Judge to rule Massachusetts vaping ban can continue amid court challenge

A U.S. district judge in Massachusetts is expected to deny a restraining order meant to halt a state ban on vaping products, according to USA Today. 

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani earlier on Friday said she will release a written order denying the order later in the day.

{mosads}Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) passed a temporary four-month ban on all vaping products on Sept. 24 that took effect immediately and if not stopped, will run through Jan. 25. The ban includes both flavored and non-flavored vaping products, making it the strongest vaping ban in the country.

A statement released at that time indicated there had been 61 cases of vaping-related pulmonary disease reported in Massachusetts alone. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said that there are over 1,000 cases nationwide of vaping-associated lung injury and that at least 18 Americans have died.

Four out of 5 of all cases involve THC, one of the components in cannabis. The CDC has recommended that Americans stop vaping, especially if THC is involved.

The ban, however, is not out of the woods yet. 

Talwani will hear arguments related to the preliminary injunction against the ban on Oct. 15.