Letter: Support e-cigarette age restrictions

House Bill 1265 would require e-vapor products (commonly referred to as e-cigarettes) to be sold only to adults 18 years of age and above, an important goal that we should all agree on. We support enactment of underage access prevention for e-vapors and alternative nicotine products, which is why we support House Bill 1265.
This bill includes broad definitions to ensure that these new product forms are included in North Dakota’s existing underage access prevention laws.
Products that contain nicotine, whether they are traditional tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars or smokeless tobacco or new e-vapor products, are for adults only. We don’t believe people who are under legal age should be purchasing these products. Currently, 41 states prohibit sale of e-vapor products to minors.
The bill would also establish statewide policy regarding sales of these new types of products such as e-vapor. This bill would provide uniform policy for e-vapor and alternative nicotine product sales across North Dakota and avoid a patchwork of differing local restrictions or ordinances that could cause confusion among adult consumers and retailers.
That’s why we support this legislation to help ensure that e-vapor products are only available to adult consumers and to support retailers in having uniform state standards for tobacco and alternative nicotine product sales to continue to help address underage access to all types of products that contain nicotine.
Let’s do the right thing and pass House Bill 1265. It’s the responsible approach that will help make these products only available to adults and out of kids’ hands.
Woodmansee is with the North Dakota Grocers Association.
http://www.inforum.com/letters/3684232-letter-support-e-cigarette-age-restrictions