JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Sheila Solon was signed into law today to protect young people from the dangers of liquid nicotine. Solon was on hand at the St. Joseph Youth Alliance Wednesday morning as Governor Nixon signed her bill, HB 531, and others designed to protect children and families. Solon’s legislation will implement new safety standards to require child resistant packaging for the bottles of liquid used with e-cigarettes.
Solon said the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes has led to new dangers for children that occur due to contact with the liquid nicotine. She pointed to cases where children have accidentally ingested the dangerous liquids that are often flavored as types of candy or fruit. Solon mentioned the tragic death of a toddler in New York who passed away last year after drinking some of the liquid nicotine.
“With flavors like bubble gum and cotton candy, these bottles of liquid nicotine can be very enticing to small children who have no way of knowing these liquids are incredibly dangerous and even deadly,” said Solon, R-Blue Springs. “I want to thank the governor and all of my colleagues for working with me to protect our young people by putting reasonable safety standards in place that will save lives.”
Under Solon’s bill, individuals who engage in retail sales of liquid nicotine containers in Missouri in violation of its provisions must be assessed a fine of $250 for the first violation and $500 for each subsequent violation.
With the governor’s signature the bill is now set to take effect as law on August 28 of this year.
