This morning, Congress passed the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act to close the loophole in the current law that allowed minors to access electronic cigarettes through the internet.
“For the past two years, NACS and its members have advocated to regulate the online sales of e-cigarettes by applying the same measures that are required when traditional cigarettes are purchased online,” said Anna Ready Blom, NACS director of government relations.
NACS championed legislative action to require online sellers of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to ensure that the delivery person checks the ID of an adult upon delivery and require online sellers of cigarettes to collect and remit the appropriate taxes. That legislation, the Preventing All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act, became law in 2010. However, as the e-cigarette market grew, updating the PACT Act to include e-cigarettes has been a top priority for the industry to prevent minors from accessing these products.
NACS strongly supports the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act because it updates the original PACT Act to include e-cigarette and vapor products, requiring online sellers of the products to ensure an in-person ID check occurs at delivery. The legislation was sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) and in the House by Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Kelly Armstrong (R-ND).
“The convenience store industry applauds Congress and the sponsors of the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act for its passage. We believe an in-person ID check should occur before an age-restricted product is given to customers in a store or at their doorstep,” said Blom. “This legislation will help ensure adults are the only purchasers of e-cigarettes over the internet, just as the convenience store industry takes multiple steps to ensure adults are the only purchasers of e-cigarettes in its stores.”
