Tennessee bill would criminalize vaping on school property for those under 21
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Republican lawmakers filed a bill this week that would make it a crime to vape on school property for those under 21 years of age.
HB1425 would make it a Class C misdemeanor to use or possess vapor products on any K-12 campus. It's sponsored by Rep. Gary Hicks and Sen. Shane Reeves.
In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported more than 2.5 million high school and middle school students across the country use e-cigarettes. The most commonly used brands are Puff Bar, Vuse, Hyde and SMOK.
E-cigarette maker Juul has been ordered to shell out nearly $440 million to settle a lawsuit brought by 33 states—including Tennessee— after a a two-year bipartisan investigation found the company deliberately targeted young people through marketing campaigns even though much of that demographic is not legally old enough to buy e-cigarettes. Tennessee will be receiving approximately $13 million from the settlement.
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