Senator Joey Hensley Speaks on Bills for Vape Products

To prevent the sale of illegal vape products, such as e-cigarettes, the Commerce and Labor Committee enacted Senate Bill 763, which strengthens age verification procedures for purchasing vape products and ensures that only FDA-approved or pending-approval vape products are marketed in Tennessee. The bill seeks to safeguard customers, particularly kids, from hazardous, unregulated vape goods that are flooding the market, many of which come from China. Due to Tennessee’s lax laws on vape devices, manufacturers have been able to avoid tobacco regulations and introduce dangerous items that exploit kids. This legislation will aim to safeguard consumers, especially children, from dangerous vape goods. Senator Joey Hensley has met with many of the juvenile judges, who have raised severe worries about the number of juveniles coming into court with health issues caused by defective vape goods. These items frequently use undeclared substances and attract children with their flavors and packaging. Current law states retailers are not required to ID an individual if they appear over the age of thirty. This bill will raise that age to fifty to prevent underage sales. Legislation also proposes new regulations for hemp products. Key provisions of Senate Bill 1413 include prohibiting the sale of THCs and THCp, banning direct shipping of hemp products to consumers, requiring a hemp wholesale license for distributors, implementing licensing fees for wholesalers and increasing fees for suppliers and retailers, and several more items as well. For more information you can contact Senator Hensley at 615-741-3100 or email sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov.