Georgia lawmaker working on legislation to toughen vaping laws

ATLANTA — The vaping epidemic among young teens and children now has some Georgia lawmakers calling for new regulations.

State Rep. Bonnie Rich told Channel 2's Tom Regan that she wants to ban the sale of most flavored vaping products.

“We don’t know the effect that those products are having on lungs -- young lungs," Rich said.

Rich, a mother of teens, said something must be done to keep vaping products out of the hands of children.

“I know a 14-year-old who became addicted to nicotine because he was vaping highly concentrated nicotine pods," Rich said.

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She said the teen ordered the products online. Now, she's calling for new regulations on the internet sale of vaping products.

“I want to require that any vape product delivered in Georgia requires a signature and a valid ID to prove the person receiving the product is of legal age,” Rich said.

She told Regan that any business that sells vaping products must be licensed to do so and thinks a ban on most flavored vaping liquids would help discourage underage use.

“I would like to limit the sale of any vape products to menthol, mint and tobacco to cut down on youth desire,” Rich said.

Vape shop owners say a ban on flavored juices would put them out of business. They blame the widening vaping lung illness outbreak on bootleg products containing THC.

“There's also been people buying them on the street as opposed to a verified shop," vape shop owner Brendan Bagwell said.

Most metro Atlanta school systems are cracking down hard on vaping, but Rich said children are still sneaking vaping devices into schools.

“I have heard some anecdotal stories about kids that have passed out at school and their friends have helped them,” Rich said.

Rich told Regan she is working with Rep. Gerald Greene to draw up a vaping bill. They plan to introduce it in the next session.

Cox Media Group