Marijuana Policy Project Report on Vaping Regulations

The Marijuana Policy Project issued a release about a new report in which it provides recommends regulating cannabis vaping products.

The report, titled Regulating Cannabis Oil Vaporizers, looks at the issues concerning vaporizers and providers policymakers with recommendations on responding. A few of the main points of the report include state regulatory controls, and short, medium, and long-term recommendations concerning protections for consumers.

Further, the report also indicates that not all vaporizers are under scrutiny, the causes of vaping issues is related to the production process, and the issues are also related to a specific kind of vaporizer product.

According to the release, the Marijuana Policy Project believes that banning tested and regulated products may have an adverse effect that can cause consumers to turn to illicit products.

Steve Hawkins, the executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, shared in the release,

“The recent issues associated with vaping cannabis oil raise serious concern for consumers and emphasize why it is increasingly important to legalize and regulate cannabis. Unregulated markets are producing unregulated products, which are proving to be detrimental to public health. Consumers who choose to responsibly consume cannabis deserve to know that the products they are using are tested and safe. This is only possible through legal and regulated markets.”

Chris Lindsey, the director of government regulations at the project, also stated,

“A regulatory approach to cannabis use is good policy, and we now have a framework for controlling cannabis products in many parts of the country. These illnesses are a tragedy, but they are also a chance for cannabis programs to increase their effectiveness even more. The recommendations we offer are aimed at doing just that.”

MPP Policy Paper on Regulating Cannabis Oil Vaporizers Intro:

A series of pulmonary illnesses and fatalities are being attributed to nicotine and cannabis vapor products. Although the products responsible for these medical emergencies are widely believed to have come from the underground, unregulated market, these illnesses raise serious issues that can inform regulated medical cannabis and adult-use programs. This paper discusses some of the underlying issues and makes specific recommendations to state lawmakers and regulators on best responses. ​ Regulating cannabis use is effective public policy, and we strongly urge states to regulate — not ban — vapor products. Bans will simply make a difficult situation more dangerous by driving more consumers away from regulated businesses and toward illicit sources. Moreover, such a policy also fails to address the underlying problem of contamination. We believe the right approach was initiated in Pennsylvania, where state regulators recognize that regulated products are the solution — not the problem. Yet, more can be done, and we explore that here.

Make sure to read the entire paper in the link above for more information.