Senate Snuffs Out E-Cigarette Sales To Minors

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) -- Amid concerns about kids getting hooked on nicotine or tobacco, the Florida Senate on Tuesday voted 40-0 to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors.

The proposal (SB 224), sponsored by Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, quickly moved through the Senate, and a similar measure (HB 169) has been approved by two House subcommittees.

The increasingly popular electronic cigarettes are seen by some people as more acceptable than smoking, with the process involving a vaporizer to inhale nicotine that is often enhanced with flavors. But critics have raised questions about whether the devices could serve as a gateway to nicotine addiction.

"The News Service of Florida contributed to this report."