New Regulations May Change The Way Vape Shops Do Business

There are over 8,000 vape shops in the U.S. and counting. Given that number and the ever-increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes and vape pens, it was only a matter of time until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and local governments stepped in. Over the next few months, vape shops across the U.S. will be making significant changes to accommodate new local, state, and federal laws.

What’s Changing?

It will be illegal for minors to purchase vape pens, electronic cigarettes, or e-juice.

Adhering to this particular policy shouldn’t be a problem. Nearly all vape shop owners say they already bar minors from purchasing their products, so it will make no difference if state laws enforce it. It is already illegal to sell these products to customers under 18 in Florida.

Although there are over 7,700 e-liquid flavors, liquid samples are a thing of the past.

Currently, the vast majority of vape shops begin customer experiences by asking questions about consumers’ preferences, taking in that information, and then letting customers sample the e-liquids that they are most likely to enjoy. Several regions are cracking down on this practice. In these areas, vape shops can continue to sell their products, but customers will not be able to sample them on the premises. This may be a temporary setback, but it’s one that vape shops are likely to competently work around with some minor adjustments.

Stricter regulations may be on the way. This is just speculation at this point, but many legislators believe that the FDA will place strict regulations on e-liquids. Examples of likely regulations include anything from health warning advisory labels and labels that list e-juice ingredients, to testing of the nicotine and nicotine-free liquids. It’s the latter that’s likely to cause a problem for vape shops. According to the Miami Herald, “The cost for a company to do so is estimated to run from $2 million to $10 million.”