As of June 1, 2020, smoking in vehicles with passengers under the age of 18 is illegal in the state of Illinois. The law, which was passed in 2019, took effect at the beginning of this month, marking a significant step towards protecting children from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

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The Louisiana State Legislature has taken decisive action to protect children from the potential dangers of secondhand vapor exposure in vehicles. On Friday, the State Senate unanimously passed a bill that would make it illegal to use vape devices or e-cigarettes while a child is in the car. The measure, which previously cleared the House of Representatives, now heads to Governor John Bel Edwards’ desk for his signature.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a ban on most flavors of cartridge-based e-cigarettes, including fruit and mint varieties, that have not received FDA authorization through the premarket tobacco application (PMTA) process. The ban, which was announced on January 2, 2020, requires companies to cease the manufacture, distribution, and sale of these unauthorized flavored products within 30 days or risk enforcement actions from the agency.

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Georgia State Representative Sandra Scott, a Democrat and educator from Rex, has once again introduced legislation that would prohibit smoking in vehicles when a minor under the age of 14 is present. The proposed law, House Bill 17, would apply to vehicles both in motion and parked, making it a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $100 fine for violators.

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Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in a vehicle with a child present, but the proposed age limit for the child passenger would establish it as the weakest such law in the country. Senate Bill 106, sponsored by State Senator Charleta Tavares (D-Columbus), would impose a $500 fine for smoking in a car with a child younger than 6 years old.

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