Recently, according to Yahoo News, in order to combat underage smoking, the Kentucky House of Representatives proposed a bill that would require e-cigarette shops to obtain a license from the state government and increase the number of illegal retail sales of tobacco products to minors. The severity of the business’s penalties.
Rep. Mark Hart, the lead sponsor of the bill, known as Bill 142, said in an interview Monday that current laws fail to protect Kentucky's youth from the health risks of smoking. risk. "There has to be a deterrent way to stop it," he said.
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant Brian Melton said that not only in the Pendleton County high school where he teaches, the problem of teenagers smoking e-cigarettes is very serious, and some children even adulterate e-cigarette products. Drugs such as cannabis (THC, Delta-8). And because these small vaping devices are difficult for teachers to find, they spread particularly quickly in schools.
In the United States, the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco and e-cigarette products is 21 years old. For those who appear to be under 21, retailers will need to see their government-issued photo identification. However, this law is often ignored.
The Herald-Leader reported last month that from November 2021 to August 2023, the Kentucky Department of Liquor Control charged stores across the state at least 883 times for selling tobacco products to minors. . The department used underage buyers to conduct secret shopping and fined at least 114 merchants two or more times in this 21-month period alone.
Hart's bill would require e-cigarette retailers to obtain a Department of Liquor Control license at each location, which would be revoked if they are caught selling to minors for a third time. In addition, the bill would also increase civil penalties for retailers who sell e-cigarettes or tobacco products to minors, with fines up to $2,000 for a first violation and $3,000 for subsequent violations. Finally, the bill would also penalize minors who attempt to purchase or have purchased e-cigarettes or tobacco products.
Alicia Whatley, director of policy and advocacy for Kentucky Advocates for Youth, a children's advocacy group, said Hart's bill is a good way to eliminate loopholes that some retailers use to sell tobacco products to minors. the first step. However, she also said that there is room for improvement in the bill. For example, she hopes that tobacco retailers can also operate with a license like e-cigarette retailers.
Hart said in the interview that he expects some changes to be proposed for amendment before the bill goes to a House committee for consideration in the coming weeks. He plans to discuss tobacco retail licenses with state agriculture officials, but he's uneasy about facing too many opponents on one bill.
