According to a report by the American KPLC news station, the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) announced that it will resume enforcing laws governing the marketing and sale of electronic cigarette products starting March 18, 2024.
The office will publish a V.A.P.E. list on its official website, detailing all electronic cigarettes or alternative nicotine products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). From the date the law takes effect, all electronic cigarette products not approved by the FDA cannot be legally sold in Louisiana, and retailers are required to remove products not listed on this inventory.
Previously, the implementation of this law was suspended due to a lawsuit filed by convenience stores and the Electronic Cigarette Association of Louisiana, claiming that the law violated the Constitution. However, following a permanent injunction hearing on February 21, 2024, the ATC stated that the court deemed the injunction no longer applicable, and the electronic cigarette law can now be enforced.
Initially, the ATC passed a bill in June 2023, tripling the electronic cigarette tax in Louisiana and prohibiting the sale of electronic cigarette products not approved by the FDA. The additional tax revenue is expected to be allocated to departments similar to the state police.
This tax increase stems from House Bill 635, Act No. 414, which was signed into law by former Governor John Bel Edwards.
