OKLAHOMA CITY – Three Oklahoma lawmakers are renewing a fight over electronic cigarettes, one that received fierce political debate last year, Tulsa World reports. 

Last week, House Speaker T.W. Shannon approved e-cigarette study proposals by Speaker Pro Tem Mike Jackson, Rep. Mike Turner and Rep. David Derby.

During the Legislature’s last session, the House rejected a bill backed by Jackson that sought to reassess the tax on e-cigarettes.

Derby's current study seeks to investigate the regulation of vapor and other emerging nicotine products, while the Jackson-Turner study would look into taxation, tobacco harm reduction, and youth access to electronic cigarettes.

Oklahoma law doesn’t address the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, and  “youth access is definitely something we need to address," Jackson said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering classifying e-cigarette devices as tobacco products, a move that could make the devices subject to the state's tobacco tax, something to which Jackson is opposed. "What we don't want to do is put a higher tax on a less-harmful product," he told the news source.

The American Cancer Society opposed Jackson’s efforts last year and said it will fight any effort to reduce taxes on e-cigarettes, said James Gray, director of government relations for the Cancer Action Network.