Kansas lawmakers to consider raising tobacco, vaping age limit

A proposed bill in the Kansas House of Representatives would increase the minimum age to purchase or possess cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and tobacco products from 18 years to 21 years of age.

BUT FIRST TONIGHT -VAPING AND SMOKING.TOBACCO PRODUCTSMEANT FOR ADULTS - BUTARE OFTEN FOUND IN THEHANDS OF TEENS.NOW WITH A PROPOSALTO RASE THE AGE TO BUYVAPING AND TOBACCOPRODUCTS TO 21 --41 ACTION NEWS ISASKING -- WILL THIS MAKEA DIFFERENCE?41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGJOINS US LIVE FROM THESTATE CAPITOL.NICK....KEVIN LAWMAKERS HOPEBY RAISING THE AGE LIMITIT DETERS YOUTH FROMBUYING THESE PRODUCTS.THIS COMES AS SOMECALL IT A VAPING CRISIS INKANSAS SCHOOLS.IT"S AN EPIDEMIC INMANY OF OURSCHOOLS"ANDKANSAS SOME DISTRICTSHAVE TAKEN LEGALACTION.41 ACTION NEWS HOSTEDA ROUND TABLE OFSTUDENTS TALKING ABOUTTHE VAPING PROBLEM INTHEIR SCHOOLS.Corrine Benedict // high schooljuniorSTUDENTS JUST DONTTHINK ITS A BIG DEAL,Aliyah Azam // high schoolfreshmanA LOT JUST THINK ITSCOOLTHEY JUST THINK YEAHTHOSE ARE SIDE EFFECTSHAPPENING TO OTHERPEOPLE BUT THAT WOULDJUST NEVER HAPPEN TOME.THIS PROPOSED BILLWOULD RAISE THE AGE TOBUY TOBACCO"FROM18-21 TO COMPLY WITHFEDERAL LAWS.

ALSO ITWOULD BAN FLAVOR E-CIGS.THE BILL"SSPONSOR"REPRESENTITIVE JOHN EPLEE SAYS THENEGATIVE HEALTHIMPACTS CALL FOR THEMTO DO SOMETHING.STATE Rep.

John Eplee //ATCHISWe can"t get vapingproducts away from our youthquick enough and we thinkthis bill takes us a long waysfrom accomplishing that.EVEN THOUGH IT"SBANNED INSCHOOLS"THEPOTENTIALLY DANGEROUSSUBSTANCE STILL MAKESIT WAY IN.its coming from the peoplewho are old enough to buy itand they're in the high shcooland in the social groups ofthese younger kids and thatshow they're getting .thatswhere htye're getting thesupplies fromCorrine -social media has a big partit too.

I can check stories onsnapchat and see 'selling this,slide up for prices' justconstantly.EPLEE KNOWS THISPROBLEM"BUTADMITS"THIS BILLPROBABLY WONT SOLVETHAT ISSUE.STATE Rep.

John Eplee //ATCHISONThat"s still going to be aproblem even after we passthis bill, but I believe it"sgoing to be even less of aproblem because we set thebar higher at age 21.THE STATE"DEPARTMENT OF REVENUEESTIMATES THIS WILLACTUALLY COST THESTATE OVER 6-MILLIONDOLLARS IN REVENUE.THIS PROPOSAL WILL GOIN FRONT OF A HOUSECOMMITTEE AT 9AMTOMORROW.REPORTING LIVENICK STARLING41 ACTION NEWS.TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP.IT SHOWS ALL THE CITIESIN KANSAS THAT HAVEALREADY RAISED THETOBACCO AGE TO 21.YOU CAN SEE SEVERALCITIES IN KANSAS HAVEDONE SO.AND AS WE ZOOM IN - YOUCAN SEE A MAJORITY OFTHEM ARE IN JOHNSONAND WYANDOTTECO