TRENTON, N.J. (PIX11) -- The fight against youth vaping continues in the Garden State as some Trenton lawmakers are trying to pass a law prohibiting the delivery of electronic smoking devices to people under 21, requiring someone over 21 to sign off on the delivery.
"If I couldn't do it when I was under 21, why should y'all be able to do it when y'all young?" said Rodney, from Morristown. "I believe that young people shouldn't be doing it anyway because vapes can get dangerous."
Officials with the New Jersey Prevention Network say vaping is especially harmful to young people.
"We know that the brain doesn't fully develop until age 25, so the younger people, the adolescents, are more vulnerable to addiction," said Ashley Smith, the program manager for tobacco projects at NJ Prevention Network. "We know that youth are three times more likely to try regular cigarettes once they start using vape products, and that could possibly be another gateway into other drugs."
"Social media and TikTok make it a sexy-looking device, right?" asked Asm. Clinton Calabrese, one of the bill's sponsors. "That's just another thing that will entice an underage user to want to do it."
Though the bill looks to add another layer to prevent youth vaping, both federal and state laws have made it harder and less appealing for underage people to buy vapes.
In 2020, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation that banned flavored vapes, which appeal to younger people.
"The health and safety of our youth, as you know, are at the forefront of this bill," said Calabrese. "We've seen a rise in underage vaping, and we need to act decisively to prevent easy access to these harmful products."
The bill passed in the Assembly last month and is working toward a Senate vote.