In an email from Innokin today, was a link to today's Vaping Weekly by Benedict Jones. In addition to more news about Canada's up-coming restrictions on most flavored vape products...the following was included, about Washington, DC:
"On Tuesday, June 15, The District of Columbia Council voted to prohibit the sale of flavoured vaping and tobacco products (including menthol cigarettes and cigars).
The bill will be voted on a second time Tuesday, June 29, but it is expected to pass this stage without significant change. After the second vote, the bill must be approved by the mayor, and pass a 30-day congressional review period before the law takes effect.
The bill also covers synthetic nicotine products, which have, at times, been suggested as a way of side-stepping legislation which restricts “tobacco products” in the U.S. Since synthetic nicotine products are covered by the bill, it would appear that other next-generation nicotine products, such as pouches, will be affected by the flavour ban."
So, little by little it continues....
And so it begins......
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Wednesday it plans to ban the sale of non-tobacco-flavored electronic cigarettes amid a vaping crisis.
“The Trump Administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools and communities,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement. “We will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth.”
Michigan became the first state to prohibit sales of most flavored e-cigarettes last week in a bold move to curb the underage vaping epidemic. The ban, which will take effect in a few weeks, will cover both online and in-store sales of all e-cigarette flavors except tobacco.
Trump administration plans to ban sale of flavored electronic cigarettes
Amid rising deaths and illnesses, Montana temporarily bans flavored e-cigarettes
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Tuesday enacted a 120-day ban on the sale of flavored vaping products, saying that e-cigarettes are a growing epidemic causing harm among today’s teens.
The ban will go into effect Oct. 22 and the 120 days is the maximum time allowed by law. The state is to implement emergency administrative rules to temporarily prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.
Alright, so I was reading over a house bill that just passed here in Hawaii "with amendments"
Not exactly sure what the amendments are, so this could be irrelevant, but the concept still holds true.
The legislature imposes an 80% tax on "Tobacco Products" which they have conveniently bundled electronic cigarettes into.
So, what would stop a vape shop from selling all 0 nic juices, and adding nicotine as a separate purchase. For example, I buy a 30mL bottle of juice with zero nic, and then I buy enough nicotine concentrate to bump it up to say 6mg/ml
They sell me the juice for $15 (Hypothetical here) and sell me the nicotine for $1.00
So all that would get taxed is the nicotine because that's the only "Tobacco Product" (by their definition). So we only pay 80 cents in taxes rather than $12.80
If I ran a vape shop, this is what I'd be doing to prevent my customers from taking their business out of state, or worse going back to stinky sticks...
As far as I know, they would be hard pressed to define any of the electronic equipment as tobacco products, or juice without nicotine.
Is selling the nicotine as a separate purchase a viable strategy for defeating these ridiculous laws that are being proposed all over the country?
Our 9/8 deadline is looming. If you care at all about your right to vape I urge you to send your congressperson a letter. It only takes a minute. Could be something like this :
"So more reasons for you to vote against this. Over the past couple of days I have been online purchasing $2000 worth of e liquid in anticipation of the 9/8 ruling.
One observation. On one of the websites I was asked whether 21 or older to enter. Filled my cart and at checkout age verification (00/00/0000) was again asked for. Was told shipping and billing addresses had to match, no PO boxes, and that my birthdate had to match my credit card info. I think this clearly illustrates that the measures can be in place to curb teen vaping.
Also I'd like to talk about that last flavor I ordered. It is Kentucky bourbon, almond Amaretto, vanilla and coconut. It is aged 2 months in oak barrels. Now I dont know about you but the first time I drank whiskey I almost threw up. Trying to say that flavors like this are adult acquired and would no way appeal to children. Dont take my healthier simple pleasures away and penalize me for unscrupulous vendors. There is a way to make this work for all of us.
Btw, I think of that $2000 dollars not going to a hard working middleclass business owner and it going to black market vendors instead. Not to mention the unemployment we will now foot because you will have crippled these people".
I got this back from my representative so they do acknowledge the replys:
Dear Mr. ,
Thank you for contacting me about your opposition to S. 1253, the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act. I appreciate hearing from you.
Like you, I am concerned about government overreach in this industry and how it affects people’s everyday lives. That is why I am proud to tell you that I voted against H.R. 2339, the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act, when it came up for a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would prohibit the flavoring of any tobacco product sold in the United States. The bill clarifies that all flavorings, including any artificial or natural flavor excluding tobacco, would be banned for sale. This ban would be extended to e-cigarette products, such as vape pens.
As you are aware, S. 1253 would require online sellers of e-cigarettes to ensure that the delivery carrier checks the ID of an adult upon delivery, which is the current requirement for cigarettes sold online. This requirement would ensure that online sellers have the same age verification requirement as physical retailers.
This legislation has passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent, and is currently being held at the desk. Should the Speaker bring this bill up for a full vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I will utilize your input. Hearing from constituents makes me a more informed legislator and a better voice in Washington, D.C. for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.
For more information about federal issues or if you need assistance with a federal agency, you can contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-4576 or my District office at (623) 776-7911. To stay informed on how I am representing you in Congress, I highly encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter on my website at www.Lesko.house.gov.
Sincerely,
Debbie Lesko
Member of Congress
You just need to let them know that we are here and concerned as taxpaying constituents who are concerned about underage vaping.
If we don't fight, we'll never know if we can win.
Here's the link:
votervoice.net/mobile/CASAA/campaigns/69439/respond
Let's go!
...if you do nothing.
Federal Flavor Ban & Vape Taxation
Goes Up for Vote This
Thursday 2/27/2020 in the House.
HR 2339
Go here to notify your Congress people and the President (easy peasy)...
Vaping Prohibition & Taxation is On the Table in Congress
From CASAA...
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"This [Federal Flavor Ban] legislation is being supported by an army of Bloomberg-funded anti-harm reduction groups to the tune of $160,000,000.
At the same time, it is likely that a tax bill, HR 4742, which is attempting to enact tax parity between vapor products and combustible cigarettes, will also be taken up by the full House."
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Text - H.R.4742 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a tax on nicotine used in vaping, etc.
‘‘“(h) Nicotine.—On taxable nicotine, manufactured in or imported into the United States, there shall be imposed a tax equal to the dollar amount specified in section 5701(b)(1) (or, if greater, $50.33) per 1,810 milligrams of nicotine (and a proportionate tax at the like rate on any fractional part thereof).”
Click to expand...
You wanna pay $2,780.00 extra (plus any state taxes)
for 1 liter of 100mg/ml nic base?
You wanna be forced to vape "tobacco" flavors only?
By all means, do nothing.
I have been mixing my own Juice for the last 1-2 years since my state (NJ) banned all flavored E-juice sales. None of my favorite sellers would ship to me anymore.
I did not stock up. I did not know this postal ban was a thing until 2 hours ago when I noticed the wholesaler I purchase from removed most of its products. Even if I did, the stuff will only last me about 2 years. With the way things are, these kinds of laws rarely get reversed once enacted. I thought the 21 age for buying tobacco products would never catch on and be repealed, but look where we are now. No matter how many angry letters you send or how many signatures you get, nothing will happen.
And so, I am left thinking about what I can and can not get in the future. VG and PG will always be around in bulk as it is not only used for vape juice. The flavoring is the same flavoring used for brewing and baking, so no issue there. The liquid nicotine, specifically the extract and not the salt, is where I question the future availability (the salt is almost definitely out of the question).
Are there any other uses for liquid nicotine or is this it for DYI?
Edit: Apparently VG and PG will also be banned, at least by UPS (link below). I guess nicotine solution is also out of the question there.
UPS: Shipping Tobacco - United States.
Trump Administration Weighs Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes
Sitting in the Oval Office with Alex M. Azar II, the secretary of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Ned Sharpless, the acting Food and Drug Administration commissioner, President Trump acknowledged that there was a vaping problem, and said, “We’re going to have to do something about it.”
Mr. Azar said that the F.D.A. would outline a plan within the coming weeks for removing most flavored e-cigarettes that are not tobacco products from the market.
Pressure also began to mount as Michael R. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, decided to step in by announcing a $160 million push to ban flavored e-cigarettes. Long an opponent of traditional smoking, the former mayor said his organization, Bloomberg Philanthropies, would seek prohibitions of flavored e-cigarettes in at least 20 cities and states.
From left, Dr. Norman Sharpless, the acting F.D.A. commissioner, Melania Trump, President Trump and Alex M. Azar II, the health and human services secretary, discussing flavored e-cigarettes in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
Why ? - The many varieties of devices, flavors, and nicotine strengths still available in many places not contaminated by the political whores who apparently hate all tobacco so much that they are willing to jeopardize the lives of many thousands, if not millions, of ex and even current smokers, by killing off the vape industry in favor of their hypocritical agendas of tobacco control.
The fact that vaping tobacco has been proven to be less toxic than lit tobacco products is, to them, all the more reason to restrict and eventually eliminate it. {As has been done in India where all vaping is a crime}
Vaping has been and is still being used by many to wean their way off of nicotine by gradually lowering nicotine concentration - For others who do not want to quit completely vaping offers a much safer alternative to the toxic stew present in lit tobacco, especially cigarettes.
And the fact that vaping for flavor with zero nicotine is available - seems to give them all the more reason to outlaw flavors ?!??!?!
Do they know what they are doing you may ask? - Sure they do, and its all about money. Apparently they make more in tax revenues from old fashioned cigarettes - Still as tax rates go up everywhere on vape products, they may decide there is enough to be made to keep it legal. But don't fool yourself, it has nothing to do with 'saving the children'. In a nation where it may soon become easier, in some places, to buy marijuana than tobacco - I ask who is going to save the children from the political whores who can no longer keep following the mantra that "The road to hell is paved with good intentions"
Who will save the children from them ?
And no I am not against marijuana legalization - but still must point out that tobacco, a mental stimulant, is being downgraded by a drug often used to get 'stoned'
Maybe this is what they want - Not a thinking population of voters - When a stoned population is easier to fool!
I know that there are threads covering bans in individual states, but I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread which covers all state bans.
So far, I know of the temporary, but complete ban, in Massachusetts, and a flavor ban announced in Michigan, Washington state, and Rhode Island. The New York ban is not in effect yet, but will be on October 4, I believe. Not sure about the other three states.
If there are more states which I'm not aware of, please list them.
New York Bans Sale of Flavored E-cigarettes, the First State in the U.S. to Do So
Rhode Island Governor Bans Sales Of Flavored Vaping Products
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/09/24/massachusetts-ban-all-vaping-product-sales-months-toughest-state-crackdown/
Michigan's flavored vaping ban in effect: Here are the new rules
Flavored nicotine ban in San Francisco intended to protect kids may have had reverse effect | Daily Mail Online