H.B. No. 258 Summary

• Increases fines for selling tobacco products to minors under age 21, with escalating penalties ranging from $250 for first offense to $1,500 for four or more prior convictions.

• Establishes a public nuisance definition for places where a pattern of continuous or repeated violations of tobacco sales to minors occurs under section 2927.02(B)(1).

• Expands the definition of "alternative nicotine products" to include electronic smoking devices, vapor products, and any product containing nicotine that can be ingested by any means (chewing, smoking, absorbing, dissolving, or inhaling).

• Requires age verification for remote sales of alternative nicotine products, papers used to roll cigarettes, and tobacco products other than cigarettes through internet or other remote methods.

• Applies public nuisance law enforcement procedures under section 3767.05 to establishments that repeatedly violate tobacco sales prohibitions, allowing courts to issue injunctions against such locations.