California Advances Disposable Vape Ban, Dividing Cannabis Industry

A California legislative committee last week approved a bill to ban disposable cannabis and nicotine vapes, a measure some hail as sound environmental policy and others warn could further harm the already struggling regulated marijuana industry. The Assembly Business and Professions Committee voted 10–5 on Jan. 13 to advance AB 762.

The legislation would bar the sale of nonrechargeable and nonrefillable cannabis vape devices in an effort to curb the growing stream of hardware entering the waste system. The bill targets products built around sealed batteries and mixed materials that cannot be responsibly recycled, aiming to push the market toward longer-lasting devices that generate far less electronic waste.

Supporters frame the proposal as a practical step toward reducing environmental harm without disrupting access to regulated cannabis, while critics warn that any shift away from familiar disposable formats must be handled carefully to avoid driving consumers toward untested products in the illicit market.

Previous legislation prohibited cannabis operators from marketing integrated vapes as “disposable,” leading many manufacturers to adopt the term “single-use” instead. But Amy O’Gorman Jenkins, executive director of the California Cannabis Operators Association, told lawmakers during an April 2025 hearing that the label is misleading.

“A half-gram device delivers around 150 doses, and a full gram provides more than 300. These are used over weeks or months, not discarded after one session,” she wrote in testimony, according to a report from Independent Voter News.

Cannabis Operators Split on Disposable Vape Ban

O’Gorman Jenkins warned that removing regulated vape products from shelves would push more consumers toward the illicit market, where products are sold without legal oversight, environmental protections, or safety standards. Such a shift, she argued, would undermine the very safeguards the state seeks to strengthen.

“California’s legal cannabis industry is among the most regulated in the world. In contrast, the illicit market faces none of these requirements,” she said. “The public health risks are real,” Jenkins added, citing the 2019 EVALI outbreak, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked to vapes from the unregulated market. “Removing compliant, tested products does not protect consumers; it exposes them to far greater harm.”

Other trade groups, including the California Cannabis Industry Association, have also registered opposition to AB 762. Not all operators, however, oppose the measure.

Ali Garawi, co-founder, CEO, and CFO of California-based Muha Meds, a manufacturer of vapes and other regulated cannabis products, said the legislation represents sound environmental policy.

“As someone committed to environmental stewardship and sustainable public policy, I support the intent behind Assembly Bill 762, which aims to address the growing environmental and public health concerns associated with disposable, battery-embedded vape devices,” Garawi said in an emailed statement. The bill would phase out single-use products and require devices sold statewide by 2028 to be refillable, rechargeable, and equipped with removable batteries.

Garawi noted that disposable vape devices built with sealed lithium-ion batteries and mixed plastics rarely enter meaningful recycling streams, leaving most to end up as waste. He added that batteries in these devices can leak harmful materials or spark fires at waste and recycling facilities, putting additional strain on already stressed systems.

He also emphasized the importance of balancing environmental gains with the risk of pushing consumers toward unregulated products. Garawi said the success of AB 762 will depend on careful implementation, clear consumer education, and accessible pathways for sustainable product design and disposal.

“I believe California should pursue ambitious environmental policies that reduce waste and hazardous materials in our communities, while ensuring these transitions are implemented in a way that protects consumers, supports industry innovation, and strengthens legal markets,” Garawi said.

AB 762 now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.