Legislation being heard in the Missouri House today could overturn local alcohol, tobacco, and legal drug sales

An amendment that’s being added to Senate Bill 283 has the potential to overturn local laws concerning alcohol tobacco, and legal drug sales.

The bill is scheduled to be heard today, May 13, with a session that is in progress currently and will end at 6 PM May 14.

Previously, Tobacco 21 legislation, which was passed by former President Trump in 2019, raised the federal tobacco sale age to 21- instead of 18-years-old. Senate Bill 283 was then drafted to propose stricter county regulations statewide.

The amendment states, “407.930. The state preempts the field of regulating the sale of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products, and the provisions of sections 407.924 to 407.934 shall supersede any local laws, ordinances, orders, rules, or regulations enacted by a county, municipality, or other political subdivision to regulate the sale of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products.”

Ginny Chadwick, Program Coordinator for Missouri Eliminate Tobacco Use Initiative listed consequences if the legislation passed:

“all cities and counties who passed a Tobacco 21 local law could no longer enforce their law; communities could no longer have local authorities restrict tobacco and vape retailers from selling to youth at any age; as state law has no penalty on retailers for illegal sales; no state or local penalty would exist on a retailer for selling to an underage person; communities could no longer prohibit retailers from selling right next to a school; communities could not restrict billboards or advertising by schools for tobacco or vapor products; cigarette and vape vending machines would be allowed in any places without public access, regardless of age of access.”

The American Heart Association has an action altert that can be used to notify your elected official of the issues with Senate Bill 283.

You can a link to the alert here.