Key Points: 

• Louisiana’s vaping industry provided more than $492 million in economic activity in 2018 while generating 1,301 direct vaping-related jobs. Sales of disposables and prefilled cartridges in Louisiana exceeded $3.7 million in 2016.

• As of January 17, 2020, LDH has reported 35 cases of vaping-related lung illnesses, including two deaths. LDH has reported that 24 of Louisiana’s case patients have reported vaping THC. LDH earns an A for its transparency on vaping-related lung illnesses.  

• In 2017, only 1.6 percent of Louisiana high school students reported daily e-cigarette use. More data is needed.   

• Only 2 percent of FDA retail compliance checks in Louisiana resulted in sales of e-cigarettes to minors from January 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019.

• Louisiana spends very little on tobacco prevention. In 2019, Louisiana dedicated only $5 million on tobacco control, or 1 percent of what the state received in tobacco settlement payments and taxes.