(The Center Square) – New Illinois laws that go into effect Jan. 1 will place more restrictions on electronic cigarettes.
One law prohibits the advertising, marketing or promoting of an electronic cigarette in a manner that is likely to cause a person to mistake it for an object that is anything other than what it is, a tobacco product.
State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, said some e-cigarettes are designed to look like school supplies, like highlighters, erasers and pencil sharpeners.
“This law will prohibit tobacco companies from pulling the wool over the eyes of educators and guardians whose job it is to keep kids safe,” said Morrison.
Elizabeth Hicks with the Consumer Choice Center said the assault on vaping may push some Illinoisans back to regular combustible cigarettes, leaving taxpayers to pick up the tab.
“Taxpayers unfortunately also suffer in addition to consumers,” said Hicks. “The annual Medicaid costs for smoking-related illnesses in Illinois is over $2 billion, which is one of the highest throughout the country.”
Another law prohibits electronic cigarettes purchased by mail, online or through other remote sale methods from being shipped to anyone in the state other than a distributor or retailer.
“The internet has made it very easy for kids to get vapes,” said state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood. “After hearing from local elected officials who were seeing an uptick in the usage of vapes in schools, it was clear we had to put guardrails in place to protect kids from the dangers of smoking.”
