Amid a temporary statewide ban on sales of vaping and e-cigarette products in Massachusetts, neighboring states such as New Hampshire and Maine are seeing an uptick in customers in gas stations and vape shops along the border, according to news reports.
A December 4, 2019 Boston Globe article discussed the trend and examined other effects of the Massachusetts ban, including a slowdown in the state’s previously rapid decline in sales of traditional cigarettes and more requests for the state’s free nicotine patches.
Andy Tan, assistant professor of social and behavioral sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said the temporary sales ban appears to be having a good impact. He noted that in addition to the temporary ban, which is due to expire on December 11, the state passed a permanent ban on sales of flavored tobacco and nicotine vaping products.
“The net effect seems to be a positive benefit for public health,” he said. “Making these [flavored] products not available right now will be a net positive benefit for young people, minority populations, and public health in general.”
Read the Boston Globe article: Mass. banned vape sales more than two months ago. And now business in N.H. and Maine is booming