State Representative Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) has announced that the Ohio House passed House Bill 144, legislation that prohibits children from buying or accepting alternative nicotine products, most notably electronic cigarettes.
It is already illegal for individuals younger than 18 from purchasing or distributing nicotine products, namely cigarettes. HB 144 expands this prohibition to alternative nicotine products, which include e-cigarettes. Also under the bill, sellers of alternative nicotine products are allowed to check identification in order to validate the age of the would-be customer.
“It is important that we take the proper steps to ensure that our children do not have access to products that are harmful or may lead to the use of more addictive substances,” Romanchuk said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicate that the percentage of middle and high school students in the United States who have tried e-cigarettes more than doubled between 2011 and 2012. It also found that 76 percent of young people who currently use e-cigarettes also smoked regular cigarettes, leading some experts to believe e-cigarettes may lead to smoking real cigarettes.
HB 144 passed yesterday with bipartisan support and will now be sent to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.
In addition, House Bill 247 passed. This bill protects individuals who, in an emergency, use an external defibrillator to resuscitate someone, even without training. This legislation protects them from civil liability.
The current law will be modified so that those who utilize an automated external defibrillator (AED) are not required to have completed courses in the use of these devices, even though it is strongly encouraged. Additionally, H.B. 247 changes the standards of possessing a defibrillator and eliminates the requirement that these individuals consult with a physician. The bill also specifies that anyone performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is not required to have had training and protects them from civil damages.
“This legislation eases the restrictions on who can use defibrillators as well encourages people to help without the fear of legal consequences,” Romanchuk said. “Hopefully more lives can be saved as a result.”
The law passed with bipartisan support and will now move to the Senate for consideration.