Tackling Tobacco: April 2025 Legislative & Regulatory Roundup
NATIONAL REPORT — Tobacco legislation and regulation is constantly under review at the local, state and federal levels. In this monthly roundup, Convenience Store News highlights the latest proposals and approved changes happening across the United States.
ALABAMA
Montgomery — An Alabama State Senate committee advanced a vaping regulation bill that would amend state law regarding the sale and regulation of tobacco, alternative nicotine products and vapor products.
As proposed, the bill would restrict sales via vending machines, increase penalties for violations, establish new licensing fees to create a dedicated enforcement fund and require K-12 schools to adopt policies for vaping awareness and prevention. The bill moves to the full senate for consideration.
COLORADO
Denver — Denver voters will weigh in this year on a law passed by the Denver City Council to end the sale of flavored tobacco. The ban went into effect March 18.
A pair of groups, led by vape shops, gathered more than 17,000 signatures to put a repeal to voters. The clerk's office reported that nearly 11,000 were valid and that was enough for Denver residents to vote on it. The city council will decide whether to put it on the November ballot or call a special session on a different date.
INDIANA
Indianapolis — State lawmakers amended a budget bill raising the tax on cigarettes for the first time in nearly 20 years. The change was subsequently adopted by the Indiana State Senate and the Indiana House of Representatives.
With an effective date of July 1, 2025, the tax increases include: cigarettes from $.995 to $2.995 per pack; other tobacco products from 24% to 30% of the wholesale price; moist snuff from 40 cents to 50 cents per ounce; cigars from 24% to 30% of the wholesale price and a tax cap raised from $1 to $3 per cigar; alternative nicotine products (nicotine pouches) from 40 cents to 50 cents per ounce; closed system vapor cartridges from 15% to 30% of the wholesale price and vapor consumable material (open systems) from 15% to 30% at retail.
The legislation was sent to Gov. Mike Braun for review.
IOWA
Des Moines — An Iowa State Senate committee recommended lawmakers pass a bill that defines heated tobacco products and imposes a tax of 3.4 cents per heat stick (68 cents per pack).
LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge — The Louisiana House of Representatives is house is weighing two bills, one that would significantly increase taxes on vaping products — at 15 cents per milliliter of nicotine liquid, with a 33% tax on the invoice price of those products — and another to raise taxes on smokeless tobacco products from 20% to 33% of the invoice price. If the bills are signed into law, the vapor tax increase would take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and the smokeless tobacco tax increase would begin July 1, 2025.
MISSOURI
Jefferson City — Missouri lawmakers are advancing legislation that would prevent cities from adopting stricter regulations on the sale of tobacco, nicotine and e-cigarette products than those enforced by the state.
A bill that specifies that the state preempts and supersedes all local laws, ordinances, orders, rules or regulations enacted by a county, municipality or other political subdivision regulating the sale of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products or vapor products was heard in a state senate committee in late April.
OHIO
Cleveland — The Cleveland City Council approved several pieces of legislation in mid-April regarding tobacco sales and smoke shops.
Under the new rules, all tobacco retailers must obtain a retail license for each location where tobacco products are sold in the city. Additionally, no tobacco shop may be established within 10,560 feet (two miles) of another existing smoke shop; tobacco stores may not be located in the same building or on the same lot and tobacco shops are prohibited within 500 feet of any church, public library, school, public park or playground.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Columbia — A South Carolina House of Representative committee voted in favor of a new bill that would tax heated tobacco products (not yet sold in the state) or any substitute for tobacco at 25 cents per pack, effective Oct. 1, 2025.
WASHINGTON
Olympia — A bill that imposes the current 95% tax on tobacco products to products that contain nicotine — such as pouches — whether derived from tobacco or synthetically, passed the Washington State Senate and Washington House of Representatives. Efforts to increase the cigarette tax by $2 per pack failed. The bill is in final review with Gov. Bob Ferguson.