Health and criminal justice laws taking effect in Maryland

Associated Press//September 30, 2019//

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ANNAPOLIS — New laws to protect health and strengthen criminal justice are taking effect in Maryland.

The state is raising the age to buy tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices, from 18 to 21 on Tuesday.

Maryland is changing the definition of a tobacco product to include electronic smoking, known as vaping.

People under the age of 18 will not be able to use any tanning devices in the state, including sunlamps, tanning booths or tanning beds.

Lawmakers updated Maryland’s 2013 law against cyberbullying minors. The new law makes it an offense to send out messages online to a broad audience, instead of only directly against the minor.

Maryland also is criminalizing the display of sexually-exploited children and digitally-generated images that are indistinguishable from real photos.

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