On Wednesday, the Washington State Board of Health passed an emergency rule banning the sale of flavored vapor products or any products that will be used to create a flavored vapor product.
The rule takes effect today and lasts for 120 days.
Health authorities will be working with the Liquor and Cannabis Board on plans for implementation and enforcement.
Earlier this month, Governor Jay Inslee signed an executive order directing the department to ask the board to adopt this emergency rule and take other actions to address the outbreak of vaping associated lung injury. There are currently seven cases in Washington and over 1000 nationwide.
The outbreak has been concentrated in young people, according to officials, with the national median age of patients at 23.
Five of the seven Washington patients are between 10 and 29 years old.
In addition to the emergency rule, the department is investigating the outbreak, taking steps to warn consumers of the risks of vaping, asking health care providers to report all suspected cases and expanding educational campaigns to raise awareness of the hazards of vaping, including an emphasis on the high risk of buying and using products from the illegal market.
Adults who use e-cigarettes, vapor products or other tobacco products and are attempting to quit should use evidence-based treatments, including counseling and FDA-approved medications. Resources are available at www.doh.wa.gov/quit. For those trying to quit marijuana, resources for quitting are available at www.warecoveryhelpline.org.