products that may have caused more than 1,800 cases of sickness in the country, including one death in New York City.
"These dangerous products are targeting our children, and we have a responsibility to examine, regulate, and protect the health of all New Yorkers, especially our most vulnerable residents," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that 1,888 confirmed and probable cases have been reported in 49 states. An Illinois report brings the toll to 38 deaths in 24 states.
The outbreak appears to have started in March. No single ingredient, electronic cigarette or vaping device has been linked to all the illnesses. Most who got sick said they vaped products containing THC, the high-inducing ingredient in marijuana.
Local
Health officials urge people to avoid vaping, particularly products containing THC and purchased off the street.
