ILLINOIS (WAND) - Measures to prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to underage people and regulate marketing around these products have been signed into Illinois law.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed Senate Bills 512 and 555. They follow the signing in 2019 of legislation raising the legal buying age of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products in Illinois from 18 to 21.
The newly-signed SB 512 law does not allow the use of cartoons, video game characters and popular children's media to promote e-cigarette products. Sellers will not be able to market e-cigarettes as a low-risk product.
In addition, the bill will mandate sellers take further steps to make sure buyers are 21, including requiring online orders be paid through a credit card or check in the buyer's name. The sale of e-cigarettes that contain specific harmful chemicals and additives will also be prohibited by the bill.
Violators will be held accountable through language in the legislation giving the Attorney General's office and law enforcement agencies criminal and civil authority.
“Vaping - and e-cigarette-related deaths and illnesses - have become a nationwide outbreak that no user is immune to, no matter how young they are,” said State Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “We must continue to change the culture of smoking – especially for younger generations. The Preventing Youth Vaping Act is another step toward keeping these harmful products out of the hands of children.”
In SB 555, the Substance Use Disorder Act has been changed to include vape shops. This allows the Illinois Department of Human Services to go through compliance checks on the sale of e-cigarettes according to the minimum buying age of 21.
The legislation also allows underage people to test retailer compliance under the supervision of law enforcement in the process of a compliance check without violating tobacco laws.
“This legislation will make our communities healthier places to live, and most importantly, will save lives,” said Pritzker. “I’m proud that Illinois is taking yet another step toward protecting the health and safety of our young residents from tobacco and e-cigarettes and I want to thank Attorney General Raoul, our partners in the General Assembly, as well as the advocates and organizations for their work to make these laws possible.”
Both new laws take effect Jan. 1, 2022.
