Iowa Senate Bill Proposes Tax Hike on Vaping Liquid and Nicotine Pouches
A new bill in the Iowa Senate that would impose a state tax on vapor cartridges for electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches is set to be considered by a Senate Committee. The proposed legislation has sparked a debate between those who believe vaping products should be taxed similarly to cigarettes and those who argue that these alternatives are less harmful and should not face the same level of taxation.
During a Senate subcommittee hearing, Michael Triplett, a lobbyist for Iowans for Alternatives to Smoking and Tobacco, expressed opposition to the bill, stating that there is no justification for treating devices that are less harmful than smoking in the same manner as deadly cigarettes. Triplett emphasized that it is the smoke, not the nicotine, that makes cigarettes deadly.
On the other hand, Threase Harms, a lobbyist for Clear Air for Everyone, argued that cigarettes and e-cigarettes are “kindred cousins” and that vaping liquid has been linked to health issues such as “popcorn lung” and contains harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. Harms pointed out that Iowans are paying an estimated $1 billion annually for tobacco-related health care costs and that it is time for vaping products to pay their fair share.
Groups like the American Cancer Society applaud raising taxes on vaping products but recommend that some of the money raised should go toward programs that discourage kids from vaping or smoking cigarettes. Amy Campbell, a lobbyist for the Iowa Behavioral Health Association, emphasized the importance of school-based programs, citing the explosive growth of vaping among youth.
Senator Mike Klemish, a Republican from Spillville and the bill’s author, shared his personal experience as a former smoker who still occasionally smokes cigarettes. Klemish expressed concern about the increasing number of kids smoking and worries that the nicotine in vaping liquid may serve as a gateway to smoking cigarettes.
Currently, the state sales tax is charged on vaping products and nicotine patches, while a far higher state tax is assessed on tobacco products. The proposed bill seeks to address this discrepancy by imposing a new tax on nicotine pouches, which are used similarly to smokeless tobacco.
As the debate continues, lawmakers will need to weigh the potential public health benefits of discouraging vaping and smoking against the concerns of those who view these alternatives as less harmful and believe they should not be subject to the same level of taxation as traditional cigarettes.
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