Local laws under review due to vaping fears
(CNS): The health ministry is reviewing local legislation in an effort to protect members of the public from the potential fatal effects that have been seen in other jurisdictions over the use of e-cigarettes and vaping. Government is aiming to implement intervention measures and ban the use of e-cigarettes by children and adolescents, as it responds to concerns from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following cases of serious illnesses and fatalities linked to vaping.
The ministry said it discourages all forms of smoking, given its unquestionably negative impact, and remains committed to promoting a smoke-free Cayman Islands. Officials pointed out that the use of tobacco is still the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death, and Health Minister Dwayne Seymour is offering support to anyone who is trying to give up the habit.
With the recent news of people developing lung damage and even dying after using e-cigarettes or vapes, these electronic nicotine delivery systems are now causing as much concern as cigarettes. The CDC said there had been over 380 possible cases of severe lung injury believed to be caused by e-cigarette use in 33 states and one US territory, with six deaths also involving cannabis vapes.
Symptoms of severe lung injury associated with vaping may include coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever and abdominal pain. These symptoms may develop within days or weeks after use.
While the law is under review here in Cayman, health officials are advising all e-cigarette users to seek help to quit smoking altogether, or at least consider switching to non-flavoured nicotine “e-liquids” or those approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom.
Keeping children and young people away from all nicotine products is also a priority for the ministry, not least because of its highly addictive nature.
“The safeguarding of our children and adolescents is paramount to our future, and we must take steps to protect them from the use of an addictive chemical compound,” said Minister Seymour, as he urged everyone to discourage the use of e-cigarettes and smoking at every opportunity.
Chief Medical Officer John Lee has issued a direction to private clinics to remove cannabis vapes that have been sold for prescribed products. Concerns were raised when Doctors Express was advertising the product on radio and social media earlier this month, despite the tight restrictions regarding the use of medical marijuana. But all healthcare practitioners are now being asked to cease dispensing or selling any cannabinoid that will be used through vaporisation until further notice.
The issue of advertising such a product has also raised questions about the legality of marketing drugs that are only available on prescription. The Cayman Islands Medical and Dental Society said in a short press release that it had concerns about that issue, but the sale of vapes to use prescription cannabis was “potentially dangerous and not in the best interest of the public to advertise or make available”.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
Another major problem that needs to be addressed is the smoking of Hookah in the bars here. Absolutely ridiculous that you can’t smoke cigarettes but this is allowed. There are many bars here that allow this and at times you can’t see anything for the smoke.
And the cigar bars!!!
But why would you go to a cigar bar if you don’t want to be around cigar smoke ?
I bet toxins from the Dump thousand times outweigh toxins from vaping. No one seem to care.
Everything in moderation & read instructions…….alcohol in moderation, pain killers – follow the directions, energy drinks – don’t over dose, fast food in moderation, vaping – just too new to say it’s harmless and the healthcare industry is attempting to be proactive instead of reactive.
Vaping leads to man buns
21 million vapers in the US, and 6 deaths, we must have a ban!
Meanwhile 25 people die every year from Champagne corks, seriously we have to Ban champagne!
380 deaths so far reported, and growing
…And not confined to the US
And how many from cigarettes and alcohol?
You wanna see how intelligent and easily scared the government is. Ask yourself this. How many 1000’s of people die every day due to lung cancer, on this planet, from smoking. Vs how many people (a mere 100) have died in 15 years of vaping.
Which one is government considering banning, tobacco or vaping?
That’s how you can tell how intelligent the governing body is, that is making this decision. If scare mongering works this easily on them. Can someone say a median 87 IQ, anyone?
Zero people in documented history have overdosed on Cannabis.
Yet we – literally – celebrate alcohol here on the weekends. Sponsored by Bacardi ®. Make sure you drink responsibly now, but we all know Cayman’s DUI and overdose stats.
“I’m thinking this lady must have vaped this THC oil and got a high level in her system and (it) made her stop breathing, like a respiratory failure,” the coroner said. A toxicology report said she had 8.4 nanograms per milliliter of blood.
https://www.nola.com/news/article_07e22baf-7ea3-5dec-a794-4d17ba5bbb8e.html
30years of smoking and I’m still alive.
Lucky you. Otherwise not so much. It’s a horrible way to die. Way to green light something that is confirmed to cause cancer and death. I hope young people do not take your foolish advise.
The Vape ban is all about tax revenue and has zero to do with health.
The orange man is running out of funds with his tax breaks and just got the numbers in on the amount of sin tax $$$ he’s losing from tobacco sales as everyone has changed over to the vapes.
In what form is Dwayne Seymour offering support to anyone who is trying to give up the habit? Would that he could just do any of his many jobs, without turning it into a personal favour of his bestow…
Leave Dwayne alone. He is very busy fixing the dump.
Ever thought that “big tobacco”, the same large cigarette manufacturing firms and their lobbyists who have controlled US legislators for decades may be behind the push to discredit and ban vaping? Just saying.
Do not underestimate the awesome political power of big industry, especially in the US.
Ha, they are already involved in vaping!
Correct, Juul is 35% owned by Phillip Morris
yep, what was Phillp Morris owns 35% of Jule
This could be true, except Tobacco firms invested in vaping the second it took off
This isn’t the 50s they still know the real enemy to their industries (cigs, alcohol) is cannabis
Vaping was probably the best thing that happened to their profit margins for years
Everyone getting hooked on nicotine without the traditional effects of smoking, win win win for them
Cannabis is toxic and dangerous?
Ok first let’s make alcohol illegal
Then fast foods places, might as well make the deep fryer illegal also.
Soda drinks, illegal.
Being unhealthy and overweight, illegal. (Cost of health care)
Government needs to back off peoples rights to do what they want with there own body.
Legalize all drugs and have everything regulated like other countries have done.
Yeah thc is bad but the toxic dump poisoning the island isn’t bad.
Thc is dangerous but a new port and high rise building are healthy.
Pure arrogance by the CIG
Lucky for you, being a malcontent isn’t illegal.
CAMH just published a scientific study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, that found elevated levels of a brain protein – called ‘TSPO’ – associated with higher levels of stress and anxiety in young long-term cannabis users compared to young non-cannabis users. More studies are needed to better understand the role of cannabinoids and neuroimmune signaling. It’s dumb to assume that because something hasn’t killed you, that you are fine, or that someone else will be fine, or even necessarily healthier. It’s okay to say, “we don’t know”, and it’s also fine to say, “let’s look into it further”.
Lots of things are detrimental to health 9.04am, including alcohol, but when these things cause high costs to the country by financial care that’s when steps are needed for the prevention. We can argue the why’s and wherefores for ever for various things as being unhealthy but we try to eliminate the unnecessary evils. Tobacco is illegal to be consumed in any public place in the U.K. now which has made a massive difference to the comfort and health of non smokers. Even tenants of local government social housing aren’t allowed to smoke if employees are carrying out works in their home. They are cracking down also on alcohol consumed on the streets. Cayman needs to adopt a similar intolerance sooner rather than later. We’ll never be able to eradicate these things completely because you will never have the Police power to enforce it all, but fines to the maximum will often deter.
The issue is not necessarily with vaping or smoking THC, it is with the additives that are used with vaping substances, such as Vitamin E, that potentially clog parts of your lungs. Cannabis oil is still available legally (and if you are a risk taker) so is weed.
No, the issue is with all vaping oils. Fats(lipids), like the aerosol carrier oils in vapes (sometimes vitamin E, but not necessarily just vitamin E), are not something that human lungs are evolved to deal with. They should not be used as meat filters by anyone who wants to remain healthy. Common sense for anyone who studied basic human biology.
and its the home made vape juice from people simply baking then squeezing the buds and adding to the Vape juice. It contains a substance that destroys the lungs, there is a separate process that manufactures use to make the THC e-cig juice that removes it.
I agree with everything you’ve said except THC is bad. There are medical benefits to THC. It’s not only used to get high.
I love they are thinking of banning vaping saying it’s dangerous, but no ban on smoking or tobacco products.
More people have died this year in the US from reactions to Tylenol than vaping.
And we look at what has caused the majority of hospitalisations, people making their own liquids or buying cheap liquids from a market in the streets.
Not to mention half are THC vapes, which cause serious harm if not made properly, you can’t just squeeze a bud for the resin, heat it and put it in a vape. It has a natural chemical that will damage your lungs.
Media hype on the case, trying to scare parents to get them to watch their show.
Bonkers response. Doctors Express advertised cannabis vapes to my kid by mobile phone. Just what is right about that?
In the US, there are 380 vaping-related deaths in young people being investigated by authorities. There have been 346 deaths from the Boing 737 Max and it has resulted in a whole fleet being grounded to protect people. The numbers are similar. Why outrage at the latter but defence of the former? The CIG ‘grounded’ cannabis vapes whilst they too consider public safety. Just why is that an attack on human rights?
In addition, I thought there were strict controls on doctors advertising. Is anyone in charge or control of anything here?
Advil (ibufrofen) caused 16,000 deaths last year in the US alone and 103,000 hopitalisations.
Tylenol caused 600 deaths and 13,000 hospitalisations.
Bet it is the first time you’ve heard of this.
Analysis the data from where the vape deaths are and what products they were using, like home made, cheap street vendors etc.
As for the advertising, you can stop that, it does not mean you should ban the product.
I get about 50 Viagra emails a day in my spam box, should we ban that too?
Try not to jump and have a knee jerk reaction at every piece of news
And in the US there are over 1000 smoking related deaths a day
Where is the outcry
Why aren’t cigarettes banned?
I don’t smoke or vape, but this selective outrage is peak hypocrisy
Alcohol is the deadliest and most economically destructive drug in human history yet I can just walk into a bar and get plastered any day of the week
Let people live their lives ffs
hahaha I love this comment.
Local life is fixed. Ask Auntie still reverts to March as of this minute,
CNS: I had not seen any issues with Local Life, but I have just made the same changes to that site as made to this site last night. Can you give it a few minutes and then see if there is still a problem. If so, clear the cookies on your browser, and if there is still a problem, can you email info@caymannewsservice.com
Thanks!
From Cancer💀: So you wanna look good, puffing away, following the lastest fad and caring less about God’s natural laws ….
Be my guest!
And what laws are those? Because the only people that I see who are “people of God” are the same ones trying to ruin this natural world.
But didn’t the good lord turn water into wine? Isn’t tobacco a crop, if you guys are to be believed, made form a plant the good lord gave us? The cocoa leave is that also not a God given product?
yes, but tobacco left unadultrated, isn’t that cancerous. It’s the pesticides and other chemicals they add to the tobacco that make it bad. Cocoa leaves are fine by themselves, and not addicting. Infact farmers chew on them for toothaches. But it’s man who takes gasoline and other chemicals and makes the cocoa leaves into a paste, dries it and turns it into cocaine!
Ganja is also gods gift. if used properly, has been proven to provide medical benefits. If developed by man into oils and hash bricks or vaping oils, ect. then it becomes man made, and not a product of god any longer.
If you’re stupid enough to inhale that toxic vapor that’s your problem. We should allow this to remain legal to thin out the herd. It could be a wonderful tool for population control.
If you care nothing about the health of your neighbors and Cayman’s youth, consider that you help pay for some of the consequences in healthcare/insurance premiums.
Vaping could have been a good or benign thing but conservative politicians in the US and elsewhere don’t regulate it properly to ensure that it’s free of toxins.
#lame
Do you honestly need a government agency to tell you not to inhale carrier lipids? Do they still teach human biology in science class?
so by your logic we should also ban alcohol and fast/junk food?
Oh how I miss the LOL button!
…but no proportionate fears over cigarette /cigar smoking, much worse, with >60 years of data-points. Still available in every corner store!
Yes, very good point, thank you. Also, the over use of alcohol on this Island – now available at gas stations and on Sundays!
What I can never understand is why people resort to these alternatives and don’t just stop smoking. I was a heavy smoker in my 20s (I’d picked the habit up from my father) and one day just quit – apart from any health issues, it was expensive, inconvenient and dirty. A few years later my dad quit after suffering a heart attack, again he just stopped. 40 years on I’ve never ever had the urge to go back to smoking.
As for vaping? It’s a disgusting habit, just as bad as smoking.
Quitting is not so easy…it took me years, and an the IQOS system (from a major manufacturer) to do it…that was the best non cigarette tobacco that got rid of all elements except nicotine and I was able to quite after a few months on that. Its not available here and its not vaping, but it really did help. We are all different and judging by what you were able to do does not work for everyone.
What?
More people died this year from eating laundry detergent pods than vaping. Yet, cigarettes which kill more than 7 million people a year, are sold in every corner store. The tobacco companies and drug dealers must be loving this foolishness right now. It’s not like you just walk into Doctors Express and they just sell it to you over the counter. Over reaction to something that isn’t even a problem.
Agree
So you think it was ok for kids to get messages on their phones promoting vaping (thanks **cell – what were you thinking?!?!?).
@7:59 Not ok at all. I thought the ad campaign for this product was stupid honestly given the stigma.
But that alone doesnt mean it’s not an effective treatment for some people or that it should be made illegal. It has to be prescribed by the doctor depending on individual cases. For some people it’s a highly effective treatment with few side effects.
They haven’t banned cannabis. They have banned cannabis via vaping because of concerns for safety. It’s a sensible and measured reaction.
Exactly!! CMR needs to mind their own business and STFU!! Why doesn’t CMR make a stink about cigarettes and alcohol on their site? Maybe cigs and booze will get “banned” then!? What a JOKE!
Is medical cannabis containing THC or CBD Legal in the Cayman Islands?
The claim that the law does not allow the use of medical cannabis tinctures or extracts which contain THC is incorrect.
Section 2A. of the Misuse of Drugs Law (2017) Revision states that,
“The use of cannabis extracts and tinctures of cannabis for medical or therapeutic purposes, where prescribed by a medical doctor licensed in accordance with the Health Practice Law (2017 Revision) as part of a course of treatment for a person under that medical doctor’s care, is lawful.”
The law does not state that medical cannabis containing THC is unlawful.
Can Medical providers prescribe and dispense medical cannabis?
Yes. Section 2. of the Misuse of Drugs Law (2017) Revision defines an authorized person as:
(i) a person acting in the course of lawful duties as a medical doctor licensed in accordance with the Health Practice Law (2017 Revision);
(ii) a person acting in the course of lawful duties as a pharmacist licensed in accordance with the Health Practice Law (2017 Revision);
(iii) a person lawfully conducting the business of a retail pharmacy or of an importer, acting in either case in the capacity as such; or
(iv) a person in possession of cannabis extracts or tinctures of cannabis under a prescription issued by a medical doctor as part of a course of treatment for a person under that medical doctor’s care and in accordance with this Law;
This section authorizes doctors, pharmacists and importers to either import, dispense or prescribe THC containing medical cannabis.
The law also defines tinctures and extracts as follows:
“cannabis extracts and tinctures of cannabis” means the separated resin, crude or purified, obtained from the cannabis plant;
In simple terms this refers to cannabis oil.
Does the Law provide for legal methods of using medical cannabis?
No. The law states in Section 2A.
“The use of cannabis extracts and tinctures of cannabis for medical or therapeutic purposes, where prescribed by a medical doctor licensed in accordance with the Health Practice Law (2017 Revision) as part of a course of treatment for a person under that medical doctor’s care, is lawful.”
The key words here are “use” for “medical or therapeutic purposes” where “prescribed” in accordance with the Health Practice Law (2017) Revision.
The law does not provide any guidance on how medical cannabis is to be consumed.
While cannabis tinctures and extracts are listed as Schedule 1 drugs, the law allows licensed doctors to prescribe it as medicine and for licensed pharmacists to dispense it.
It is unclear what legal authority has been used to take this action other than the unknown dangers of vaping which have recently come to light and subject to further investigation and there certainly is no criminal case to pursue with regard to the doctors or patients.
Presumably, the cannabis vapes were imported and cleared by the Cayman Islands Customs department, why were concerns not raised at that point ?
Will the doctors now offer replacement medication and or refunds to customers who have already received these vapes?
Nice one Doctors Express. But it conveniently forgets that regardless of permissability of cannabis for medical purposes, the law explicitly states that we can only use medicines that are licensed in certain jurisdictions. Half the stuff in Doctors Express public statement is not a licensed indication anywhere. Also, CIG can act at any point if information comes to light about the safety of medicines. In this case, they did so based on safety concerns over vaping THC, arising from a series of deaths in the US. Any advert that says ‘While stocks last’ is also so clearly not an advert aimed at medical treatment.
Whatever “MarlRoad”
Why has no one been arrested for sending ad texts about THC to kids? That’s bad
Because kids can’t legally have a contract and the phone service is with the parent/adult who purchased the service with the phone company and provides that SIM card to the minor. Even if you use pay as you go, it is still a contract.
How are the phone companies and their advertisers to know?
But…if the phone companies allow minors to sign contracts with them. Then that’s a different story.
If you can’t know, then don’t accept adverts like this. It’s a rather stupid argument to say that because Digicel can’t tell then anythings goes.
You can’t complain if you breached your contract by allowing a minor to use a phone which the minor clearly did not sign with the phone company.
But allowing tabacco to still be sold is completely fine. What a backwards £%#@ up POS corrupt society we live in.
Exactly!!
Who the hell cares if they kill themselves?
Because “they” are our family members, neighbors, and youth. If you care nothing about them consider that you help pay for some of the consequences in healthcare/insurance premiums.
Vaping could have been a good or benign thing but conservative politicians in the US and elsewhere don’t regulate it properly to ensure it’s free of toxins.
#lame
Living is the leading cause of death. Might as well enjoy it while you can. PoundSignMoron
Why has no one been arrested for importing and distributing THC? Is it because they are not poor Jamaicans?
Cannabis/THC is not the concern, the additives used in the vapes that carries the nicotine/THC and/or flavor are the concern. Mind you, there’s no warning about brewing Cannabis or making sweets with it. Only vaporizing anything period.
Entire countries have legalized and shown the benefits of regulated medical and recreational use. Stop thinking like it’s the devil’s lettuce propaganda era.
I made a long post about this awhile back here on CNS. CNS replied to me stating XXXX
CNS: I tried, and failed, to find this previous comment of yours to see what on earth you are talking about because it sounds to me that you are either talking utter nonsense or misrepresenting a CNS note. If you can find it, or at the very least tell me which article it is on, I’ll answer this one.
It is not illegal, stop believing everything you read on Marl Road she went to law school and knows better but because she doesnt support medical marijuana she is sensationalizing the issue and printing fake news.
Then why have the police raised and confiscated all the stock?
Perhaps it is preparing for a breakout from high security?
Maybe they didnt read the law.
“The use of cannabis extracts and tinctures of cannabis for medical or therapeutic purposes, where prescribed by a medical doctor licensed in accordance with the Health Practice Law (2017 Revision) as part of a course of treatment for a person under that medical doctor’s care, is lawful.”
Well, I have to acknowledge law enforcement authorities not knowing the law is fairly commonplace around here.
YES! Thank you. She needs to mind her own damn business! (and take a spelling and grammar course!!!)
I hope you feel better this morning.
I have 2 friends that literally from when they wake up till bed time they live with the super charged pipes in their mouths. Extra batteries in there pocket in case they need them. Puffing ALL DAY AT WORK .Going through a bottle of oil a day. In their mid twenties, will die in their thirties. Fact.
Are they any different than Sugar Gliders?
Ive never tried smoking a sugar glider