The state of Florida has seen the introduction of a Tobacco 21 Act by Republican Senator Debbie Simmons of Melbourne. The Senator is currently the lone sponsor of SB 1618 which is summarized as “Tobacco Products; Citing this act as the “Tobacco 21 Act”; revising shipping documentation requirements for specified sales of tobacco products; deleting provisions requiring driver license penalties for certain persons who commit tobacco-related offenses; revising the age under which it is unlawful to smoke in, on, or near school property; revising the age limitation that applies to the sale, delivery, bartering, furnishing, or giving of tobacco products, etc.”
The bill which was referred to committee on Health Policy; Innovation, Industry, and Technology was voted on where it passed by a 9-1 vote. The bill will now move on to the full Senate and the house where it would need to pass both bodies before it would land on the Governor’s desk.
If passed he would see a non-criminal penalty of a fine of no more than $500 for the first offense and a fine up to $1,000 for the second or subsequent offense. The bill also would repeal current bans on possession of tobacco by people under the minimum age for lawful possession.
The entire bill can be read at: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/1618/BillText/Filed/HTML
