Jessie Alonzo is packing up the electronic smoking devices and so-called e-juices from his Bronx shop. An emergency 90-day ban on most e-cigarette flavors goes into effect next week.
"To make money to pay the rent, we're actually going to be selling socks. I'm going to be making shirts. I have to make something to pay the rent for these 3 months because if not, I'm going to be forced to close down my store," said Jessie Alonzo, owner of Beard Plus Vape
State Health officials last week announced an emergency regulation banning the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes and nicotine e-liquids after many vaping-related illnesses and eight U.S. deaths. The only e-cigarette flavors that will be legal are tobacco and menthol.
Alonzo opened the Beard Plus Vape shop on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx three years ago. He says vaping helped him end his addiction to traditional cigarettes. He noticed that his breathing and health improved. So he wanted to help others kick the same habit. Matthew Arroyo has been vaping for five years. He says having to go cold turkey, will be hard.
“It’s horrible and it’s just a big change. I don’t know what people are going to do. For me, myself, I have no other choice,” said Matthew Arroyo.
The state has said it plans to renew the ban every 90 days. But Alonzo hopes it will be temporary to allow more research into what ingredients are harmful.
For now, he is slashing prices and will not re-stock any e-juices or even the vapes which will still be legal. He says the ban will simply create an underground market for the flavored products.
"It’s going to the black market. There are going to be people outside selling e-juices. They’re going to make it at home. It’s not going to be safe anymore,” said Alonzo.
"The state will start enforcing its ban on October 4th. After that, any retailer caught selling flavored products faces a fine of up to $2000.