New Virginia law aims to prevent underage vaping in schools and communities

VIRGINIA - A new bill aimed at keeping vapes out of schools and out of students’ hands is set to reach Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s desk for signing.

The Vape Enforcement Act

Local perspective:

The Vape Enforcement Act, passed by the Virginia General Assembly, would require all vape stores in the state to be licensed and subject to random inspections to ensure they are not selling to minors, Attorney General Jay Jones told reporters Monday. Stores caught selling to minors could face fines, and repeat violations could result in losing their license, he added.

Currently, only 52 vape stores are registered with the state, though the actual number is believed to be much higher, Jones said. The law aims to close this gap and crack down on illegal vape sales before products reach school campuses.

"Today, we are proud to announce a system to enforce these laws and prevent vapes from getting into the hands of kids and teens across the Commonwealth," Attorney General Jay Jones said during a Zoom news conference. "You can walk into any middle school in Virginia and find brochures and pamphlets about stopping vaping. But we need more than pamphlets — we need enforcement."

What they're saying:

Virginia parents told FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis that they are in favor of the legislation.

"The risks outweigh the benefits of vaping," Qazi Uddin, a parent of a middle schooler, said. "It’s a good thing this law is coming."

Another parent, Lisa Chaudhry, expressed concern about how easily kids can use vapes undetected.

"My concern is that they can do it more often because vapes don’t smell like cigarettes, so kids can sneak them. Hopefully, my child knows better, but this is a concern for all of us parents," she said.

Jones emphasized on the call that while schools are distributing educational materials on vaping, enforcement is critical.

"Education alone is not enough," he said. "We need to stop vapes from getting into the hands of children and teenagers across the Commonwealth."