Michigan pauses sale of marijuana vaping products, bans vitamin E acetate

Michigan regulators have temporarily paused the sale of marijuana vaping products as they implement new safety standards spurred by an outbreak of lung injuries.

Also, regulators banned on Friday the use of vitamin E acetate, an additive that’s been linked to the injuries, in the vaping products.

The changes were part of emergency rules announced by the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency. The new rules require licensed laboratories to test for vitamin E acetate and specify inactive ingredients in marijuana products intended for inhalation must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for inhalation.

“It is absolutely vital that patients and consumers know, with certainty, the ingredients in the products that they are using,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said in a statement. “These rules require stringent testing and will continue to prioritize the health and safety of Michiganders.”

The rules also say businesses cannot sell marijuana vaping products that haven’t passed tests under the new rules, which means the sale of the products will be temporarily forbidden in Michigan. It’s unclear how long it will be until new products will make it back on the market under the new rules. [Read more at The Detroit News]