Vaping deaths: Bill Lee says clearer picture needed before state acts – Tennessean
In the wake of two Tennesseans dying in recent weeks from vaping-related lung illnesses, Gov. Bill Lee said last week he wants to see a clearer picture of the problem before having the state take action.
“There’s not a clear understanding about exactly what is causing the deaths,” the governor said at an event in Nashville on Friday.
As of Thursday, there have been 57 cases of lung illness linked to vaping or e-cigarette use in Tennessee, including the two deaths. The current outbreak has resulted in more than 1,600 illnesses and 34 deaths around the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But the outbreak appears more severe in Tennessee than in many other states. Tennessee is one of only nine states with two confirmed deaths and in the top 13 for total cases reported, according to state and CDC data.
Lee noted the recent deaths have come well after vaping became prominent.
“The CDC and other states are very interested in figuring out just what is causing the deaths,” he said. “We are, too.”
Lee said he was “not prepared” to take a first step on the issue, beyond further research and understanding.
His comments come after several states have taken emergency action in response to the outbreak. Massachusetts, whose governor has declared a public health emergency, has temporarily stopped the sale of vaping products. Michigan, New York, Oregon and Washington have outright banned the sale of flavored vaping products.
During a recent Senate Republican caucus meeting, Sens. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, and Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City, said they anticipate vaping being an issue for lawmakers to address in the upcoming legislative session.
Crowe, who presides over the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, said he is expecting to see legislation introduced related to taxation, bans on e-cigarette flavors and age restrictions. He noted the state Department of Health “will be into that,” suggesting the agency will be making recommendations.
Shelley Walker, a spokeswoman for the agency, said in a statement Monday, “The Tennessee Department of Health is not working on anti-vaping legislation at this time, but looks forward to having those conversations in the future.”
Bailey, who serves as chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, said he assumed the Lee administration or one of his Senate colleagues might take up the issue of vaping, which he said will be “at the forefront” of the 2020 legislative session.
On Friday, Lee gave no indication the issue would be taken up by the administration.
In early October, several of the state’s major health care advocacy organizations, including the Tennessee Medical Association, sent a letter to the governor asking him to implement an emergency measure to restrict sales of vaping products to youth.
After receiving the letter, Lee told reporters Oct. 8 that his administration would be “tracking” the issue closely, which he said had been disproportionately harming youth.
“I think it’s important that we really know what is happening here,” he said. “Banning things short of knowing if it’s actually that thing that’s causing the problem, I think, is inappropriate.”
Asked whether he disagreed with other states implementing bans, Lee said he thought the government had a responsibility to protect residents when they determine an issue is causing safety concerns.
“I think that we here in Tennessee are just going to look deeper before we make a decision about that,” he said.
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Brett Kelman and Mariah Timms contributed to this report.
Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.
Published 4:14 PM EDT Oct 28, 2019
