A proposed law would ban unapproved vape products that raise safety concerns. But store owners warn it could hurt their industry.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — State lawmakers are considering a bill regulating vape products by requiring all items sold in South Carolina to be registered in a state directory. If a product is not approved, it can no longer be sold.
Supporters say the measure would keep unsafe vape products off the shelves, but vape shop owners warn it could disrupt the supply chain and hurt their businesses.
“A lot of our sales for here at this location are gonna be vapes, so it definitely wouldn’t help us,” said Katrina Severson, who works at Day and Night Vape and Gift Shop.
The bill would establish a directory of approved products, requiring them to be authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, meet specific labeling and packaging standards, and avoid banned substances.
The bill has wracked up over a dozen sponsors on both sides of the aisle. Supporters say vape products right now are too unregulated, with imports from out of the country having the potential to contain harmful chemicals.
“Some of the more dangerous products are coming from China. They’re unregulated, and some have been found to even contain fentanyl and other things that we know are very harmful and over long periods of time could be even lethal,” Grooms said.
The bill would also regulate the packaging these manufacturers can use, doing away with what some call “marketing to children.” Products that use words like “cupcake” or “lollipop” wouldn’t be allowed on the directory.
“If we pass the bill, a lot of the industry will clean itself up,” Grooms said. “It’s not going to eliminate vaping, but at least we’ll know where the products are coming from. We’ll know that there’s not lethal substances in them.”
However, Severson expressed concern that the new regulations could make it harder for businesses to keep products in stock.
“If they were going to limit the supplies and stuff, I think that would be a little harder to come back from,” she said.
The bill has passed a subcommittee and is set to be reviewed by the full Senate Medical Affairs Committee next month.
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