Country catching up to Wisconsin when it comes to tobacco

New regulations kicking in
for e-cigs, hookahs, little cigars

The rest of the country is finally catching up to Wisconsin.

When it comes to electronic cigarettes and the likes, they’re banned in the state for those under 18, but not in the country. Not until now.

The FDA has ruled the sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes to anyone under 18 will be banned starting in the summer.

“In Wisconsin, we had already protected our minors,” La Crosse Area Health Initiative’s Judi Zabel said. “You had to be 18 for all tobacco products, including e-cigs, hookahs and little cigars.”

Other rules have changed, as well. Those health warnings that have been on cigarette packages for 50 years are about to be extended to other tobacco products, too.  Washington will require stricter regulation of cigars, flavored cigarettes, and e-cigs.

“We’ve already seen unproven health claims with cigarettes, about light and mild – things like that – that might imply they might be safer,” Zabel said. “And, so that kind of marketing, which is appealing to youth and to smokers who want to quit, they’ll have to verify that that’s true (with e-cigs, hookahs and similar products).”