The time to stock up on your favorite vape may have passed. Legally, at least. 

New restrictions on the sale of vapor products in Louisiana took effect as a result of Act 414. Popular vapes not currently on the approved list include Elf Bar, Puff Bar and Esco Bar. 

The first part of Act 414 that increased the tax rate on “consumable nicotine liquid solutions” or vapor products with nicotine went into effect in July. 

Starting Oct. 1, every vapor product manufacturer must register their products with the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. To keep their products on the market, the manufacturer had to prove their product was either on the market in 2016 or get approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

Vapor products that were not placed on the approved list, called the V.A.P.E Directory, were banned from sale within the state starting in November. The directory will be updated and re-published monthly.

Junior Riley Hansen said she saw vapes being cleared off shelves at Freret Stop in late November. As of Dec. 4, Elf Bars are still being sold at The Boot Store.  

Ernest Legier, the head of Louisiana’s Alcohol and Tobacco Control, told The Times-Picayune the law is an attempt to protect youth from products dangerous to their health. Critics of e-cigarettes have argued that the fruit and sweet-flavored vapes have fueled a new generation of nicotine addicts. 

Hansen said growing up in Atlanta, she was introduced to vaping at a young age. 

“I would go to high school, people were [vaping] freshman year in the bathroom. It was very normalized,” Hansen said. “Then I come [to Tulane] and nothing changed.” 

Jennifer Hunt, associate director of The Well for Health Promotion said that vaping is associated with negative effects on mental health as well damage on the “molecular, cellular, tissue, organ and system level” of the body. 

“[Vaping] also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and is associated with hypertension [and] tachycardia,” Hunt said. 

The V.A.P.E directory’s release was initially set for Nov. 1 but was delayed after the Louisiana Convenience and Vape Store Association filed a lawsuit requesting a temporary restraining order. District Court Judge Wilson Fields denied the request for the temporary restraining order, and the directory was later released. A ruling on the permanent injunction has not yet been made.

The lawsuit claims that the law violates the Louisiana Constitution which forbids amendments that are not directly relevant to the original bill. Act 414 solely dealt with the increase in taxes, and the additional restrictions are a result of later amendments. 

Resources are available for students interested in quitting nicotine. Students covered by the Tulane-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan have access to nicotine cessation support at no cost. Tulane’s Counseling Center is also open to support students who are interested in quitting vaping. Ochsner Health offers a tobacco cessation program that includes a one-hour visit with a certified tobacco specialist, six therapy sessions and medication support.