Texas Has Completely Banned Most Disposable Vapes And THC Vapes

According to the Daily Texan on September 7th, with the passage of Senate Bill 2024, Texas has banned the marketing and sale of most disposable vapes and THC vapes statewide starting from September 1st. This bill specifically targets products designed for everyday use such as toys or pens, as well as those with images that may attract minors. The bill also prohibits the sale of vaporizers containing cannabinoids or other psychoactive substances, but other recreational THC products remain legal.

In addition, the bill also prohibits the sale of equipment produced entirely or partially in China or other countries listed as foreign competitors by the United States.
Local businesses have already felt the impact of the ban. A tobacco shop owner in Austin said that vape products account for about a quarter of its revenue, and it is expected that this restriction will lead to customer loss. At the same time, consumers who rely on THC vapes for medical purposes such as controlling anxiety or stimulating appetite are concerned about losing a controllable and easy to manage way of consumption. Andr é s Valdez, a student who uses vape to alleviate the side effects of ADHD medication, said that this ban will force consumers to turn to unregulated and potentially dangerous sources.

Public health and policy experts have also raised objections, comparing this measure to the situation during the smoking ban period and warning that a complete ban often leads to unsafe illegal markets rather than reducing harm. Taylor Varisco, a substance use researcher, emphasized that compared to consuming e-cigarettes, the dosage control of vape is more controllable, and believes that bans have historically failed to improve safety or reduce usage. Students like Matthew Handocho have also expressed similar concerns, pointing out that people will inevitably turn to illegal channels because their products are unregulated and may be dangerous.

Ricky, the Chief Operating Officer of Dank Smoke, stated that this is an unchangeable outcome for Texas with strict laws, and we have lost a lot as a result. We have reported on it before Texas Vape Law: Banning The Sale Of Vape Products From China
In a sense, this is a law against vapes. But we are still unsure whether we can completely curb the sales of vapes in Texas.

Reference: Texas law banning marketing, sale of certain e-cigarette products takes effect – The Daily Texan