TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate approved tougher regulations on vapes Wednesday in an effort to crack down on unlicensed products and eliminate advertisements geared toward children.

Major tobacco companies were behind the bill, which would impose the same licensing and advertising requirements on e-cigarettes as other nicotine products.

Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, said it “cuts out the bad actors,” ensuring every e-cigarette manufacturer doing business in Kansas obtains a license

Senate Bill 355 also bars manufacturers from marketing vapes to children. Vapes and their packaging can’t depict a fictional or cartoon-like character, include symbols or trademarks that are usually used in marketing to minors or feature the image of a celebrity. Vapes with video game, audio, photo, video or similar entertainment features would be outlawed.

“A large portion of the vapes that come into Kansas come from foreign countries, and they are not regulated and not licensed, and they present health and security threats,” Thompson said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimated in September that as much as 54% of vaping products sold across the country are illegal.