E-Cigarettes Soon Harder to Sell in Highland Park

Highland Park, NJ - Starting July 1, any store in Highland Park that wants to sell e-cigarettes must obtain a license from the town first.

And the $600 license fee will go into anti-smoking campaigns and programs to help people quit smoking. When the law was first proposed, the town originally suggested a $1,200 license fee, but after talking with local vape businesses, such as Vapor Talk, Highland Park agreed to lower the fee to $600, said Councilman Josh Fine.

The town's new law is tougher than any state or federal law on the books regarding e-cigarettes. Vape shops and their number one product, e-cigarettes, have surged in popularity across the country, leaving federal regulators and public health experts racing to catch up.

Those who sell e-cigarettes say they help people quit smoking. But opponents say e-cigarettes still contain nicotine and other substances that cause cancer.

The Highland Park borough Council voted on the ordinance earlier this week, and the vote in support of the law was unanimous, according to Councilman Josh Fine. It takes effect on July 1 of this year and applies to all businesses in Highland Park, meaning existing vape shops will not be "grandfathered" in.