Bill > SB0562

This bill amends Tennessee law to strengthen regulations around youth access to vapor products, tobacco, and smoking hemp products. The legislation redefines a "retail vapor product store" as an establishment that only allows entry to individuals 21 years or older and establishes more stringent rules for selling vapor products. Specifically, the bill restricts the sale of flavored vapor products to specialized retail vapor product stores, with limited exceptions for non-flavored or traditional tobacco/menthol-flavored cartridge-based products in other retail establishments. The bill mandates that all sellers of tobacco, vapor, and nicotine products demand proof of age from prospective purchasers, regardless of the person's appearance. For retail vapor product stores, employees must now verify the age of customers immediately upon entry. Retailers are required to post prominent signs indicating the age restriction and prohibiting sales to individuals under 21. The legislation also requires comprehensive employee training, including signed statements acknowledging age verification responsibilities and potential penalties for non-compliance. Additionally, the bill provides guidelines for selling vapor products through vending machines, limiting their placement to areas with age restrictions or under direct supervision. The new regulations will take effect on July 1, 2025, with the stated goal of preventing youth access to age-restricted products.

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https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0562&ga=114