Electronic cigarette. Courtesy/wikipedia.com

STATE News:

SANTA FE—House Bill 15, which prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, has passed the Senate Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) and now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Majority Whip, Tim Keller, D-Bernalillo and Rep. Paul Bandy, R-San Juan are co-sponsors of the bill.

“This bipartisan bill is important because we want to avoid the chance of minors acquiring e-cigarettes under the mistaken belief that they are a ‘safer’ alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes,” Keller said.

More than 20 states around the country have banned the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. New Mexico would be joining those states if the bill becomes law.