On the surface level there were some political initiatives by various parties to regulate vapes more strictly at the time.

On a deeper level you have several interested parties (vaping companies, tobacco companies, public health interests that get funding for whatever reasons) that stand to lose or gain alot of money depending on how it's regulated.

Or you you might even have politicians looking for donations from the people that are selling vapes or more likely, politicians that are seeing a potential new tax revenue source and our feeling out the level of opposition or support for it.

I don't think the NYTs goes for scare stories for the most part.