Author: Bill Tarling

“The state of Washington’s temporary ban on flavored vapes and THC vaping products has lapsed. As of Friday, these goods can be offered for sale again and purchased by users. Last October, Washington’s Board of Health declared a 120-day emergency ban on these products. In November, state legislators drafted a bill that would have made the ban permanent. Ultimately, Washington lawmakers modified the bill to bar only products containing vitamin E acetate, effectively sanctioning the sale and purchase of flavored and THC vaping goods lacking it. Nevertheless, the bill still carries restrictions, such as a requirement that customers be at least 21 years of age to buy these products. Additionally, those purchasing flavored vapes will have to pay a 37% excise tax on them. With the new bill still moving through the legislative process, the state allowed the temporary ban to expire.”

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Washington State’s Ban on Flavored and THC Vapes Expires

“The (planned) government regulations will increase the tax burden. However, the government does not plan to spend the money to be obtained through higher taxes on improving the health sector but rather for patching budget holes. It believes that the introduction of excise taxes on e-cigarette liquid and heated tobacco products is a very bad measure that will discourage consumers from switching to less harmful products. Tobacco prices are expected to go up soon because the Finance Ministry recently put to public consultation a draft regulation envisaging an increase in tobacco excise taxes by 40 kuna per thousand cigarettes, and it also plans to introduce excise taxes on some new tobacco products, including e-cigarette liquid and heated tobacco products. The public consultation lasted until February 3.”

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NGO Against Increase in Taxes on Tobacco, Coffee, Non-Alcoholic Drinks

“By the skin of its teeth, a proposal from Eagle High School seniors to ban smoking and vaping in cars and in the presence of minors was  introduced as a bill in the House Health and Welfare Committee. The legislation survived a vote that would have send it back to the authors for a clearer definition of the word “vaping.” The bill could return for a full hearing in the coming weeks. With a rewrite, and help from Rep. Gayann DeMourdant, R-Eagle, the seniors decided to pick up fighting for the legislation. Rep. Bryan Zollinger, R-Idaho Falls, while applauding the student’s work, raised concerns about a vague definition of “vaping” in the proposal that did not specify tobacco products. He supported a motion to send the proposal back to the sponsors for clarification before it would be introduced. In a tie vote, the committee rejected sending the proposal back to the high school seniors.”

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EAGLE STUDENTS USE SENIOR PROJECTS AS A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE LAW

It’s straight tobacco or nothing under a bill that would ban Maryland retailers from selling any flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. The bill has the support of a number of groups, including the American Cancer Society and the Maryland NAACP. Opponents of the bill testified before the House Economic Matters Committee that suppliers, distributors and retailers stand to lose millions with the ban and that the state would lose millions in tax revenue.”

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Lawmakers Hear Details Of Bill That Would Ban All Flavored Tobacco Products In Maryland

“Manhattan Beach this week moved a step closer to banning all tobacco products and vaping devices from being sold in the city. The City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 4, approved an ordinance banning tobacco sales. It passed 4-1, with Councilwoman Suzanne Hadley opposing the new law. It will go back to the council for a second and final — and largely pro forma — vote in the coming months, said City Attorney Quinn Barrow. If adopted, the new law will prohibit the sale of electronic smoking devices, vaping cartridges, and all forms of tobacco, including all flavors, cigarettes, chew and cigars. The ordinance first went before the City Council in December, but was postponed so that officials could expand it to include everything tobacco related.”

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Manhattan Beach moves one step closer to overall tobacco, vape ban

“The CDC recently amended its suggestion of avoiding vaping altogether to a more specific recommendation to not use THC-containing products. Even so, fewer adults actually blame THC vapes for the lung illnesses, down to 28 percent in the most recent poll from 34 percent in the September survey. The initial panic of vaping-related illness made a big splash, but the updated conclusion has barely made a ripple in the mainstream news cycle. “I think to some degree, it’s been intentional to conflate nicotine vaping with the THC-cannabis vaping, perhaps with the well-meaning motive about the teen panic about vaping increasing,” said Dr. David Abrams, professor of social and behavioral sciences at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. “I think some people are thinking, ‘Let’s just demonize all vaping,’ regardless of what the science says.””

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E-Cigarettes Increasingly Blamed for Lung Illnesses, as Evidence Points Elsewhere

“Tobacco & Vaping legislation and regulation is constantly under review at the local, state and federal levels. In this monthly roundup, Convenience Store News highlights the latest proposals and approved changes happening across the United States.”

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Tackling Tobacco: January 2020 Legislative & Regulatory Roundup

“Gov. Ned Lamont will unveil a revised budget Wednesday that bans flavored vaping liquids, including menthol. And while it includes no major tax hikes, sources said the governor’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year would increase the levy adopted last May on e-cigarettes. Lamont, who met with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo last September to discuss vaping, pledged his administration would intensify efforts in 2020 to curb its use. The governor also continues to support the legalization of recreational marijuana and the taxation of cannabis sales, but his budget assumes no new revenue from this change.”

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Lamont’s new budget takes aim at vaping

“Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) announced that next week’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 5, at 10:30 am in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Vaping in America: E-Cigarette Manufacturers’ Impact on Public Health.” Last week, Pallone and DeGette announced the Subcommittee would hold a hearing with executives from the largest five e-cigarette manufacturers in the United States: Fontem U.S.; Japan Tobacco International, U.S. (Logic); JUUL Labs, Inc.; NJOY, LLC; and Reynolds American Inc.”

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E&C OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR HEARING WITH E-CIGARETTE MANUFACTURERS

HEARING LIVE STREAM

HEARING ON “VAPING IN AMERICA: E-CIGARETTE MANUFACTURERS’ IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH”

“The hotly debated Trump administration partial ban on flavored e-cigarettes takes effect at a minute after midnight Thursday.. The partial vape ban will affect most e-cigarettes that use pre-filled pods. These cartridges are designed for one-time use and have been embraced by teens. Sales of fruit-, dessert- and mint- flavored pods will be outlawed; menthol and tobacco flavors will escape prohibition. The e-cigarette market leader, Juul Labs, will not be affected by Thursday’s action because it has already stopped selling flavored pods except for menthol and tobacco. Companies that will be affected include NJOY; R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., which sells Vuse; Fontem Ventures, which sells Blu; and Japan Tobacco International, which sells Logic. Open-tank systems and thousands of flavored e-liquids not in pod form are not covered by the ban.”

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Flavored e-cigarette pod ban starts Thursday: What it means for vapers