SB 1200/ HB 1454
- Raises the age of person who can purchase tobacco and vapor products to the age of 21
- Changes the definition of vapor to electronic smoking device
- Removes penalties for purchase and possession of individuals under the age of 21 (Not going to punish the young people)
- Implements new licensing requirements for tobacco and vapor sales
- Penalties on retailers include graduated fines, license suspension and revocation
- Requires a specified # of compliance checks — at least one per year and follow up checks with violators
- Provides a dedicated funding source for this program through license fees and fines
- Requires appropriate signage at retail stores
- Provides for retail education
What is the fiscal note?
- Increase State Revenue: $300,000 FY19-30 and Subsequent Years
- Decrease State: 3,483,000 FY19-20 and 6,966,100 FY20-21
- Increase State Expenditures: less and than $300,000 FY19-21
- Decrease Local Revenue- $500,800 FY19-20 and 1,001,700 FY20-21
- Money can be recapped in the long run by massive savings to the healthcare cost of Tennesseans
- TennCare alone estimates that 355K members use tobacco
- Total money spent by TennCare in 2018 on tobacco-related conditions was 148 million dollars (of which 1.75 million was for members using under the age of 21)
What does the public think about the bill?
- According to the CDC survey, three out of four American adults – including seven out of ten adult cigarette smokers – favor making 21 the minimum age of sale for tobacco products.
- In Tennessee’s 14th District, of the 2,000 people that responded in the 2019 survey, 74.7% supported increasing the age to 21 for smoking and vaping.
What’s tobacco’s position on the bill?
- Recognizes the harm that vaping is doing
Live and Let Live Argument
- SB 2100 does not prohibit smoking after 21
- Military readiness and fitness improvements
- Ninety-five percent of adults that smoke started before the age of 21.
In Review
- Eighteen-year-olds are buying tobacco and vaping products for younger teenagers
- Tennessee is 46th in lung cancer, 43rd in life expectancy, 42nd in heart disease, 43rd in COPD, 45th in diabetes, and 47th in stroke compared to the other states across America
