In Kentucky, almost 20% of high school students use electronic cigarettes and 5% smoke, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (Getty Images)
FRANKFORT — Kentucky is one step closer to licensing retailers who sell nicotine with the passage of Senate Bill 100 in the House Wednesday 82-11.
It passed the Senate in late February.
The House made some changes to the bill — which the Senate will have to vote on — but kept the licensing requirements laid out by Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, in place.
Under SB 100, Kentucky would license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers.
It would also fine retailers who sell nicotine products to minors and give half the money collected in fines to a youth prevention program in a state where about 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign.
The other half would go toward enforcement expenses.
Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death across the country, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. In Kentucky, smoking and lung cancer rates exceed those in the rest of the nation.
The House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Committee passed Higdon’s bill Wednesday morning and sent it to the House floor.
In that meeting, Higdon reiterated he wants to go after “bad actors” who expose youth to nicotine.
“We have a lot of good retailers. In fact, probably 99.8% of the retailers in Kentucky run good businesses and follow the rules and would never sell to an underage person,” Higdon said. “This bill has teeth that ABC can enforce and get rid of bad actors.”
Mallory Jones, a high school senior, testified alongside Higdon that her generation is being “strategically manipulated” to purchase vapes.
“As a youth advocate and heart survivor, I’m concerned about what I’m seeing in my school, among peers and in my community,” said Jones, adding they get sucked in by “intentionally flashy, colorful, fun, flavored products.”
“It’s time for us to put Kentucky kids ahead of tobacco,” she said.
Seven hours later, SB 100 cleared the House with bipartisan support. Several Republicans voted against it.