  
  
G/TBT/N/USA/1551  
25 November 2019  
(19-8014) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AME RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  State of 
Massachusetts  
2. Agency responsible:  Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Department of 
Public Health, State of Massachusetts [1578]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point  
Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [X], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN  where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Vaping 
products; Tobacco, tobacco products and related equipment (ICS 65.160)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified docum ent: Severe Lung 
Disease Associated with Vaping Products (6 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Emergency Rule Adoption - Addresses the Governor's 
Declaration of Emergency Detrimental to the Public Health due to severe lung disease 
associated with the use of e -cigarettes and vaping products in the Commonwealth; 
prohibits the sale of vaping products in the Commonwealth and authorizes a standing 
order for nicotine replacement therapy.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature o f urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
• Issue 1404, Massachusetts Register 15 November 2019 (pages 38 -43): 
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprpub/pubhear.htm  (Text available: 
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprpub/111519d.pdf ) 
• Guide to Vaping Public Health Emergency: 
https://www.mass.gov/guides/vaping -public -health -emergency  
• 105 Code of Massachusetts Regulation (CMR) 801 Severe Lung Disease 
Associated With Vaping Produc ts: https://www.mass.gov/doc/emergency -
regulation -105-cmr-801000/downloa d  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  1 November 2019  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 November 2019  G/TBT/N/USA/1551  
 
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  10. Final date for comments:  29 November 2019  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/USA/19_6632_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/USA/19_6632_01_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/USA/19_6632_02_e.pdf  
 