The North Carolina State Senate Judiciary Committee backed legislation on Wednesday that could block e-cigarette products that are noncertified products from being sold on convenience-store shelves and elsewhere in the state. The proposal was added to North Carolina House Bill 900.
The bill would require vapor products to file with the state and show proof of premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs). The bill’s proposal of a state-based registry would list which vape products are eligible to be sold in the state and comply with regulations and guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill would fine retailers who sell products that are not included on the state-based registry list.
The bill now goes to the North Carolina Senate Rules Committee for a vote. If passed, the proposed changes would go into effect Dec. 1.
According to WRAL, State Sen. Michael Lee (R-North Carolina), a primary sponsor of the proposal, told the committee, “the manufacturer has to get their product certified. And then those certifications will then be on a public registry so retailers could make sure that they're selling things that have been approved.”
To date, the FDA has authorized the sale of 23 specific tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products and devices. These are the only e-cigarette products that currently may be lawfully marketed and sold in the United States. Earlier this month, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) created a federal multi-agency task force to combat the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarettes.
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