Arkansas war on vaping begins

[Shawn Hoefer]

Currently under consideration on capitol hill...

AR HB1519 This bill, if passed, will increase the minimum age for purchasing vapor products to 21.

AR HB1565 This bill, if passed, would increase the minimum age to 21, AND put a burdensome floor tax of 10 cents per ml on all e-liquids.

AR SB347 This bill, if passed, would impose a burdensome floor tax of an estimated 68% on ALL vapor products AND an additional 10 cents per ml.

This will lead to the closing of most vape shops in Arkansas. As it is currently illegal to ship any vapor related items to consumers in Arkansas, Arkansans will have very few options. Many will return to smoking.

Contact your representatives and senators and let them know what you think.

 

[Possum64]

Wow! ^^This is really disheartening news. I hope people get on board as you have suggested.

 

[ScottP]

Since there are 3 options, it MIGHT be prudent to endorse AR HB1519 rather than fight all 3. While it would suck for those age 18-20, it's still much better than the alternatives. The other two options just suck for everyone. Although if they raise the vaping age, they really should raise the tobacco age too.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

Since there are 3 options, it MIGHT be prudent to endorse AR HB1519 rather than fight all 3. While it would suck for those age 18-20, it's still much better than the alternatives. The other two options just suck for everyone. Although if they raise the vaping age, they really should raise the tobacco age too.

Yeah... It's your basic T21. You can sign up to go overseas and get your head blown off. You can get a credit card or go to college and go deep in debt. You can buy a car. You can vote. You can buy (some) firearms. But, ya can't smoke or vape or drink.

 

[ScottP]

Yeah... It's your basic T21. You can sign up to go overseas and get your head blown off. You can get a credit card or go to college and go deep in debt. You can buy a car. You can vote. You can buy (some) firearms. But, ya can't smoke or vape or drink.

I agree it's completely stupid. Although I have always believed that active military should be exempted from these laws. If you are putting your life on the line for your country, you at least deserve a cold beer.

 

[Str8vision]

This doesn't surprise me since Arkansas easily passed an internet sales ban a few years ago. If I remember correctly, when they passed the internet sales ban, they said taxation would likely come at a later date. In rural sparsely populated areas (like Arkansas) banning internet sales seems prudent if/when planning heavy taxation, makes it much easier to control/collect. Even if they don't get the 68% tax rate this time around there's always next time or the time after that, they wont stop till they get what they want. Holds true for all states that have so far failed to pass special vape taxes, it's just a matter of time for us all. Also watch for tricky language in vape tax bills that grants them authority to unilaterally raise the tax rate without further vote, like California did.... Just months after narrowly passing a 27% vape tax, California unilaterally increased the rate to 67%. American politics 101, underhanded dirty tricks.

 

[Baditude]

Don't give up the fight.
Bill to restrict tobacco use to 21 fails in Kentucky

 

[Jet Knight]

Disappointing news, politics always finds a way of making a buck.

 

[CMD-Ky]

Currently under consideration on capitol hill...

AR HB1519 This bill, if passed, will increase the minimum age for purchasing vapor products to 21.

AR HB1565 This bill, if passed, would increase the minimum age to 21, AND put a burdensome floor tax of 10 cents per ml on all e-liquids.

AR SB347 This bill, if passed, would impose a burdensome floor tax of an estimated 68% on ALL vapor products AND an additional 10 cents per ml.

This will lead to the closing of most vape shops in Arkansas. As it is currently illegal to ship any vapor related items to consumers in Arkansas, Arkansans will have very few options. Many will return to smoking.

Contact your representatives and senators and let them know what you think.

At eighteen, brave enough and wise enough to risk themselves in the armed forces, wise enough to vote for our ruling class, earn enough to pay taxes to support our ruling class. At eighteen, to stupid to make a decision about nicotine or drink a beer.
Re-elect No One because if in office they are at least one (most likely all three) of the following: corrupt, stupid or avaricious.

 

[BrotherBob]

Currently under consideration on capitol hill

Thanks for the heads up.
I think these state legislators tend to copy each other.
FYI:
How High Are Vapor Taxes in Your State? (2018) - Tax Foundation
"There is a broader conversation about the relative risk of vapor products compared to traditional cigarettes. Recent research from Public Health England shows that vaping is 95 percent less harmful compared to smoking cigarettes. Advocates of lower or no taxes on vapor products argue that high taxes could discourage current cigarette smokers from using vapor as a tool for quitting traditional cigarettes. Proponents of higher taxes assert that the health risks of vapor usage are unknown and any chance of young people picking up the habit is not worth the risk."

 

[Philabos]

At eighteen, brave enough and wise enough to risk themselves in the armed forces, wise enough to vote for our ruling class, earn enough to pay taxes to support our ruling class. At eighteen, to stupid to make a decision about nicotine or drink a beer.
Re-elect No One because if in office they are at least one (most likely all three) of the following: corrupt, stupid or avaricious.

Agreed.
The 1.8 percent that actually risk themselves in the armed forces should be exempt.
The other 98.2 percent......

 

[Vapedog]

10c per mil tax! $10 tax on a 100ml bottle? That's insane.

 

[ScottP]

The other 98.2 percent......

........still signed up willing to risk their lives.

 

[CMD-Ky]

Agreed.
The 1.8 percent that actually risk themselves in the armed forces should be exempt.
The other 98.2 percent......

I suppose I should have said that our ruling class thinks that at eighteen, one is brave enough and is wise enough to risk themselves in the armed forces, is wise enough to vote for our ruling class, earns enough to pay taxes to support our ruling class. The ruling class also believe that at eighteen, one is too stupid to make a decision about nicotine or drink a beer.

 

[United States]

The 18 or 21 debate began during the just say no days when it was observed there were a lot of 19 year olds in high schools and at that time it was said those 19 year olds were supplying alcohol to those not old enough to buy yet.

Was that actually the case? Got me but that was where the whole began. So here we are in 2019 and there is supposedly a vaping epidemic in high schools so here we go again.

Now regarding taxes, well we've had it good for over a decade. Now that vaping has or is becoming mainstream expect more of those bills. Politicians are starting to take note that millions are vaping.

We can probably thank Juul for two things here. 1) putting vaping in the hands of millions of former smokers. 2) putting vaping on the radar of big brother in a large enough target that it shows up on government radars from coast to coast.

Hey, it sucks but it's reality.

 

[DaveP]

Taxes are always detrimental if they suppress something that's worthwhile. I get that taxes are the source of income for states, but do it wisely if you are trying to control something that would be better off unbridled. Put a large per pack tax on cigarettes and you will save even more money on state funded medical costs over time. Take the high tax OFF vaping and more will switch to the vape and quit smoking tobacco.

I don't get the thought process that's applied by many states. If you want to save money on health care, support the switch to vaping. Try as they may, no medical oversight group has been able to dismiss ecigs as a safer way to get off the tobacco. It's all about losing tax revenue for the states and the tobacco settlement agreement that requires people to smoke in order for the payouts to continue.

It's usually about tobacco taxes falling as people switch to the vape. Apparently, states would rather collect tobacco taxes and support cancer and emphysema than admit that vaping is the cure for smoking.

 

[zoiDman]

Currently under consideration on capitol hill...

AR HB1519 This bill, if passed, will increase the minimum age for purchasing vapor products to 21.

AR HB1565 This bill, if passed, would increase the minimum age to 21, AND put a burdensome floor tax of 10 cents per ml on all e-liquids.

AR SB347 This bill, if passed, would impose a burdensome floor tax of an estimated 68% on ALL vapor products AND an additional 10 cents per ml.

This will lead to the closing of most vape shops in Arkansas. As it is currently illegal to ship any vapor related items to consumers in Arkansas, Arkansans will have very few options. Many will return to smoking.

Contact your representatives and senators and let them know what you think.

If you want to Fight these Bills on the Grassroots level, you have to start associating House and Senate Members Names to Yes/No Votes.

And the Best Place to do that is in B&M's and Online Retailers.

There should also be a drive to contact the Governors office to see if Hutchinson would sign into Law such a bill?

 

[sonicbomb]

Sometimes civil disobedience is the only option.

 

[ScottP]

Sometimes civil disobedience is the only option.

"This is a stick up! Our freedom, or your life!" - RATM

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

"This is a stick up! Our freedom, or your life!" - RATM

Yeah, somehow I think that approach might be a little counterproductive... Kinda like dumping all the taxed liquids in the Arkansas River while disguised as smokers...

What we're doing is trying to work with the legislators... Educate them (and the populace at large)... And encouraging enforcement of exiating laws.

Imagine, if you will, every minor caught vaping in this "epidemic" being charged a $250 fine... Maybe a reduced sentence/fine if they tell the prosecutor who bought them the gear and e-liquid. There's both an end to the "epidemic" AND their missing revenue. And, perfectly legal adult vaping can continue without their nasty fingers mucking about.