Oklahoma Reinstating Fines for Underage Tobacco & Vaping Possession
Last year, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma signed a law that removed fines for those under the age of 21-years-old caught illegally purchasing or possessing tobacco or vaping products. Earlier this week, Stitt signed a new law reinstating those fines.
On Monday, Stitt signed H.B. 2165 into law. The bill reintroduces fines for those under 21-years-old caught possessing, purchasing, trying to purchase or using fraudulent identification to try to purchase tobacco or vaping products. Anyone caught violating the law must attend a tobacco cessation program and could be required to complete community service. If they do not, they could be fined up to $50 for the first offense and $100 for any subsequent offense.
In addition to restoring fines as a form of punishment, H.B. 2165 would also restore the ability of local cities and municipalities to issue their own punishments, something that was removed last year.
The new law goes into effect on Nov. 1, 2023.
Charlie Minato
I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.
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