Contact:
Mara Powell
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

LOUISVILLE, KY – Kentucky kids have told us – as well as teachers, parents, coaches, and health care providers – vaping is happening among our high school and middle school students. And the reality is that, despite the Tobacco-21 law prohibiting sales of vapes and e-cigarettes to those under 21, two out of five youth nationally report getting these products directly from retail sources in their community, like gas stations and convenience stores.

Senator Jimmy Higdon seeks to end that trend in Kentucky with Senate Bill 100, which ultimately promotes compliance with federal and state Tobacco-21 law to end underage sales. SB 100 – unanimously passed today by the Senate Licensing & Occupations Committee – would establish a division within ABC to oversee enforcement related to regulation of tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product sales, including conducting annual compliance checks and outlining penalties for those selling to kids.

We applaud Senator Higdon and the young people who spoke up today for their efforts to weed out those bad actors, promote compliance with T-21, and protect our kids from the harmful effects of vaping. We now urge the full Senate to take the lead of the Senate L&O Committee and pass SB 100 so it can advance into the House for action.

Stay up-to-date on Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities and other bills that are good for kids on our Kentucky General Assembly Bill Tracker.

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About Kentucky Youth Advocates
Kentucky Youth Advocates believes all children deserve to be safe, healthy, and secure. As THE independent voice for Kentucky’s children, we work to ensure policymakers create investments and policies that are good for children. Learn more at www.kyyouth.org.