Big strides are being made against the rapid spread of vape and e-cigarette products here and elsewhere in the United States.
June saw Texas take decisive action that will help limit underage access to vape and e-cigarette devices, while North Carolina took one of the biggest manufacturers to court over deceptive practices and won a large settlement this week.
On June 18, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 248, which will make e-cigarette and vape retailers accountable for the sale of their products the same way tobacco retailers are held to account. Twenty-seven senators and 97 representatives voted in favor of the legislation, while three senators and 51 representatives voted against it. The bill, which takes effect Sept. 1, will regulate vape and e-cigarette retailers by requiring them to be permitted the same way tobacco retailers are currently regulated.
“Passing this bill into law was a great step toward regulating and maintaining oversight of the sales of vapes and e-cigarettes,“ Kim Simmons, director of prevention services for the Lufkin-based Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Deep East Texas, said. “The harder it is for minors to access tobacco and alcohol products, the more likely it is they’ll avoid the dangers of these addictive substances.”
Last year, more than 32,000 youths between 12 and 18 years old in Deep East Texas used e-cigarette or vape products, according to the 2020 Texas School Survey. Statewide, more than 266,000 students had used them in 2020, according to the statewide survey.
Tim Monzingo – The Lufkin Daily News – 2021-07-07.
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