Outlined on Governor Jay Inslee’s budget plan, the imposition of a 95% tax on all products of vapor was recently issued. This hike managed to stir up a lot of opposition from various elements of the society. For instance, the American Vaping Association and vapor stores in Washington quickly responded to the proposal with vehement condemnation.
The owner of The Vaporium in Fife, Kim Thompson, stated that a 95% tax brings a few negative effects. Demonizing ecigs for one, passing it off as tobacco smoking. Next, it negates actual savings from vaping compared to purchasing tobacco, eventually reducing the incentive for smokers to every try or switch to vaping.
Thompson added that such a policy would raise the cost of e-cigarettes considerably. She also stated that it would drive consumers back to traditional cigarettes and thus reduce her income to an alerting point.
“Taxing small businesses out of businesses is bad business,” she said.
Reuven Carlyle is a representative who tried to push a similar bill of vapor taxation earlier, but had his proposal rejected by the legislature. He happens to be an advocate of Inslee’s proposal. He said, “Last year, we introduced legislation to bring vaping up to the regular level of other similar products such as snuff and other things. This is just a fairness issue. It’s a parity issue. No one is looking to single out vaping, we are just looking to bring it to the same level of taxation of other similar products.”
Snuff and some other cigarettes are incorporated in those similar products and both of them are taxed at 95%, in compliance with the state’s taxing regulation of tobacco products.
Thompson strongly believes that the difference is self-evident; he exclaimed how his products are tobacco free, do not promote tobacco in anyway, or other cancer causing agents found in them.
Carlyle, on the other hand, has a different point of view. “It really is very important to keep in mind that this is a product that has an active ingredient of nicotine, that is addictive,” he stated.
The American Vaping Association points out to the fact that there are only two other states that impose tax on vapor products: North Carolina and Minnesota. And their taxing policies are solely directed at products which contain nicotine. The association adds that Inslee’s proposition would create similar conditions in the state as well. The American Vaping Association also showed concerns about the measure consequently doubling the cost of vapor products that don’t contain nicotine.
Thomson suggested customers start calling Jay Inslee directly to express their discontent. Although Carlyle was defeated by the vaping industry two years ago, Thompson warns the legislators to gear up for another struggle.