Proposed bill to address rising number of teen deaths tied to drug-laced vaping products
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IDAHO FALLS – A local lawmaker is drafting a bill aimed at keeping vaping products away from teens.
Rep. Jerald Raymond, R-Menan, tells EastIdahoNews.com there have been a rising number of deaths from teens across the state who used vaping products laced with fentanyl or other illicit drugs.
County officials throughout Idaho brought this to his attention about three years ago. Among them is Valley County Coroner Scott Carver.
Carver saw a steady increase in these types of deaths between 2021 and 2023. The number of deaths peaked at six in 2023, he says.
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Carver isn’t sure where the drugs are coming from but says many of the teens had connections out of state.
“A lot of them had ties to Oregon. One youngster had family members in the Portland area. Another teen had ties to the Ontario and Fruitland areas,” Carver says.
Although the sale of vape pens and illicit drugs to minors is already illegal in Idaho, Carver says this growing trend is concerning, and additional restrictions should be implemented.
But exactly what those restrictions should be are being discussed.
“The real problem is internet sales and the black market,” Raymond says.
Carver says putting age restrictions on the sale of these products online might be a solution but admits it’s still possible for teens to lie about their age.
“There’s another aspect of taxation,” says Carver. “I think (vape products) should be equally taxed as a tobacco product. Right now, there is no tax on (vaping products), so it’s cheaper to buy a vape pen than it is a cigarette.”
Raymond says they tried early on to impose a tax, and it failed.
These drugs are potent and one dose could be deadly, Carver says. For that reason, he feels motivated to work with lawmakers to find a solution.
“You may not get a second chance if you take these drugs,” says Carver.
Raymond and Sen. Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs, are tasked with gathering information to support this legislation. They are co-chairs of the vape e-cigarette products interim committee.
Raymond’s goal is to have a draft completed by the end of the month to introduce in the House.
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