Shapiro signs Lehigh Valley rep’s bill aimed to curb sale of certain e-cigarettes

HARRISBURG, PA — House Bill 1425, sponsored by Pennsylvania State Representative Jeanne McNeill (D-133), was signed into law last month.

H.B. 1425 seeks to establish the Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDs) Directory. It would serve as a running database of all FDA-complaint electronic cigarettes that contain nicotine authorized for sale in Pennsylvania. 

The directory would require annual manufacturer and product recertifications.

The Office of Attorney General would administer the database, update it monthly and notify retailers of changes. The bill also permits the Office of Attorney General to perform inspections of retailers that sell electronic cigarettes and their books. 

“Right now, there is no clear way for states to determine which products are legally authorized by the FDA,” McNeill said. “This bill closes that gap and brings accountability to a system that has been exploited for too long.”

H.B. 1425 has enjoyed bipartisan support since its introduction last May. The most recent vote in the house, which saw the bill passed,147-56, came after a senate-amended version of the bill passed the upper chamber, 42-4. 

Republican Attorney General Dave Sunday also expressed support for the bill’s goals in a statement.

“The bipartisan work in the Senate and House recognized a threat to our children and took action to protect all Pennsylvanians,” he said.

Both comments from Sunday and McNeill stressed the importance of protecting Pennsylvania’s youth from harmful e-cigarettes. 

“This legislation gives Pennsylvania the tools it needs to protect kids, support law-abiding retailers and crack down on illegal vapor products that have flooded the market,” McNeill said.