Senate committee advances bill to tighten e‑liquid rules, ban products from designated foreign‑adversary nations

The Indiana Senate Public Policy Committee on a unanimous 9‑0 vote advanced Senate Bill 185 as amended, a measure that would expand state regulation of e‑liquid products, ban imports from countries designated by the federal government as “foreign adversaries,” and give the Alcohol Tobacco Commission (ATC) new authority over tobacco wholesalers.

The amended bill applies manufacturing, labeling and ingredient standards equivalent to FDA requirements to single‑use vape products, a category currently outside state regulation, and clarifies that manufacturers may meet those standards without completing the formal (and costly) FDA approval process, Chris, deputy director of the Alcohol Tobacco Commission, told the committee. “This amendment will modernize Indiana's e liquid statute to catch up with the prevailing marketplace,” Chris said.

Why it matters: Committee members and industry witnesses said the changes aim to protect public health and make enforcement more effective by allowing ATC to vet wholesalers and interdict illicit products at the source. The measure also targets products manufactured or…