Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 11-9 - Children
Section 11-9-13.4. - Definitions.

§ 11-9-13.4. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Bidi cigarette” means any product that (i) Contains tobacco that is wrapped in temburni or tender leaf, or that is wrapped in any other material identified by rules of the department of health that is similar in appearance or characteristics to the temburni or tender leaf, and (ii) Does not contain a smoke filtering device.
(2) “Court” means any appropriate district court of the state of Rhode Island.
(3) “Dealer” is synonymous with the term “retail tobacco products dealer.”
(4) “Department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals” means the state of Rhode Island behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals department, its employees, agents, or assigns.
(5) “Department of taxation” means the state of Rhode Island taxation division, its employees, agents, or assigns.
(6) “Electronic nicotine-delivery system” means an electronic device that may be used to simulate smoking in the delivery of nicotine or other substance to a person inhaling from the device, and includes, but is not limited to, an electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic little cigars, electronic pipe, or electronic hookah, “heat not burn products,” e-liquids, e-liquid products, or any related device and any cartridge or other component of such device.
(7) “Electronic nicotine-delivery system product” means any combination of electronic nicotine-delivery system and/or e-liquid and/or any derivative thereof, and/or any e-liquid container. Electronic nicotine-delivery system products shall not include hemp-derived consumable cannabidiol (CBD) products as defined in § 2-26-3.
(8) “E-liquid” and “e-liquid products” means any liquid or substance placed in or sold for use in an electronic nicotine-delivery system that generally utilizes a heating element that aerosolizes, vaporizes, or combusts a liquid or other substance containing nicotine or nicotine derivative:
(i) Whether the liquid or substance contains nicotine or a nicotine derivative; or
(ii) Whether sold separately or sold in combination with a personal vaporizer, electronic nicotine-delivery system, or an electronic inhaler.
(9) “License” is synonymous with the term “retail tobacco products dealer license” or “electronic nicotine-delivery system license” or any license issued under chapter 20 of title 44 or chapter 1 of title 23.
(10) “License holder” is synonymous with the term “retail tobacco products dealer” or “electronic nicotine-delivery system license” or any licenses issued under chapter 20 of title 44 or chapter 1 of title 23.
(11) “Little cigars” means and includes any roll, made wholly or in part of tobacco, irrespective of size or shape, and irrespective of whether the tobacco is flavored, adulterated, or mixed with any other ingredient, where such roll has a wrapper or cover made of tobacco wrapped in leaf tobacco or any substance containing tobacco paper or any other material and where such roll has an integrated filter, except where such wrapper is wholly or in greater part made of tobacco and where such roll has an integrated filter and weighs over four (4) pounds per thousand (1,000).
(12) “Person” means any individual person, firm, fiduciary, partnership, trust, association, or corporation licensed as a retail dealer to sell tobacco products within the state.
(13) “Retail tobacco products dealer” means the holder of a license to sell tobacco products at retail and shall include holders of all other licenses issued under chapter 20 of title 44 or chapter 1 of title 23.
(14) “Retail tobacco products dealer license” means a license to sell tobacco products at retail as issued by the department of taxation.
(15) “Spitting tobacco” also means snuff, powdered tobacco, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, pouch tobacco, or smokeless tobacco.
(16) “Tobacco product(s)” means any product(s) containing, made of, or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption or is likely to be consumed, whether inhaled, absorbed, or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to, a cigarette, a little cigar as defined in § 44-20.2-1, and any and all products as defined in § 44-20-1, electronic nicotine-delivery system products, or any added substance that may be aerosolized, vaporized, or otherwise delivered by such an electronic nicotine-delivery system device, whether or not that substance contains nicotine.
(i) “Tobacco product(s)” does not include drugs, devices, or combination products intended to treat tobacco or nicotine dependence that are authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration, as those terms are defined in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Nor does it include such authorized drugs, devices, or combination products with such treatment purpose by individuals under age twenty-one (21) if prescribed by a licensed prescriber such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.
(17) “Underage individual” or “underage individuals” means any individual under the age of twenty-one (21).
History of Section.P.L. 1996, ch. 321, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 124, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 391, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 104, § 3; P.L. 2014, ch. 182, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 223, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 204, § 1, effective July 7, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 205, § 1, effective July 7, 2021.

Structure Rhode Island General Laws

Rhode Island General Laws

Title 11 - Criminal Offenses

Chapter 11-9 - Children

Section 11-9-1. - Exploitation for commercial or immoral purposes.

Section 11-9-1.1. - Child nudity prohibited in publications.

Section 11-9-1.2. - Rebuttable presumption of minority upon testimony of physician.

Section 11-9-1.3. - Child pornography prohibited.

Section 11-9-1.4. - Minor electronically disseminating indecent material to another person — “Sexting” prohibited.

Section 11-9-1.5. - Electronically disseminating indecent material to minors prohibited.

Section 11-9-1.6. - Child erotica prohibited.

Section 11-9-2. - Employment of children for unlawful purposes.

Section 11-9-3. - Seizure and custody of exploited child — Proceedings as against neglected child.

Section 11-9-4. - Contributing to delinquency.

Section 11-9-5. - Cruelty to or neglect of child.

Section 11-9-5.1. - Investigation upon report of cruelty or neglect.

Section 11-9-5.2. - Immunity from liability.

Section 11-9-5.3. - Child abuse — Brendan’s Law.

Section 11-9-5.4. - Child endangerment.

Section 11-9-6. - Proceedings against parents of delinquent children unaffected.

Section 11-9-7. - Children’s Friend and Service excused from costs.

Section 11-9-8. - Appropriations for prevention of cruelty to children.

Section 11-9-9. - Powers of family court.

Section 11-9-10. - Abandonment of refrigerator in place accessible to children.

Section 11-9-11. - Designation of curfew streets.

Section 11-9-12. - Penalty for loitering on curfew street.

Section 11-9-13. - Sale or delivery of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine-delivery system products to individuals under twenty-one (21) — Posting notice of law.

Section 11-9-13.1. - Cigarette and tobacco vending machines.

Section 11-9-13.2. - Short title.

Section 11-9-13.3. - Legislative intent — Purpose.

Section 11-9-13.4. - Definitions.

Section 11-9-13.5. - Responsibility for tobacco or health issues.

Section 11-9-13.6. - Duties of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals.

Section 11-9-13.7. - Signs concerning sales to individuals under age twenty-one (21).

Section 11-9-13.8. - Prohibitions applicable to license holders and their employees and agents.

Section 11-9-13.8.1. - Signs concerning the health effects of tobacco.

Section 11-9-13.9. - Multiple citations prohibited.

Section 11-9-13.10. - Prohibition on the distribution of free tobacco products, including electronic nicotine-delivery system products.

Section 11-9-13.11. - Prohibition on the sale or distribution of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine-delivery system products, through the mail — Conveyance of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine-delivery system products, thro...

Section 11-9-13.12. - Enforcement and penalties — Citation for violation.

Section 11-9-13.13. - Nature and size of penalties.

Section 11-9-13.14. - Notification to the Department of Taxation of fines imposed.

Section 11-9-13.15. - Penalty for operating without a dealer license.

Section 11-9-13.16. - Rules and regulations.

Section 11-9-13.17. - Fines collected.

Section 11-9-13.18. - Prohibition on the sale or distribution of certain excise tax stamps.

Section 11-9-13.19. - Severability.

Section 11-9-13.20. - Packaging of electronic nicotine-delivery system liquid.

Section 11-9-14. - [Repealed.]

Section 11-9-14.1. - Compliance with federal statutes and regulations.

Section 11-9-15. - Tattooing of minors.

Section 11-9-16. - Plastic bags — Labeling.

Section 11-9-17. - Sterilization.

Section 11-9-18. - Care of babies born alive during attempted abortions.

Section 11-9-19. - Sale of spray paint to minors.

Section 11-9-19.1. - Possession of spray paint by a minor.

Section 11-9-20. - Sale of matches.

Section 11-9-21. - Prohibition of sale of certain dietary supplements to minors.