Over the last few weeks, numerous media reports have focused on the alleged though unverified link between vaping products and certain health-related issues, including what have been described as "lung illnesses."
While reactions have surfaced quickly (among them President Trump's statement this week that his Administration will move to restrict the sale of certain e-cigarettes), the blowback can also be seen in the market, too. According to a new report by Marijuana Business Daily, "since the first vape-related death was reported in late August," there has been a significant drop-off in purchases of vaping-related cannabis products among consumers in the adult-use cannabis space.
According to the report, based on a study conducted by Seattle-based Headset, the percentage of vaping-related cannabis products in the adult-use (or recreational) cannabis market fell in California from 32.8% (just before the first vape-related death) to 28.9% (as of September 11)–amounting to about a 12% drop in market share. In Colorado, the drop was from 19.5% to 15.4%–a slide of more than 20%. The two other states covered in the study were Nevada, whose drop-off was from 22.3% to 19.2% and Washington, whose drop-off was from 17.8% to 14.6%.
It's worth noting that the fall of sales in the vaping category appears to have been matched with an increase in sales of other cannabis-related merchandise, including flower and pre-roll products. Further, as the chart contained in the report shows, while the sale of vape-related cannabis products as a percentage of sales does fluctuate from week to week, the recent drop-off reflects a significant departure from the normal ebb and flow.
Finally, all of this comes amidst the CDC's recent announcement narrowing the parameters of its vape-related health inquiries. Whereas reports last week indicated that the CDC was reviewing 450 possible cases of vaping-related health issues, the CDC's announcement on Thursday clarified that "[t]here are 380 cases of lung illness reported" and acknowledged that the CDC does "not yet know the specific cause of these illnesses" nor has the inquiry "identified any specific e-cigarette or vaping product (devices, liquids, refill pods, and/or cartridges) or substance that is linked to all cases."
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