Missouri lawmakers pass e-cigarette ban for minors

Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation barring people younger than 18 from buying electronic cigarettes.

The House voted 127-19 on Monday to send the bill to Gov. Jay Nixon. It passed the Senate earlier this year.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices used to heat a liquid nicotine solution and create vapor that is inhaled.

Supporters say the legislation would protect teenagers from early exposure to nicotine. Opponents say it doesn’t go far enough because it exempts e-cigarettes from some restrictions on tobacco sales and advertising. Under the bill, e-cigarettes would not be subject to Missouri’s tobacco tax.

The vote comes a few weeks after the Food and Drug Administration announced plans to ban sales to minors, add warning labels and require approval for new products.