This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Businesses would have to get a license to sell electronic cigarettes and new labeling requirements would be imposed on the nicotine liquid vaporized in the devices under a bill that easily passed the House on Monday.
Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said the change puts e-cigarettes under a similar enforcement regime as tobacco, which puts more teeth in the enforcement.
Requiring the retailers to get a license to sell the e-cigarettes, the state can take action against the business directly — rather than just the clerk — if the store sells to a minor.
Originally, Ray planned to impose a tax on e-cigarettes. Gov. Gary Herbert had hoped to raise $39 million a year from the tax to help fund his Healthy Utah plan to expand Medicaid.
The bill passed the House 68-5 and goes to the Senate for consideration.
— Robert Gehrke