Alabama is one of just three states, Pennsylvania and Michigan were the other two, where is legal to sell vaping devices to a child. On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill, HB41, to regulate the booming vaping industry.
State Representative Shane Stringer, R-Mobile, is the sponsor. He and representative Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, were the lead representatives in pushing to regulate vaping in Alabama.
HB41 would ban stores and vape shops from selling vaping devices to children and persons under age 19. Selling tobacco is already illegal. It also limits the flavors of e-cigarettes that can be sold. The regulations would be enforced by the state ABC Board.
E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine—the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products—flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol.
Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.
“As a father of four, I don’t want my children having access to this,” said state Representative Matt Fridy, R-Montevallo. Thank you for bringing this bill.
State Representative Neal Rafferty, D-Birmingham, said, “I have several small vape shop businesses in my district and my concern is” what we are doing with restricting the flavors that they can sell will hurt their businesses.
“I am concerned that this would shut them down,” Rafferty said.
Vape shop owners make fruity flavors to sell different tastes to their customers.
Stringer said that what he did not want is vape shops creating fruity flavors to market to kids.
The House passed the bill 101 to 0.
It now goes to the Senate for their consideration.
