Latest news with #TheCampaignforTobacco-FreeKids
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House votes to ‘put Kentucky kids ahead of tobacco,' license retailers of nicotine products
In Kentucky, almost 20% of high school students use electronic cigarettes and 5% smoke, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (Getty Images) FRANKFORT — Kentucky is one step closer to licensing retailers who sell nicotine with the passage of Senate Bill 100 in the House Wednesday 82-11. It passed the Senate in late February. The House made some changes to the bill — which the Senate will have to vote on — but kept the licensing requirements laid out by Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, in place. Under SB 100, Kentucky would license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers. It would also fine retailers who sell nicotine products to minors and give half the money collected in fines to a youth prevention program in a state where about 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign. The other half would go toward enforcement expenses. Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death across the country, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. In Kentucky, smoking and lung cancer rates exceed those in the rest of the nation. The House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Committee passed Higdon's bill Wednesday morning and sent it to the House floor. In that meeting, Higdon reiterated he wants to go after 'bad actors' who expose youth to nicotine. 'We have a lot of good retailers. In fact, probably 99.8% of the retailers in Kentucky run good businesses and follow the rules and would never sell to an underage person,' Higdon said. 'This bill has teeth that ABC can enforce and get rid of bad actors.' Mallory Jones, a high school senior, testified alongside Higdon that her generation is being 'strategically manipulated' to purchase vapes. 'As a youth advocate and heart survivor, I'm concerned about what I'm seeing in my school, among peers and in my community,' said Jones, adding they get sucked in by 'intentionally flashy, colorful, fun, flavored products.' 'It's time for us to put Kentucky kids ahead of tobacco,' she said. Seven hours later, SB 100 cleared the House with bipartisan support. Several Republicans voted against it.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kentucky Senate moves to regulate vape retailers, punish ‘bad actors'
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, filed a bill, which passed the Senate, to add harsher penalties for retailers who sell vaping products to minors. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) FRANKFORT — Kentucky's Senate is moving to add harsher penalties for retailers who sell vaping products to minors. Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon's Senate Bill 100 passed 33-3 on Wednesday. The three who voted against it — Sens. Robby Mills, Aaron Reed and Lindsey Tichenor — are all Republican. The legislation would license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers. 'This bill has teeth,' Higdon said on the Senate floor. It's 'not aimed at responsible retailers who follow rules,' he said, and is aimed at 'protecting our youth.' The bill would also fine retailers who sell to minors, and revoke their licenses on their fourth violation. Clerks who sell to minors would be fined $100 per violation. Shop owners would receive a notice after the first violation then be fined $500 on the second offense and then $1,000. Upon a fourth violation, retailers would lose their license and not be able to renew it for two years. Fine money will be split between enforcement expenses and youth prevention programs. Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death across the country, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. In Kentucky, smoking and lung cancer rates exceed those in the rest of the nation. About 17% of Kentucky adults smoke compared to 11% nationally. In Kentucky, 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign. Under Higdon's bill, retailers who operate without a license would face criminal charges: the first offence would be a Class B misdemeanor, followed by a Class A misdemeanor. The third and subsequent offenses would be Class D felonies. The bill 'is about holding the bad actors accountable,' Higdon said. 'If you sell without a license, you will face serious consequences. If you sell to underage individuals, there will be financial and legal consequences.' The bill now goes to the House for committee consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill cracking down on nicotine sales to underage Kentuckians clears committee
In Kentucky, almost 20% of high school students use electronic cigarettes and 5% smoke, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (Getty Images) A legislative committee unanimously advanced a bill Tuesday that the sponsor has promised will add 'teeth' to Kentucky laws aimed at keeping nicotine products out of the hands of youth. Senate Bill 100, from Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, can now go to the Senate floor for a vote. Delanie Crump, a first year student at Boyd County High School in Ashland, testified before the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee alongside Higdon. She said that too many of her peers have access to vapes with the potential for long term effects. 'Imagine this: A middle schooler, just 12 years old, trying a vape for the first time because it tastes like candy,' Crump said. 'They don't see the addiction coming, but it grabs hold of them anyways. By high school, they're hooked. This isn't just a hypothetical. It's happening in every classroom, every neighborhood, in every state in our nation.' E-cigarettes are addictive and can damage the heart and lungs, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. 'The consequences of inaction are devastating. This isn't just about lung cancer 30 years down the line,' Crump told lawmakers. 'It's about kids dropping out of sports because their lungs can't keep up. It's about the anxiety and depression that nicotine fuels. It's about academic distraction and under performance. It's about an entire generation being stolen before they've had a chance to live fully.' Crump, who also works with the youth advisory board for the tobacco prevention hashtag movement #iCANendthetrend, said Kentucky needs better enforcement of bans on underage tobacco sales, to license retailers and conduct compliance checks on them, and to impose 'harsher' penalties for violations. All of that would be accomplished by Higdon's SB 100, which would license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers. The legislation would also establish a system of fines. Clerks who sell to minors would be fined $100 per violation. Shop owners would receive a notice after the first violation then be fined $500 on the second offense and then $1,000. Upon a fourth violation, retailers would lose their license and not be able to renew it for two years. Half of the fine money would go to enforcement expenses and the other half to 'a youth program directed at targeting and educating youth on the dangers of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products,' according to the bill. 'This bill has one purpose, to stop the supply of vapes and cigarettes to (the) underage,' Higdon said. 'The majority of Kentucky retailers are great retailers. They follow the law. This bill is directed at bad actors.' Griffin Nemeth, a youth advisory board coordinator for #iCANendthetrend, agreed. 'Tobacco retail licensure is not an anti-business measure at all. I think it's pro-business,' he said. 'We care about Kentucky's economy, and I know you all do as well. We want to preserve its integrity and growth. The only businesses who will be harmed by tobacco retail licensure are those acting criminally, those selling often illegal nicotine products to underage kids.' Smoking is also a leading cause of preventable death across the country, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. In Kentucky, smoking and lung cancer rates exceed those in the rest of the nation. About 17% of Kentucky adults smoke compared to 11% nationally. In Kentucky, 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign. 'Will this completely stop underage vaping?' Higdon said. 'Unfortunately, no. But it's a step in the right direction.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill would clamp down on ‘bad actors' selling nicotine to youth, says sponsor
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, says most Kentucky retailers are following the law by not selling nicotine products to underage buyers. (LRC Public Information) Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, has filed a bill that he promised would add 'teeth' to Kentucky laws aimed at keeping nicotine products out of the hands of kids. Higdon's Senate Bill 100, filed Thursday, seeks to license all retailers who sell tobacco and vape products, giving the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control inspection and enforcement powers over them, similar to those it exercises over alcohol retailers. Kentucky law prohibits the sale of tobacco and vaping products and alcohol to those younger than 21. SB 100 also establishes a framework for fining sales clerks who violate the law by selling products to underage buyers as well as the shop owner. Clerks would be fined $100 per violation. Shop owners would receive a notice after the first violation, then be fined $500 on the second offense and then $1,000. Upon a fourth violation, retailers would lose their license and not be able to renew it for two years, according to the bill. Half of the fine money would go to 'a youth program directed at targeting and educating youth on the dangers of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products,' according to the bill. The other half goes to the 'cost of enforcement.' 'I've been a retail store owner, and I know for a fact the vast majority of Kentucky's retailers take their responsibility seriously and follow the law because they understand the dangers of youth vaping, and smoking and drinking for that matter,' Higdon said in a Friday statement. 'This bill isn't about punishing responsible business owners — it's about holding bad actors accountable. Those who repeatedly sell to minors are making life harder for the honest retailers who play by the rules, and we're going to put a stop to it.' In Kentucky, smoking and lung cancer rates exceed those in the rest of the nation. About 17% of Kentucky adults smoke vs. 11% nationally. In Kentucky, 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign. New restrictions on vape sales in Kentucky win approval with tobacco industry backing Smoking is also a leading cause of preventable death across the country, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. 'As policymakers, we can't just sit back while kids develop lifelong addictions,' Higdon said. Also on Thursday, youth advocates with #iCANendthetrend at the University of Kentucky, which is student-run and provides prevention tools to Kentuckians, met with lawmakers to throw their support behind strengthening protections from the vape industry. Griffin Nemeth, a youth advisory board coordinator for the hashtag movement, told the Senate Education Committee that 'licensing of retailers is not an anti-business decision.' 'Youth are suffering from this crisis,' he said. 'The industry has strategically manipulated them for years and years and years.' Licensing retailers, he said, 'is an opportunity to protect public health, to protect the public health of our youngest generation.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kentucky is not doing enough to prevent smoking and vaping, says annual report
The Kentucky Capitol. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) The American Lung Association gave Kentucky mostly failing grades when it comes to preventing tobacco use — and helping people access recovery — in a 2025 report released Wednesday. The new 'State of Tobacco Control' report 'evaluates state and federal policies on actions taken to eliminate use and recommends proven-effective control laws and policies to save lives.' It says Kentucky lawmakers should require merchants who sell nicotine products to have licenses to do so. This is at least partially in line with what Lebanon Republican Sen. Jimmy Higdon wants to do during the 2025 legislative session. Higdon told a committee in November that he would file legislation to license all sellers of tobacco or vape products, giving the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) the same enforcement authority over businesses that sell nicotine products as those that sell alcohol, including the power to enter the businesses without warrants. He has yet to file the bill, but still intends to, according to a Senate Republican spokesman. The legislature is on break but returns to Frankfort Feb. 4 to finish the 2025 session. The lung association also wants Kentucky to 'provide for and fund specific enforcement measures and establish a meaningful penalty structure for underage sales violations.' Shannon Baker, the advocacy director at the American Lung Association in Kentucky, said in a statement that 'policymakers in Kentucky must focus on requiring retail licenses to sell nicotine products and increasing funding for youth quit-smoking programs' this year. 'In addition to grading Kentucky's policies, this year's 'State of Tobacco Control' report examines the industry's increasingly aggressive actions to addict a new generation to nicotine and hinder proven public policies to prevent and reduce use,' Baker said in a statement. 'Here in Kentucky, we are seeing industry lobbyists at the state and local levels working to stop or weaken proven nicotine control policies,' she said. 'The industry is also introducing new products that appeal to youth like e-cigarettes that mimic smartphones, kid-friendly flavors and flavored nicotine pouches that are heavily marketed by social media influencers.' Tobacco use takes an especially high toll in Kentucky, where smoking and lung cancer rates exceed those in the rest of the nation. About 17% of Kentucky adults smoke vs. 11% nationally. In Kentucky, 5% of high school students smoke and almost 20% use e-cigarettes, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Smoking costs the state more than $2 billion every year in health complications, according to the campaign. Smoking is also a leading cause of preventable death across the country, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Michael Seilback, the assistant vice president of state public policy for the American Lung Association, said the poor grades are due in large part to Kentucky not spending enough on cessation and prevention. The report card puts the state toward the bottom in the country, he told the Lantern. 'Kentucky received grades that by no account would be a report card that anybody would want to bring home,' Seilback said. The State of Tobacco report gives Kentucky these 'grades': Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs — F. This grade is because Kentucky spends only a small portion of what it should on tobacco control, Seilback said. Overall, it spends about $50 million less than what it needs to, he said. Strength of Smoke Free Workplace Laws — F. The lung association wants to see comprehensive protections in place that guarantee no one will be exposed to secondhand smoke in their place of employment, Seilback said. He believes a 2025 House Bill could undermine this by overriding local control. This bill says local ordinances restricting smoking will not apply to the interior of cigar bars. Level of State Tobacco Taxes — F. Kentucky's tax rate for a 20-pack of cigarettes is $1.10, which Seilback said is much lower than other states (some charge $5) and the national average. Increasing this could deter consumption, he said. Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco — C. Kentucky offers 'comprehensive coverage for cessation medication and counseling' through Medicaid, Seilback said, 'which is really important.' Hurting Kentucky's grade here is the amount of money the state spends per smoker: 98 cents. Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products — F. Kentucky hasn't done enough to limit flavored tobacco products, Seilback said, which 'attract younger people' and 'mask the harshness of the chemicals and toxins that are in these products.' In 2024, the state legislature passed a law aimed at curbing underage vaping by limiting sales to 'authorized products' or those that have 'a safe harbor certification' based on their status with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill was backed by Altria, the country's largest manufacturer of cigarettes which also markets FDA-approved vape products. Altria has spent more than $500,000 lobbying the Kentucky legislature since January 2022, according to records filed with the Legislative Ethics Commission. The American Lung Association's stance is that this law 'was a missed opportunity, a failed opportunity,' Seilback said. 'We don't believe that it's going to have the effect that others might have,' he added. The law faced an unsuccessful constitutional challenge that argued it was too broad and arbitrary. It went into effect Jan. 1. Some have argued it does little more than harm businesses while others say it didn't go far enough to stop youth from accessing the products. The argument that crackdowns on tobacco sales are anti-business isn't unique to Kentucky, Seilback said. In fact, 'there's probably not a state we don't hear that argument.' But, he said, 'there is a cost to Kentucky because of tobacco use.' 'It's important to remember that the cost of addiction and the cost of tobacco to our state is significant,' he said. 'There's health care costs, there's lost days of work. And so we shouldn't think about these things in such a black and white way because the costs are tremendous. And, in states and localities that have regulated tobacco products, we have not seen the economic harm that is often presented by opponents to these laws.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
