So I just read this from Mountain Oak Vapors. Note the reporting requirements they mention. I have no idea if this is normal for other adult consumables, though.
Also, notice that they are closing their online business because of all the required reporting and the lack of common carriers, but not closing their
B&M stores. Apparently no new reporting is being required for B&M operations. They must feel confident they can get their inventory shipped to them at a reasonable enough rate?
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It is with great sadness that we are being forced to shutter our online business.
Under "the cover of darkness" (Christmas time/end of year government budget omnibus bill) the United States Congress amended the 2009 PACT and JENKINS ACT's to include Electronic Cigarettes.
They did this deep inside the 5000+ page "COVID RELIEF BILL" that was passed.
It's often common practice for our government to legislate in this way - in one huge, all-or-nothing "budget bill" at the end of the year that contains thousands of extras and "riders". These greatly impact various industries, including ours.
This most recent amendment makes it a felony to ship any vape items to consumers.
USPS, Fed-Ex and UPS have announced that they are cancelling our internet shipping accounts at the end of March/April.
At the moment, there is NO viable solution to continue "Business to Consumer" mail/phone/internet orders.
A few of the onerous requirements to stay in business include:
- Having a registered agent within each destination state
- Monthly reporting to each State Attorney General
- Monthly Reporting to the ATF
- Monthly Reporting to Local County Sheriff's Department, if Required for County-Specific rules (Flavor bans, county-specific taxes, etc.)
- Associated state/local Taxes collected & Remitted
- Cannot use the United States Postal Service
- Fed-Ex/UPS have both opted out
- Adult Signature required upon delivery IF private courier can be found.
At this time, we feel like we will only be able to operate the website for about another month or so, given that the USPS is still "publishing the final rule", and there is no private courier willing to handle national distribution of individual consumer packages.
As it stands, the murmured effective date of the law is April 6, 2021.
We started this business to do one thing – to help folks quit smoking. Since opening, we have helped over 30,000 people get off & stay off of cigarettes with this miraculous harm-reduction technology.
Unfortunately, our government benefits more when people are smoking.
Tobacco is the most taxed product category in the world, and electronic cigarettes have posed a tremendous threat to those tax revenues on which state, local and federal government have become dependent.
As many of you are aware, we have taken a stand on many occasions - fighting for vapor rights both locally & nationally.
The reality is simple, however. We simply do not have the capacity to comply with these latest mandated regulatory actions.
Thank you all so much for your patronage over the years. It has been our absolute pleasure and privilege to serve you.
As a measure of gratitude, we have deeply discounted pricing throughout March to help our customers stock up.
Our final shipping date will be March 25th.
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