The Oregon Health Authority is holding daily meetings to figure out new rules for the governor’s six-month ban on flavored vaping products.
The OHA team is made up of disease prevention experts as well as representatives from Oregon’s medical marijuana program, the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory and the Oregon Department of Justice.
OHA spokesperson, Jonathan Modie, said they’re figuring out everything from how to enforce the ban, to what constitutes a flavor.
“The temporary rules will define what a flavored vaping product is," Modie said.
"Those would include sort of the obvious ones, the fruit flavored ones, the cotton candy flavored ones and those things. It also would apply to menthol.”
Modie expects any flavor that makes vape easier to consume, to be banned. But nicotine and cannabis are not expected to be listed as flavors.
The OHA plans to file temporary rules by the end of the week.
"Those will be filed with the Secretary of State's office and once they are filed, they are in effect," Modie said.
Enforcement of flavored vape products containing nicotine will fall to the state police and local county health departments. Enforcement of products containing the psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, THC, are the responsibility of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
The OLCC expects to be running compliance checks as early as this weekend.
Health officials in Washington formally adopted a similar, temporary ban Wednesday. The new rule is expected to go into effect Thursday.
Copyright 2019 Oregon Public Broadcasting
