Tennessee Bill Requiring FDA Compliance for Vape Shops Passes Committee
The Tennessee Legislature is considering a bill that would significantly impact vape shops across the state. The proposed legislation, sponsored by Representative David Hawk in the House and a corresponding bill in the Senate, would ban all non-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliant products. The bill recently passed a committee, moving it one step closer to becoming law.
Rocky Top Vapor owner David Nelson expressed grave concerns about the bill’s potential impact on his business and others like it. “Every single one of our products would be taken off the shelf. We would have nothing left to sell,” Nelson said. He warned that the legislation could be a “death sentence for vape shops across the state,” as most carry similar products that would be affected by the ban.
Nelson also highlighted the potential economic consequences of the bill, stating, “There are thousands of vape shops in the state of Tennessee. All of those businesses would be going out. And then all of those employees would also lose their job. This is an industry-killing bill.”
Representative Hawk, in a statement to News Channel 11, explained the motivation behind the bill, citing the “incredible problems” faced by school systems and juvenile courts due to the prevalence of vape products in schools. The proposed legislation would establish a registry and ensure that only products on the path to FDA approval are sold in stores.
Rich Marianos, Chairman of the Tobacco Law Enforcement Network, acknowledged that some businesses might be hurt by the bill but emphasized the importance of compliance. “Stop selling illegal products. If you sell vape products, sell the ones that are registered and granted authority by the FDA. They’ve given you an exit ramp here,” Marianos said.
While the bill aims to address safety concerns, medical experts like pulmonary critical care physician Dr. Keith Young caution against assuming that any e-cigarette is safe. Young pointed out that while there may be a reduction in toxicities compared to burned tobacco cigarettes, the lack of long-term data on e-cigarettes makes it difficult to assess their full impact on health.
“There is no safe e-cigarette,” Young said. “The thing that troubles me the most as a pulmonologist is we’ve really not had e-cigarettes on the market long enough to know the same toxicities that we discovered for burned cigarettes.”
As the bill progresses through the Tennessee Legislature, lawmakers will need to balance public health concerns, particularly regarding youth access to vape products, with the potential economic impact on vape shops and the interests of adult consumers who may view e-cigarettes as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes.
The outcome of this legislative debate could have significant implications for the regulation of vape products in Tennessee and may serve as a model for other states grappling with similar issues.
- Tennessee Bill Requiring FDA Compliance for Vape Shops Passes Committee - February 26, 2025
- Nebraska Legislature to Hold Public Hearings on Vape Flavors and Advertising Bans - February 26, 2025
- Arkansas Legislators Propose Bill to Ban Disposable Vapes - February 26, 2025
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