1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

Oppose SB 2024 — Keep Vaping Legal in Texas We, the undersigned, respectfully petition the State of Texas to reconsider and repeal the harmful and overreaching vape restrictions set to take effect on September 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 2024. ⸻ 🚭 VAPING SAVES LIVES — THIS BAN DOES NOT Many of us signing this petition are former smokers who successfully quit combustible cigarettes through the use of flavored nicotine vapes. This law, if enacted, will: • Ban the sale of most disposable vape products that are not preauthorized by the FDA (including Geek Bar, Elf Bar, Lost Mary, and others). • Ban “disguised” vapes, even if they are legal and properly labeled. • Restrict vape and tobacco advertising within 1,000 feet of churches, schools, and other locations. • Impose severe penalties on retailers and consumers, potentially criminalizing responsible adult use. ⸻ ❌ THIS LAW WILL BACKFIRE SB 2024 is poorly constructed, overbroad, and counterproductive. Here’s why: 1. Public Health Harm • Flavored and disposable vapes are a vital harm-reduction tool. • Without access, many adults will return to smoking, a far more dangerous alternative. • The CDC acknowledges vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking for adult users. 2. Economic Damage • Thousands of small businesses will suffer or close, including vape shops, convenience stores, and distributors. • Job losses and tax revenue decline will hit Texas communities already struggling economically. 3. Disproportionate Enforcement • The law unfairly targets products from overseas (like China) and punishes lawful adult consumers. • Many banned products are not inherently illegal, just not yet cleared through an FDA process that takes years and millions of dollars—a burden small businesses cannot meet. 4. Federal Overreach and Legal Conflicts • The FDA regulates nicotine products federally. By banning products already under federal review, Texas risks overstepping its constitutional authority. • Other states (New York, Michigan) had similar bans struck down in court for being vague, rushed, or excessive. 5. Personal Freedom & Autonomy • Responsible adults have the right to choose less harmful alternatives to cigarettes. • This ban removes a proven method to quit smoking, despite overwhelming evidence that vapes help reduce tobacco addiction. ⸻ 📣 OUR REQUEST We demand the repeal or modification of SB 2024 before it takes effect. Specifically: ✅ Allow the sale of flavored and disposable nicotine vapes to adults over 21. ✅ Stop bans based solely on product design or country of origin. ✅ Promote smart regulation—not prohibition—so Texas adults can vape responsibly and safely. ✅ Protect small businesses, adult consumers, and public health.