E-Cigs To Be Banned for Minors

KETK - In the last ten years, e-cigarettes have been gaining popularity with teenagers. They commonly call it "vaping." Governor Greg Abbott recently signed a bill into law that will make it illegal to sell e-cigarettes to minors in Texas. Stores in Tyler like Uptown Vapor Lounge received information from the Texas comptroller on how to proceed. "Come October 1st, we've got our ID scanners, which luckily we just got in today, we will be scanning every ID," says customer service representative Allen Gagna. "If you do not have a valid ID you cannot even come through the door." Manufacturers claim that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative and can help people quit smoking, but many medical organizations do not agree. "Nicotine is your addictive agent in cigarettes," says Trinity Mother Frances pulmonary specialist Dr. Joseph Zasik. "You're not really losing any type of addiction." There is still little information on the long-term effects of vaping. "The hardest thing with e-cigarettes is it's gonna be similar to smoking," says Zasik. "You're not gonna see bad effects for 15-20 years down the line." Most agree, however, that e-cigarettes should no longer be available for minors. "It's for people that are of age, 18 or over, that have lived long enough to make that decision for themselves," says Gagna. "If someone starts smoking at age 13 or 14, the impact on their lungs is a lot worse than say if you start at 60 or 70 years of age," says Zasik. Many vapor stores in Tyler already choose to not sell to minors, but this law will make it illegal across the state.