Minnesota Governor signs law banning sale of e-cigs!!!

[leaford]

But, only to minors!!

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has signed into law a bill banning sales to minors of several tobacco and non-tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes.

Sponsored by by Senator Scott Dibble and Representative Jim Davnie of Minneapolis, the tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act of 2010 also covers some of the new tobacco products such as orbs, strips, lozenges and snus made by our "friends" in Big Tobacco.

For more, see:

Minnesota Passes Law Banning Electronic Cigarette Sales to Kids - E-smoker Forever – by Leaford

 

[Vocalek]

Here is the Presss Release put out by Sen. Scott Dibble

New law closes loopholes on new tobacco products aimed at kids

 

[PlanetScribbles]

Sen. Dibble said "Right now, there are products being test-marketed, with children as the intended consumers

FFS, when are these halfwits going to get it through their thick skulls that these products ARE NOT aimed at kids???

 

[AuldNick]

GOL....that's Groaning Out LOUD..
Anytime a politician says "It's for the 'cheer-drin' "
my first thought is "For the 'cheer-drin' ?? Just where the HE11 are the PARENTS ????"

More politico-speak!
The linked Press Release even admits that it's (more) about "taxation and regulation".
The Nanny State is in full swing.
(No, I don't think kids should have tobacco products...or e-cigs...but that's the job
of parents - NOT the Nanny State)

As of late... it seems to me that there are FAR too many politicians who have
an unhealthy OBSESSION with taxation and the trampling of personal freedoms
and liberty.

 

[Tampa2]

FFS, when are these halfwits going to get it through their thick skulls that these products ARE NOT aimed at kids???

After reading the article, I am pretty sure that the guy was talking about the tobacco industry targeting kids. Not e-Cigarettes.

 

[Vocalek]

After reading the article, I am pretty sure that the guy was talking about the tobacco industry targeting kids. Not e-Cigarettes.

Either way, he's wrong. The dissolvables are aimed at smokers as a smokeless alternative. All that complaining about how they look like candy? No more so than the big pharma products.

 

[funguy]

As I am the only Minnesotan to post in this thread so far I just want to point out that, even though these products have not been banned, Pawlenty IS the kind of governor to do exactly that. Since he has taken office, the price of cigarettes has gone from around $3 a pack to almost $6. A good deal of this money has gone to fund new sports stadiums and God knows what else.

I am new to vaping and love it. I quit analogs after 4 days.

I have emailed my representative about the issue. While I completely agree that these products should never under any circumstances be sold to minors, I fear that Minnesota will take it TOO far and ban them all together. Even if that happens I will continue to purchase/import/use this product. Even if it is illegal.

I feel healthier than I have in the last ten years and I have told my Rep. exactly this. I urge anyone who is concerned to contact their legislators and tell them in your own words why you feel these products should remain legal.

 

[Caellach]

Although I'm new, you are not the only minnesotan lurking/posting around here. I have mixed feelings about pawlenty, he has done some good, but he has done just as much bad. He cuts some taxes, but then ups others, and spends money just as bad as the feds. But he does try to balance it a little more.
I wish I had known Minnesota was even looking at e-cigs in their bills, or had been around soon enough to have spoken out. I will be certain to email, mail, and fax all these politicians regarding this.
It's stupid that they pass a law just to keep it out of the hands of kids, all it does is brings negative attention in general to it. I've never seen advertising for this in minnesota, and especially not aimed for children. But then, I dont watch much tv.
At least they didn't ban it entirely though.. It's something...

 

[BradSmith]

You know what? I think it's rather twisted that so many people are willing to throw kids under the bus to keep from having to give up their e-cig.

I get it, it's going to be seen as much more responsible if kids are not allowed to vape. But, it really is about being polically correct and not about saving lives.


Ask yourself this one very simple question. If your daughter or son were addicted to nicotine, where would you like them to get their fix from??? Smoking or Vaping??

I can tell you one thing for a fact, you are not going to stop kids from Smoking. We can turn this nation into a maximum security prison and tobacco would still be around.

 

[316lvm]

Holy Crap! When I read the intro. almost died of a heart attack. Thanks Leaford!!

I live in Minnesota - when did this happen? How could I have missed this? Do you think the Mighty P will ban e-cigs all together? Do we need to start a letter campaign?

This does not bode well.

Come on Minnesotans!!!!! We need to start talking about this!

 

[funguy]

316, don't panic just yet. Pawlenty hasn't banned them, just prevented them from being sold to minors.

 

[opyrus]

DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT GOOD LORD. sale to minors has never really been an issue to buy online you need a credit card an to have you you have to be 18+ anyways and most store fronts charge 100$ per kit so where is a minor coming up with 100$ to spend on this? they would be far more likely to get a pack of real smokes for 2-10$ or steal them from there parents.

 

[316lvm]

316, don't panic just yet. Pawlenty hasn't banned them, just prevented them from being sold to minors.

Ok. I'm not going to panic. I'm not going to panic

DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT GOOD LORD. sale to minors has never really been an issue to buy online you need a credit card an to have you you have to be 18+ anyways and most store fronts charge 100$ per kit so where is a minor coming up with 100$ to spend on this? they would be far more likely to get a pack of real smokes for 2-10$ or steal them from there parents.

Have you ever been to Mall of America or any mall for that matter? Next time you go, just sit down somewhere and watch the kids. It is unbelieveable how much money they have to spend. More so on what they spend it on. Research shows that kids now days have about $206 billion dollars of buying power.

Speaking of credit cards, I saw 3 young girls (around 13 y/o) at Mall of America with credit cards. In fact, it was my 12 y/o son who pointed it out to me. This wasn't the first time I've seen teens with credit cards either. Or wads of cash.

 

[Nyxie]

Speaking of credit cards, I saw 3 young girls (around 13 y/o) at Mall of America with credit cards. In fact, it was my 12 y/o son who pointed it out to me. This wasn't the first time I've seen teens with credit cards either. Or wads of cash.

Yes, my 17 and 13 yr olds have more money than I do to spend freely, without concern. They also work for it. I personally don't think they (mine) will waste thier money on ecigs. I am sure other kids will try it just because. I would like it to be illegal for kids to purchase them until they are adults. But they should leave us adults alone.

I know that kids of mine and their friends have been pounded not to smoke. A lot more than I ever was at school, even by peers. They look at my vaping as a quit smoking thing, not a start smoking thing. One of my kids tried smoking with the "bad" kids for a minute and realized he didn't like it or the kids, thank goodness.

My kids also have "debit" cards not credit cards. I have access to thier accounts through online banking. I can see every purchase they make before they even get home from the mall. Quite frankly I am happier this way. They could hide thier purchases from me otherwise with cash in hand. I am not saying they couldn't anyway but they are more excited about swiping thier card then hiding cash anymore. My 17 yr old actually went all the way to the bank to put 15.00 in to spend 12.00 at taco bell just so she could swipe her card.

 

[Nyxie]

Leaford this is the second time I have crapped my pants because of this post LOL. Thanks much Leaford for waking me up again.
But seriously your blog is the reason I kept looking for a better vape last year and stuck with it. So you can scare me one more time LOL.

 

[Luisa]

Although I'm new, you are not the only minnesotan lurking/posting around here. I have mixed feelings about pawlenty, he has done some good, but he has done just as much bad. He cuts some taxes, but then ups others, and spends money just as bad as the feds. But he does try to balance it a little more.
I wish I had known Minnesota was even looking at e-cigs in their bills, or had been around soon enough to have spoken out. I will be certain to email, mail, and fax all these politicians regarding this.
It's stupid that they pass a law just to keep it out of the hands of kids, all it does is brings negative attention in general to it. I've never seen advertising for this in minnesota, and especially not aimed for children. But then, I dont watch much tv.
At least they didn't ban it entirely though.. It's something...

We need to support Minnesota in its ban of ecigs to children. We all want that. Sometimes,it is best to leave sleeping dogs lie--they have not proposed a bill to ban them altogether and that is good. You would be wise to compliment them on the ban for children and share your experience of switching to ecigs from combustibles.

 

[CES]

This law is actually a good thing. A law that bans sales only to minors means that sales to adults are, by definition, legal.

 

[blondeambition3]

I will continue to purchase/import/use this product. Even if it is illegal.

Ditto! Same for me!

 

[blondeambition3]

This law is actually a good thing. A law that bans sales only to minors means that sales to adults are, by definition, legal.

I'm praying this is the case...

 

[Caellach]

What concerns me, is that this is how stuff like this starts.
I think keeping an eye on what kids do is up to parents, not government. I don't disagree that at face value this is a good thing, but that's face value. Selling analogs to minors has been a law for as long as I can remember. I've never been able to go down to the store and buy my mom a pack, let alone myself when I was a minor. Now we have smoking bans that reach further and further. And in minnesota they are going hog wild with smoking bans.