Legislators in several more states have introduced similar bills, all of which forbid merchants from selling junk food to minors unless their parent or guardian is present and approves.
Traditional Mexican sweets are usually almost entirely made up of sugar, salt, tamarind and lime.
But because of political and economic concerns and national pride, the lawmakers want to avoid touching traditional snack foods, and instead seek to focus on packaged foods made by multinational companies.
The Tabasco law, passed on a 22-8 vote on Monday, uses verbal gymnastics to try to avoid including traditional snacks in the ban.
The U.N. Childrens Fund considers childhood obesity to be a health emergency in Mexico, saying the countrys children have the highest consumption of junk food and many get 40% of their total caloric intake from it.