05/20/2026
🚭 Ohio lawmakers are making a push to bring the state's largely unregulated va**ng market under tighter control, introducing a bill that would create a statewide product registry and establish new licensing requirements for retailers selling va**ng products.
House Bill 849 would ban the sale of any va**ng product not listed in a state-maintained directory of products that have received or are actively seeking FDA authorization. Unlisted products would be treated as contraband, effectively clearing unregulated and often Chinese-made disposable vapes that have flooded the market and found their way into the hands of Ohio students.
The bill would also ban marketing and packaging designed to appeal to minors, including products featuring cartoon characters, celebrity imagery, or designs mimicking toys, school supplies, cosmetics, or smartphones. Products with built-in games or music would also be prohibited under the legislation.
On the licensing side, retailers would pay a $125 application fee per location, while distributors handling both to***co and v***r products would pay $1,000 per location. Knowingly submitting false certification would be a fourth-degree misdemeanor, and selling youth-targeted products would carry a third-degree misdemeanor charge and a $500 fine. The bill is currently pending before the House Public Safety Committee, where its sponsors are making the case that Ohio's current framework has simply failed to keep up with how fast the va**ng marketplace has evolved 🔍.
