House Finance hears bill to raise tobacco purchase age to 21, tax e‑cigarettes

Juneau — The House Finance Committee heard public testimony May 7 on Senate Bill 24, which would raise Alaska’s minimum age to buy, sell, use and possess tobacco and nicotine products to 21 and establish consistent taxation on e‑cigarette products.

Sen. Gary Stevens, the sponsor, told the committee the bill is intended to protect children from nicotine addiction and to align state law with federal requirements so Alaska can access prevention funding. “This bill is an effort to push back on a multi‑billion dollar industry that’s trying to addict young people,” Stevens said.

School administrators and public‑health advocates formed the core of invited testimony. Jamie Burgess, identified herself as a superintendent, said vaping has become pervasive in schools since the COVID‑19 pandemic and that staff are stretched thin responding to frequent vape‑detector alerts. “Our administrators … are struggling with feeling that cumulative discipline … is not worth their limited time given that many students are significantly addicted,” Burgess said.

Dixie Saint John, a Kenai middle school nurse, testified she has confiscated 77 devices at her school in just over two years and described disposable devices that deliver high levels of nicotine at low cost. “They are cheap, they are accessible and they are extremely addictive,” Saint John said, urging that revenue from the bill be spent on school‑ and community‑based prevention and cessation resources rather than relying on disciplinary measures alone.

Billy Strickland, executive director of the Alaska School Activities Association, said member schools have reported escalating tobacco violations and urged prevention and reduced access, noting that enforcement after the fact is not enough.

Public‑health witnesses cited evidence that price and age restrictions reduce youth use. Theresa Roble of Alaska Children’s Trust said SB 24 would close a gap created by Alaska’s current age‑19 threshold and align the state with federal law. Carrie Neeson of the American Lung Association said the modern market is dominated by cheap, flavored disposable products that deliver far more nicotine and are engineered to appeal to youth.

Committee members asked practical questions about potential flavor bans, criminal penalties, taxation and grants. Several lawmakers asked whether banning flavors would reduce youth uptake; witnesses generally said flavor restrictions could help but are only one part of a broader strategy including age limits, taxation and prevention programs. Tim Lampkin, staff to Sen. Stevens, cautioned that an outright flavor ban could create a black market and said the sponsor has focused on consumer‑protection language to curb youth‑targeted marketing.

On funding, Lampkin told the committee there once was a federal grant window “in the neighborhood of $5,000,000” for prevention activities but said the state’s delay aligning its age limit may have reduced access to that money; he deferred technical enforcement budget questions to Division of Behavioral Health staff who were not present for the hearing.

No vote was taken. Committee leaders said they will continue the bill at a later meeting, set an amendment deadline at the next scheduled hearing, and take additional technical questions from staff and enforcement officials.