Cuomo On Jay Oliver Show: Vaping A 'Public Health Crisis' (AUDIO)

ISLIP, NY — Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined Long Island News Radio on Monday and called vaping a "public health crisis." Appearing on the Jay Olvier Show, the governor said e-cigarettes are and vaping are at the top of the list when it comes to societal problems the state and nation faces.

"The numbers are astronomical — a 160 percent increase in kids," said Cuomo. "Forty percent of 12th graders now vape. It is the new cool thing to do. It was suggested that vaping and e-cigarettes, there's no harm — that's a lot of hooey. It is dangerous."

Kids as young as 14 are vaping and becoming addicted to nicotine, he added and companies that market flavored e-cigarettes such as bubblegum, Scooby-Doo, Cap' n' Crunch and cotton candy are specifically targeting kids.

See also: Nassau Business Owner Vaped THC To Calm Nerves; He Nearly Died

"These companies know exactly what they are doing," said Cuomo. "They are introducing nicotine to kids who are young, they know that it's addictive, they're doing what the tobacco companies did with cigarettes. They're advertising to them. You want to be cool, cool kids vape."

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week there were 380 cases of lung illness spanning 36 states and a U.S. territory. Six people have died, and all reported cases have a history of e-cigarette product use or vaping. Most of the patients said they'd used e-cigarette products containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Many also reported using THC and nicotine, and some said they'd used e-cigarette products containing only nicotine.

State health officials said there's been a dramatic rise in use of e-cigarettes by kids, driven largely by flavored e-liquids. New York Department of Health data showed that nearly 40 percent of 12th graders and 27 percent of all high-schoolers in the state use e-cigarettes.

High school use in 2018 was 27.4 percent — 160 percent higher than it was five years ago. The massive increase comes amid a statewide fall in smoking rates from 27.1 percent in 2000 to a historic low of 4.3 percent in 2016.

See also: 2 LI Teens Hospitalized After Vaping THC Oil; 1 Put Into Coma

In New York, high levels of vitamin E acetate were found in nearly all cannabis-containing samples, health officials said. Vitamin E acetate oil is not an approved additive for vape products authorized by the state's medical marijuana program, and it was not found in the nicotine-based products. The state investigation is focusing on the acetate as a potential cause to the mysterious lung illnesses.

Cuomo has ordered state health officials to subpoena out-of-state companies that market and sell so-called "thickening agents" used in black market vaping products. The thickeners are marketed and readily available on the internet as a cheap, safe alternative that won't adversely affect flavor or smell of existing products.

The governor also directed state health officials to issue emergency regulations mandating that warning signs be posted in all vape and smoke shops throughout the state. The health department will also launch a public service campaign to teach about the risks involved with vaping.

"You're taking in steam into your lungs with chemicals," Cuomo said on the show. "They're mixing it with other things, they use THC, and it's been presented as safe and it's not. So, we banned flavored e-cigarettes and vaping."

You can listen to the interview in its entirety below.