Oftentimes when a new product hits the market, especially one with suspected health concerns, it takes some time for regulations to catch up.

That seems to be the case with vaping lately, as New York State recently announced a ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes amid a spike in the number of pulmonary illnesses that have been linked to the products

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 530 cases of people in the United States who have been struck with lung illnesses tied to vaping or e-cigarette use since June alone. The CDC says that seven people have died from illnesses linked to the use of the chemicals these products contain.

The CDC's new figures released last week include confirmed and probable lung-illness cases from 38 states and one territory. US officials said they expect the number of deaths tied to vaping to increase.

According to the CDC data as of Sept. 17, about two thirds of the cases were in people between the ages of 18 and 34, and another 16 percent were in people under 18. Roughly 75 percent of the cases have been reported in men.

While the long-term health affects of vaping and e-cigarettes are still being researched, it's safe to say that the healthiest thing to breath into your lungs is still fresh air. It doesn't take the surgeon general to tell you that inhaling heavy metals and heated chemicals is not healthy for you.

While there is some research that supports the assertion that vaping or e-cigarette use is healthier than smoking regular cigarettes, they still contain high levels of addictive nicotine. While it might be a healthier alternative to cigarettes that doesn't necessary make it a healthy habit.

While the “emergency regulation” banning the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine e-liquids by New York State health officials is only temporarily at this time, we think it's necessary until more is known about this potential health emergency.

In September of 2017, Sullivan County passed a local law prohibiting the sale of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, powdered tobacco, shisha or other tobacco products, herbal cigarettes, liquid nicotine, electronic cigarettes, rolling papers or smoking paraphernalia to anyone under 21 years of age. This was an attempt the further reduce the instances of teenage smoking.

Government regulations aside, perhaps the best and most effective way the prevent teenage smoking is sitting down with your kids and having a frank and honest conversation about the risks involved.

The more informed we all are, the safer we will be.