By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
The panel charged with helping to develop rules for future sales of vaping materials met for the first time Wednesday, and were charged by the governor with sticking to facts and science, without political influence.
“We want to be evidence-based, we want to be fact-based, and we want to be thoughtful and we want to be thorough,” Governor Gina Raimondo told her Governor’s Advisory Committee on Vaping as members met for the first time nearly a month after she imposed a temporary, 120 day ban on the sale of flavored vaping materials.
“This isn’t political,” Raimondo said. “This is evidence, science, fact, collaborative. And as the technology changes and as the threat changes, we have to change. We have to evolve to continue to meet the needs of the community.”
The advisory panel, comprised of about 22 members from health, public health, business, behavioral health, government and community sectors, face a long-range effort to help develop regulations for vaping materials.
Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the state’s Health Director estimated about 400 outlets across Rhode Island sell just vaping products alone, hundreds more sell other items as well.
