Latest news with #Solomon'Solly'Wynn
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
NC advocates continue push for bill to crack down on youth vaping
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Dozens of advocates joined together at the North Carolina General Assembly Tuesday fighting for a chance to have a bill crack down on youth vaping heard by North Carolina lawmakers. House Bill 430, known as Solly's Law, and its corresponding Senate Bill 318 would require a tobacco retail sales permit for businesses to align with federal law, which sets the minimum age to purchase at 21. SPECIAL REPORT | North Carolina mother fighting against teen vaping with new bill The bill is named after Solomon 'Solly' Wynn. The New Hanover County teen died in 2023 at just 15. His stepmother Charlene Zorn says his doctors told her was due to complications from vaping. 'We have to do something now before someone else's child dies,' said Zorn. She was one of the advocates who came to the GA pushing for the bills to pass but it's been at a standstill in both the house and senate rules committees since March. Representative Donnie Loftis of Gaston County is one of the sponsors of the house bill. 'North Carolina is one of the last seven states to raise the age and to bring all unregulated vape shops into compliance with state law,' said Rep. Loftis. The North Carolina Alliance for Health says though most vapes are acquired from retailers, the next most common way teens are able to access them is from a friend under the age of 21. They also say e-cigarette sales have increased by 250% since 2020. Macey Morris, a student at Eastern Alamance High School, is just one North Carolina teen who spoke about what she's seeing at her school. 'Trying to use the restrooms throughout the day during class change and even during class time can be nearly impossible. The bathrooms are filled with students vaping and take up the majority of the space which can make it uncomfortable to try and use the restroom throughout the day,' said Morris. Rep. Loftis says they are waiting for the bills to go to their appropriate committees and they're hoping Tuesday's call for action will help. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NC bills introduced to protect children from effects of vaping
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Lawmakers in North Carolina are considering a bill designed to protect kids from the effects of vaping. On Wednesday, state Rep. Donnie Loftis introduced two corresponding bills – House Bill 430 and Senate Bill 318. Both are called 'Solly's Law.' The bill is named after Solomon 'Solly' Wynn. His stepmother, Charlene Zorn, spoke at a press conference highlighting what supporters say is the need for more regulation of vaping. She said her stepson was a healthy 15-year-old boy with no major health problems, but once he started vaping, he developed breathing issues. Wynn died from severe hypoxia in 2023. 'Vapes and other nicotine products should not be available to underage kids,' Zorn said. 'We need enforcement. We need the legal age to purchase vapes and nicotine products to be at least 21 in North Carolina. We need to continue to educate our youth, our parents, our educators and the general public of the dangers of vape and nicotine products.' The North Carolina Alliance for Health says 95% of vaping and tobacco use begins before age 21, and North Carolina is currently one of seven states that has not raised the age for tobacco products. The group also says North Carolina is one of nine states that does not have a tobacco product licensing or permitting system, but believes there are about 1,200 to 1,500 tobacco retailers and 5,000 to 7,000 vape shops in the state. They say permitting or licensing the sale of vape and tobacco products allows the state to know where tobacco products are being sold, improves merchant education efforts and allows the state to inspect responsible retail practices. Rep. Loftis says if the bill were to pass, the permitting system would look similar to the process for beer, wine and lottery tickets. It would also be administered by the ABC Commission. Click here to read more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
