Unfortunately for vapers, these rules can vary from state to state, or even within a state. New Jersey, for example, regulates e-cigarettes as tobacco products and bans vaping where smoking is prohibited. South Carolina, on the other hand, doesn’t classify e cigarettes as tobacco products, but allows municipalities to determine whether and how to enact regulations. You can vape freely in one county, but not in the next. It’s confusing, to say the least.

The gap between technological innovation and regulation isn’t so unusual, however. As new business models and tech-based products are launched, a decades-old regulatory structure often lacks the flexibility to adapt to emerging businesses.

E-cigarettes aren’t the only disruptive technology products to encounter this gap. There are many innovative products and services that have regulators scrambling to catch up.

While regulations are essential for any of the above categories, including e-cigarettes, government shouldn’t slow innovation by trying to force it into an archaic rules structure. Legislators need to support progress while protecting the public safety, so that continuous innovation, like improving e-cigarette technology, is a win-win for all.