ATLANTA – State Representative Bonnie Rich (R-Suwanee) today announced that Governor Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 375 into law on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Introduced by State Senator Jeff Mullis (R- Chickamauga) and championed by Rep. Rich in the House, SB 375 seeks to address vaping and e-cigarette use among youth in Georgia.
“I was honored to join Senator Mullis as Governor Kemp signed this critical legislation into law, and as a mother of teenagers, I am excited to announce that Georgia now joins 30 other states that regulate the sale of vaping products,” said Rep. Rich. “U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams publicly acknowledged the epidemic of e-cigarette use among our youth, along with the CDC, which stated that in 2018, more than 3.6 million youths in the U.S. reportedly used e-cigarettes. This cause for great concern stems from very serious lung, respiratory and addiction issues affecting young users, and Senate Bill 375 will address this growing concern in Georgia.”
Senate Bill 375 raises the minimum age to 21 for the sale and distribution of tobacco, tobacco related products, alternative nicotine devices and vaping devices. It also establishes a misdemeanor charge for those using or possessing vaping products in a school safety zone and allows for permanent confiscation of products by school officials.
Additionally, the law brings vaping products in line with tobacco products by providing guidelines for regulation of sales and distribution and excise taxation at 7 percent, which is a rate equal to cigarettes and other tobacco products. The excise tax now attached to vape products is expected to generate between $11 million and $19 million per year, and the excise tax will go into effect on January 1, 2021.
For more information on SB 375, please click here.
*Editor’s Note: A photo of Rep. Rich attending the bill signing ceremony is attached.
Representative Bonnie Rich represents the citizens of District 97, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Judiciary, Retirement and Ways & Means committees.
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