Bill > SB2098

This bill creates a new offense in Tennessee law that prohibits vape shop retailers, as well as distributors, wholesalers, and importers of vapor products, from selling nitrous oxide, which is a colorless gas also known as "laughing gas." The bill defines "vape shop" as a place that sells electronic smoking devices and related products, and a "vape shop retailer" as anyone engaged in selling these items, including nitrous oxide. Violators face escalating civil penalties, starting with up to $500 per product for a first offense, increasing to $750-$1,000 and a 30-day license suspension for a second offense within a year, and a $1,000-$1,500 penalty with license revocation for a third offense within a year. Manufacturers who knowingly facilitate the sale of nitrous oxide for retail in this manner can be fined $10,000 per product. The bill also allows the state to recover costs associated with enforcement and classifies repeated violations as deceptive trade practices. This legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.