Now there is a push to keep e-cigarettes away from underage buyers.

Today, a committee okayed Senate Bill 344, a bill that would create a special e-cigarette registry in Kentucky.

Some businesses say it's a good idea, but others don't.

This bill requires e-vapor manufacturers to register with the state and certify that products comply with federal regulation.

The state then publishes the list of compliant products in a directory directory or a registry like the CIGARET directory that exists in almost every state.

Probably unusual to see someone who's in the industry supporting regulation, but we feel that regulation is necessary.

A in helping to take these black market products off of the market that the youth are accessing accessing in convenience stores, vape shops, different.

There was initially somewhere in the neighborhood of about 8 million products that were submitted for approval.

Many of those millions of those initially were not even found to be substantial enough to review the application that they submitted.

There are to date and this process on goes by the FDA somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 products that have been approved at this point or received a marketing order from the FDA.

If this bill passes my store, as well as 450 vapor stores in Kentucky, will all immediately close.

In 2023, the FDA issued 322 warning letters in Kentucky for for selling tobacco products to kids.

Only four of those were issued to Vapor stores.

Vapor stores are age gated, 21 and up.

And we do a remarkable job making sure our products go into adult hands.

The bill would also regulate the branding and packaging of e-cigarettes.