Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:926 – A. Beginning October 1, 2023, every vapor product manufacturer and alternative nicotine product manufacturer whose products are sold in this state, whether directly or through a whol
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:926
- Alternative nicotine product: means any non-combustible product containing nicotine that is intended for human consumption, whether chewed, absorbed, dissolved, or ingested by any other means. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Commissioner: means the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Dealer: includes every person who manufactures or purchases cigars, cigarettes, or other tobacco products for distribution or resale in this state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- directory: means the directory compiled by the attorney general under La. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Manufacturer: means anyone engaged in the manufacture, production, or foreign importation of tobacco products who sells to wholesalers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
- Person: means any natural person, trustee, company, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Retail dealer: includes every dealer other than a wholesale dealer, or manufacturer who sells or offers for sale cigars, cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products, irrespective of quantity or the number of sales. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Tobacco product: means any cigar, cigarette, smokeless tobacco, or smoking tobacco. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Vapor product: includes any electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic pipe, or similar product or device and any vapor cartridge or other container of nicotine in a solution or other form that is intended to be used with or in an electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic pipe, or similar product or device. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
- Wholesale dealer: means a dealer whose principal business is that of a wholesaler, who sells cigarettes, cigars, other tobacco products, vapor products, or alternative nicotine products to retail dealers for the purpose of resale, who is a bona fide wholesaler, and fifty percent of whose total tobacco, vapor, and alternative nicotine sales are to retail stores other than its own or those of its subsidiaries or parent companies within Louisiana. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 26:901
A. Beginning October 1, 2023, every vapor product manufacturer and alternative nicotine product manufacturer whose products are sold in this state, whether directly or through a wholesale dealer, retail dealer, or similar intermediary or intermediaries, shall execute and deliver, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, a certification to the commissioner certifying, under penalty of perjury, either of the following:
(1) The product was on the market in the United States as of August 8, 2016, and the manufacturer has applied for a marketing order pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 387j for the vapor product or alternative nicotine product by submitting a premarket tobacco product application on or before September 9, 2020, to the United States Food and Drug Administration, hereinafter referred to in this Section as the “FDA”, and either of the following is true:
(a) The premarket tobacco product application for the vapor product or alternative nicotine product remains under review by the FDA.
(b) The FDA has issued a no marketing order for the vapor product or alternative nicotine product, but the agency or a federal court has issued a stay order or injunction during the pendency of the manufacturer’s appeal of the no marketing order, or the order has been appealed either to the FDA or a challenge to the order filed with a federal court and the appeal or challenge is still pending.
(2) The manufacturer has received a marketing order or other authorization under 21 U.S.C. § 387j for the vapor product or alternative nicotine product from the FDA.
B. In addition to the requirements of Subsection A of this Section, each manufacturer shall provide a copy of the cover page of the premarket tobacco application with evidence of receipt of the application by the FDA or a copy of the cover page of the marketing order or other authorization issued pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 387j, whichever is applicable.
C. Any manufacturer submitting a certification pursuant to Subsection A of this Section shall notify the commissioner within thirty days of any material change to the certification, including issuance by the FDA of any of the following:
(1) A market order or other authorization pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 387j.
(2) An order requiring a manufacturer to remove a product from the market either temporarily or permanently.
(3) Any notice of action taken by the FDA affecting the ability of the new product to be introduced or delivered into interstate commerce for commercial distribution.
(4) Any change in policy that results in a product no longer being exempt from federal enforcement oversight.
D. The commissioner shall develop and maintain a directory listing all vapor product manufacturers and alternative nicotine product manufacturers that have provided certifications that comply with Subsection A of this Section and all products that are listed in those certifications.
E. The commissioner shall do all of the following:
(1) Make the directory available for public inspection on its website by November 1, 2023.
(2) Update the directory as necessary in order to correct mistakes and to add or remove vapor product manufacturers and alternative nicotine product manufacturers or products manufactured by those manufacturers.
(3) Send monthly notifications to each wholesale dealer, retail dealer, or manufacturer of vapor products and manufacturer of alternative nicotine products that have qualified or registered with the commissioner, by electronic communication, containing a list of all changes that have been made to the directory in the previous month. In lieu of sending monthly notifications, the commissioner may make the information available in a prominent place on the office of alcohol and tobacco control’s public website.
F. Notwithstanding Subsection A of this Section, if a vapor product manufacturer or alternative nicotine product manufacturer can demonstrate to the commissioner that the FDA has issued a rule, guidance, or any other formal statement that temporarily exempts a vapor product or alternative nicotine product from the federal premarket tobacco application requirements, the vapor product or alternative product may be added to the directory upon request by the manufacturer if the manufacturer provides sufficient evidence that the vapor product or alternative nicotine product is compliant with the federal rule, guidance, or other formal statement, as applicable.
G. Each certifying vapor product manufacturer or alternative nicotine product manufacturer shall pay an initial fee of one hundred dollars per product stock keeping unit or SKU to offset the costs incurred by the commissioner for processing the certifications and operating the directory. The commissioner shall collect an annual renewal fee of one hundred dollars per product stock keeping unit or SKU to offset the costs associated with maintaining the directory and satisfying the requirements of this Section. The fees received pursuant to this Section by the commissioner shall be used by the office of alcohol and tobacco control exclusively for processing the certifications and operating and maintaining the directory.
H. Beginning November 1, 2023, or on the date that the commissioner first makes the directory available for public inspection on its website as provided in Subsection E of this Section, whichever is later, a vapor product manufacturer or alternative nicotine product manufacturer who offers for sale a vapor product or alternative nicotine product not listed on the directory is subject to a one-thousand-dollar daily fine for each vapor product or alternative nicotine product offered for sale in violation of this Section until the offending product is removed from the market or until the offending product is properly listed on the directory.
I. No wholesale dealer or retail dealer shall be permitted to remit tax with respect to a vapor product or alternative nicotine product unless the vapor product or alternative nicotine product is listed on the directory, and the sale, possession, or transportation of the vapor products or alternative nicotine products by any person, including a permitted wholesale dealer or retail dealer, shall be subject to the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 47:858, 859, and 860 as if the wholesale dealer or retail dealer did not possess a valid permit.
J. Any other violation of this Section shall result in a fine of five hundred dollars per offense.
K. The commissioner shall adopt rules for the implementation and enforcement of this Section.
Acts 2023, No. 414, §2, eff. July 1, 2023.