Win for Alabama vapers!

[dbrandt01]

People love vaping, people stop smoking because of vaping. However, people mention advocacy and voting and a lot of people turn their backs. Today there was meeting at the capital in Alabama. We as vapers won. This bill would've added $0.25 per ml on e-liquid with nicotine. Essentially, $7.50 tax on a 30ml bottle with nicotine.

I have college classes today, it's finals week. Sadly I couldn't make the drive up there, I couldn't afford to miss a day this week. Thanks to the BEAA, and all the Alabamian Vapers, shop owners, and out of staters. Governor Bentley asked that the vaping tax be removed and ‪‎HB9‬ has been removed from the docket!

This is one step in victory, the fight won't end, but we took a step in the right direction in protecting our rights to vape and leading us to a healthier lifestyle.

If this is allowed: Vape_Politics | Facebook
there is the link to the page I've been following that has been giving updates. I am in no way affiliated with that page, I'm just an Alabama resident that has been following the page.

 

[bluecat]

Nice to see.

Just remember they may try to slide it through again. They get sneaky.

 

[AndriaD]

Yay 'bama!!!

Andria

 

[Stinkytofus]

thats great news... its going to come down to all the states having different rules and majority of them will be similar imo

 

[dbrandt01]

Nice to see.

Just remember they may try to slide it through again. They get sneaky.

I agree, I'm sure they'll try again. All states seem to try again. We'll just have to fight for our rights against them again when that time comes.

 

[Robino1]

Awesome news!

Stay vigilant!!

 

[RandyF]

Nice to see.

Just remember they may try to slide it through again. They get sneaky.

This^^^^

I never really paid attention to how things like this worked their way through the legislative process. As a smoker, I guess I just felt like I deserved whatever they handed down. Now that I am vaping and seeing the shady, dishonest, corrupt systems we have in place, it is just.......broken.

 

[kaahn]

Nice to see.

Just remember they may try to slide it through again. They get sneaky.

Yeah they have a great way of tacking on amendments to other more pressing legislation...you know like back on page 16 tucked in the bottom left corner under the post it note with a list of what they want for lunch.

 

[dcfluegel]

props to the 'bama peeps! woot! way to represent!

(um... geaux tigers!)

 

[DavidOck]

Congrats on the win this year!

As said, don't let your guard down. We've stopped it twice in two years here in WA, the second time (this year) we had to do it twice, once in the regular session and once in the special session.... where they tried to jam it into a must pass budget bill....

 

[oplholik]

Good news, but stay on your toes.

 

[crxess]

I'm glad to hear this news. I don't think Taxing will go away completely and in time we will all be effected, but the ridiculous thought that a minority of Americans should continue to bare unreasonable Taxation to support Government Waste is pitiful.

Sin Taxes are Oppressive and outdated.

 

[DC2]

This^^^^

I never really paid attention to how things like this worked their way through the legislative process. As a smoker, I guess I just felt like I deserved whatever they handed down. Now that I am vaping and seeing the shady, dishonest, corrupt systems we have in place, it is just.......broken.

Of all the lessons life has thrown at me...
It took vaping for me to really see what goes on under the covers.

 

[oplholik]

Same here DC2. Until I started vaping 4 years ago, I wasn't paying to much attention to what went on. Vaping not only got me off of cigs, but it has opened my eyes also.

 

[johnkong]

Keep vaping in the free world

Glad to hear 'bama

 

[dbrandt01]

There was another post about it yesterday from Breathe Easier Alliance of Alabama on Facebook. This goes into a little more detail. Edit: Hmm that's new, I post a link and it posted the whole thing for me haha. I didn't know that happened.
Link:


"Update on ‪#‎noHB9‬:
I want to start by saying that we have confirmed through multiple legislators that there is not an appetite in the State House for passing a tax on e-cigarettes or vape products. In other words, HB9 will not be considered for a vote in the special session.

The members of the BEAA have done a phenomenal job of reaching out to your elected officials and educating them about the real facts of this industry and more than 100 vape and e-cigarette users, retailers and wholesalers came to Montgomery today and met personally with legislators about the importance of Alabama's vape businesses to the economy and to overall public health.

These efforts (calls, letters, petitions and the pilgrimage to the State House) have been successful in increasing awareness of the positives of the industry and that has helped to build bipartisan opposition throughout the House and Senate to unfair targeting of this industry.

Leadership and Members of the BEAA and their customers should be very proud of these efforts. Those that traveled to Montgomery today should be thanked as should those organizations from other states that provided support.

This battle is behind us but I am sure it will come up again in future sessions. I am looking forward to seeing you all on August 30 for the BEAA meeting."

 

[bluecat]

Arkansas needs to rethink their position and take a look at Alabama. I think I like the BEAA.

I really wish these governors would attack the real problem... State's are spending too much money. Instead of trying to solve the budget problem with "sin" taxes. Cut spending.. Bentley woudl be the last person I gave my vote for. Kaisich tried to do something similar here in HB 64, basically tax it out of existence. The latest I know of is the senate proposed a 40 cent tax on cigarettes and a 5% on other tobacco products, which e cigs, vaporizor, e liquid is not categorized as.

Kaisich just angers me, now. I refused to cast my vote for him in the last election. Sadly he won.

 

[philoshop]

Good things come to those who work for them.
A good day for the Alabamanites...Alabamanians...Alabamsters...er...the vapers of Alabama.

 

[dbrandt01]

Haha, I like the names you gave philoshop

Sad thing, there's still a lot of people that hear advocacy and just turn their backs to it. I post about it online, I get maybe 11 likes on Instagram or something. If I post something about a giveaway I would get 100 likes, which is pretty pathetic. While people are being lazy sitting on their .... blowing clouds and not fighting for their right to vape, there are others that are fighting. Sad thing the lazy people are the first to complain when something negative is passed about vaping.

 

[SpaceApe]

Great news for Alabama's vaper. Sadly any win for vapers always makes me wonder if or what they have up their sleeves.

Haha, I like the names you gave philoshop

Sad thing, there's still a lot of people that hear advocacy and just turn their backs to it. I post about it online, I get maybe 11 likes on Instagram or something. If I post something about a giveaway I would get 100 likes, which is pretty pathetic. While people are being lazy sitting on their .... blowing clouds and not fighting for their right to vape, there are others that are fighting. Sad thing the lazy people are the first to complain when something negative is passed about vaping.

You can't let the apathetic people discourage you or ruffle your feathers. Activism pays off, Keep your head up and keep fighting the good fight.