INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers are poised to double the fines stores could face for selling smoking or vaping products to anyone younger than 21 years old.
Legislators advanced an agreement Wednesday reached by Senate and House negotiators on a bill that supporters say will help reduce Indiana’s high smoking rates by making it more difficult for youths to obtain tobacco-related items such as cigarettes or e-cigarette liquids.
But the Republican-sponsored proposal doesn’t include any additional taxes on cigarettes or regulations on vaping liquids as sought by health advocates.
The agreement would boost the maximum fine against a retailer for a first violation from $200 to $400.
More from WHAS11:
- Tax on vaping products passes Kentucky House
- Cracking down on policy, Madison Consolidated now adding vaping detectors in bathrooms
- No controlled substances found in devices after students, staff sent to hospital with vaping-related illness, Indiana school says
- 'It ain’t worth your body': Kentucky students, teachers speak about vaping crisis
- School nurse, more students taken to hospital after becoming ill near same area of Madison Consolidated School building
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.