Legislature overrides governor's veto on e-cigs

Publication Date: 2014-09-13

• Author: RENEE BRONAUGH
• Publication:Daily Journal Online

Missouri will be joining a majority of the states which ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors.

The Missouri State Senate voted 26-6 to override Governor Jay Nixon's veto of SB 841, which would ban the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors. Both the House of Representative and the Senate adopted a motion to override governor's veto and the legislature then voted to override the governor's veto. The bill will go into effect in about a month.

Last month, Nixon was presented with the bill to sign into law that would prohibit sales of vapor products (e-cigarettes) to minors and clarify that vapor products are not subject to the same taxation or regulation as combustible cigarettes.

However, due to pressure from "public health" groups, opted to veto SB 841. The American Cancer Society; the American Lung Association; the American Heart Association; the Missouri State Medical Association; the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians; the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians; the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; and Tobacco Free Missouri had all previously called on Nixon to veto the bill.

The American Vaping Association (AVA), a leading advocate for the health benefits of electronic cigarettes, praised the Missouri Senate for voting to override Nixon's veto...