Wisconsin Bill Prohibits Adults from Buying Tobacco Products for Children

A bill introduced in the Wisconsin Senate would make it illegal for an adult to purchase any tobacco product with the intention of giving it to a child. Current state laws prohibit adults from buying cigarettes for children, but allow adults to buy and give other tobacco products to children including dissolvable pellets, sticks and strips, as well as roll-your-own forms. Many of these products come in candy flavors, wrapped in brightly colored packaging.

Some local municipalities have already banned adults from buying these products for children, the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune reports.

Dave Wille, Central Wisconsin Coordinator for the Wisconsin Wins Program, a statewide initiative that aims to keep tobacco out of the hands of minors, told the newspaper that in addition to this legislation, other steps are needed to keep children tobacco free. He said these would include requiring stores to put all tobacco products behind the counter and taxing all tobacco products equally.