Marion Smokeless Nicotine Retailers Can No Longer Sell to Minors

Starting Friday, distributors of smokeless nicotine products, such as the electronic cigarette, will require a retail cigarette or tobacco products permit.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors adopted the measure in a 4-1 vote on Wednesday, which effectively regulates previously unregulated tobacco and nicotine products, and prohibits the sale of these products to minors.

The one dissenting vote, Brent Oleson, the supervisor representing Marion's district, was quoted in the Gazette as saying the regulation was unnecessary.

"This is a feel-good ordinance," said Oleson. "If there was a problem, it’s not really going to address it."

However, Jill Roeder, Linn County Public Health Healthy Behaviors Manager, said in a Linn County news release that there very well may be a real danger with these products.

"These products are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," said Roeder. "The FDA has not reviewed the products or any clinical studies about them. This means that no one knows what’s really in them — what types or amounts of chemicals — and what their impact on the human body might be."

Linn County Supervisor Linda Langston shared Roeder's sentiment, adding that she sees no reason why products with nicotine should be treated any differently than cigarettes.

"We simply want to ensure that the sale of these products is monitored and that they are treated like tobacco products when it comes to selling them to minors," Langston said. "Before this, anyone could buy them."