South Carolina’s legislative season closed on May 12th, and Dr. Keeley was particularly interested in a bill promising to tackle teen vaping. He said that a recent tobacco survey showed that 30% of South Carolina Youth are still involved using tobacco products. He added that the majority of these actually use flavoured vapes.
In contrast, in September 2021, House Bill 3681 (H3681) was passed to Senate, and proposed removing the authority from towns and cities to pass any laws related to vaping and tobacco products.
“Section 44-95-45.
(A) Political subdivisions of this State may not enact any laws, ordinances, or rules pertaining to ingredients, flavors, or licensing, beyond a general business license, related to the sale of the following products:
(1) cigarettes, as defined in Section 12-21-620;
(2) electronic smoking devices, e-liquid, vapor products, tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products, each as defined in Section 16-17-501; or
(3) any other product containing nicotine that can be ingested into the body by chewing, smoking, absorbing, dissolving, inhaling, or by any means.
(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with a political subdivision’s authority to determine its own public use policies relating to any of the products referenced in this section,” states the bill.
