Backwood Vapors opens its doors in Trenton, Florida.

By Barry Hummel, Jr., MD FAAP

There is a new business on Main Street in Trenton, Florida, and I think the citizens of Gilchrist County should take a careful look inside.  They may not like what they find.

A few weeks back Backwood Vapors quietly opened its doors.  Initially, the store modestly advertised “E-cigs” scribbled in marker on a cardboard sign.  In fact, the only other sign in the window advertised a local circus… an odd choice for a store that should only be catering to adults.

However, this is clearly not intended to be a modest store dealing in electronic drug delivery devices like e-cigarettes.  The owner has big plans.  The store is going to be a combination vaping lounge and electronic gaming hall.  By the owner’s own admission, he does not plan on restricting the age of his patrons.  In fact, he doesn’t even have the age-restriction signs in his store mandated by Florida’s new e-cigarette law.

This is the owner’s eleventh shop in North Florida.  As a Lake City resident, my guess is that he doesn’t really have the best interests of Gilchrist County’s youth at heart.  In fact, pictures from his own Backwood Vapors Facebook should make every parent in town question his intent.

Leaders in Gilchrist County should take a strong stand on regulating this type of business before another generation of teenagers is needlessly addicted.  He can choose to experiment on his own kids, but you cannot turn a blind eye when he tries to experiment on your kids.