State Sen. Loughran Cappel measure protecting youth from e-cigarettes advances

To protect youth from the dangers of vaping, state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel is sponsoring a measure that would prohibit shipping e-cigarettes to anyone in the state.

“The internet makes it easy for kids to access vapes,” Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, said in a news release. “We have to do what we can to protect our youth from the risks e-cigarettes pose to their health.”

Senate Bill 3098 would prohibit electronic cigarettes bought by mail, online or through other remote sale methods from being shipped to anyone in the state other than a distributor or retailer, according to the release.

Loughran Cappel’s initiative comes in response to students obtaining e-cigarettes that are designed to look like everyday objects, such as highlighters, according to the release.

“Vapes that look like school supplies make it hard for teachers to decipher what the object is,” Loughran Cappel said in the release. “After hearing from the local school district, it’s clear there needs to be guardrails in place to prevent kids from easily getting e-cigarettes.”

Senate Bill 3098 passed the Senate Executive Committee and heads to the floor for further consideration.