Photo: Nery Zarate
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed a bill that would have raised the age for buying tobacco products to 21.
The Republican governor says he did so because it would have also banned the sale of flavored liquid nicotine products used in vaping.
DeSantis said raising the tobacco age isn’t necessary because federal law already did that. But his veto letter released late Tuesday said banning flavored vaping products would drive more people to smoke cigarettes or buy black market liquid nicotine that can damage lungs.
He also said a ban would devastate small businesses that sell vaping products.
Get The 90.7 WMFE Newsletter
Your trusted news source for the latest Central Florida news, updates on special programs and more.
GET THE LATEST
Stay tuned in to our local news coverage: Listen to 90.7 WMFE on your FM or HD radio, the WMFE mobile app or your smart speaker — say “Alexa, play NPR” and you’ll be connected.

WMFE Journalistic Ethics Code | Public Media Code of Integrity