McNeill’s bill protecting PA youth from illicit vapor products advances from committee
Rep. Jeanne McNeill May 14, 2025 | 3:27 PM
HARRISBURG, May 14 – In a move to protect children and teens in the commonwealth from illicit vapor products, the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee today approved state Rep. Jeanne McNeill’s bill that would authorize the creation of a directory for vapor products.
McNeill said she introduced H.B. 1425 because combatting youth access to vapor products is an important and urgent goal.
“It is imperative that we get illicit vapor products out of the hands of our children and teens,” said McNeill, D-Lehigh. “The current system requires vapor manufacturers to file Premarket Tobacco Applications before a product can be legally marketed in the United States. However, while the FDA may require the filing of a PMTA, they do not publicly disclose which products have approved, pending, or denied applications, causing a loophole to be exploited to sell illicit vapor products.”
Pennsylvania has been a leader in combatting youth access to vapor products by enacting legislation in 2019 to raise the minimum age to purchase vapor and tobacco products from 18 to 21 and the U.S. Congress later followed suit on the national level.
“We have the opportunity to continue to set an example,” said McNeill. “Retailers who in good faith have refused to sell these illicit vapor products are still losing significant market share and revenues to those willing to assume the risks and profits of illicit vapor sales due to a lack of enforcement and consequences. I am proud that my colleagues voted in favor of this legislation to get it one step closer to the finish line of it becoming law.”
McNeill said that the bill would require vapor manufacturers to certify annually that the manufacturer has received marketing authorization from the Food and Drug Administration or that its PMTA remains under review. Additionally, a publicly accessible website, including the names of manufacturers and their products would be created.
If signed into law, enforcement of the law would be handled by the Department of Revenue, the Office of Attorney General, and state and local law enforcement.
McNeill’s bill was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee nearly unanimously, 24-1, and now heads to the full House for consideration.