Louisiana to Begin Enforcing Vaping Bans Monday
Credit: Gustavo Frazao
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) announced that it will resume enforcing state laws affecting the marketing and sale of vaping and e-cigarette products on March 18, 2024.
Beginning that day, all vapes not authorized or under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cannot be legally sold in Louisiana. The ATC will provide the V.A.P.E. Directory on their website, a list of all approved vapor or alternative nicotine products and electronic cigarettes.
Businesses must remove all products not listed on the directory from their inventory and display.
The enforcement of this law was put on hold when the Louisiana Convenience Store and Vape Association filed a lawsuit, saying the law was unconstitutional. A judge granted a preliminary injunction in January, temporarily halting the enforcement of the new law.
After a permanent injunction hearing on Feb. 21, the ATC said the injunction was rendered moot, and that the vape law was now enforceable, according to media reports.
Initially, the ATC passed a law in June 2023 to triple vape taxes in Louisiana and ban the sale of vapes not authorized by the FDA. The extra revenue was to be allocated to entities like state police. The increase is due to Act 414 HB635, which was signed into law by former Gov. John Bel Edwards.