In the News: What do Changing Vape Regulations Mean for Terpenes?

Luckily, even with more states cracking down on vape additives, terpene lovers have nothing to fear. 

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In the wake of the Great Vape Scare, consumers are nervous about possible health risks associated with vaping (both nicotine and cannabis vape products). Because of this, certain additives and flavors are coming under fire. It’s important, however, to know exactly which items are harmful. Organic, filler-free, solvent-less terpenes used for flavor--like ours--are completely safe.

But other chemical additives can pose a threat.
To be clear, high-quality vape juices with no harmful additives are NOT the problem. 

However, if someone is buying black-market vape products, there’s no way to know what sorts of harmful additives may have been used. 

Some potentially harmful additives are Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), Vitamin E Acetate, and Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT oil). This past November, Colorado actually prohibited the use of these additives in vape products. That ban will go into full effect at the start of 2020, but Colorado isn’t the only state taking action against these harmful substances.

Massachusetts, California, Nevada, Michigan, Montana, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington have all begun to implement stricter regulations in regards to the manufacturing and use of vape products. Until 2016, the Food and Drug Administration didn’t have any regulatory power over vape products, so these bans are the response to a lack of federal regulations. 

However, now that that the FDA has stepped in, brands that entered the market before 2016 have “until May 2020 to retroactively apply for authorization; if at that point they cannot prove their products are “‘appropriate for the protection of public health,’” they could be removed from the market.”

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) is taking it a step further to ensure that cannabis products are safe for public consumption. On Nov 22 they announced the following new regulations--

• Marijuana products must have any inactive ingredients clearly listed on the label
• Any inactive ingredients not approved by the FDA are prohibited 
• All ingredients intended for inhalation can’t exceed a maximum concentration listed in the FDA Inactive Ingredient database.

Along with the items listed above, the MRA will implement twice-monthly inspections to ensure compliance with the new regulations, and marijuana products intended to be inhaled cannot be sold unless they have passed strict testing for harmful additives.

A big problem still exists, however, when people continue to purchase black-market or home-made vape products. There’s no way to ensure that these products have met FDA and MRA healthy and safety regulations. That’s why it’s always best to purchase any vape products from licensed manufacturers who adhere to strict regulations in regards to product quality. 

However, if you’re a manufacturer and want to ensure that your products are safe AND flavorful, then only use the highest quality ingredients. At Abstrax, we recognize the changing regulations throughout the country and that’s why we’ll continue to create comprehensive terpene profiles that adhere to all state regulations. 

We will continue to research and study available scientific data to ensure the safety of our products. If you have any concerns about regulations in a specific state, please contact us and let's talk about how you can use terpenes.