Vape lobby taking to the road

Facing potential bankruptcy, the US’ 15,000 vaping and e-cigarette outlets are mounting a political campaign to win a congressional reversal of new and costly Food and Drug Administration rules that went into effect in August, according to a story by Paul Bedard for the washingtonexaminer.com.

The “Right to Vape” campaign plans to barnstorm through 15 battleground and politically influential states to pressure lawmakers up for re-election to promise to use the upcoming November lame-duck session to make changes to the regulations.

The Washington-based Americans for Tax Reform has teamed with the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association and the American Vaping Association for an October bus tour, organizers told the Washington Examiner.

Under its so-called deeming rules, the FDA is requiring agency approval of any vaping product sold for the first time after February 15, 2007, and the approval process is too burdensome and expensive for all but the very biggest companies.

At the same time, some states have brought in or are bringing in burdensome taxes on vapor devices and by-products.

The bus tour will swing through Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Paul Blair, state affairs manager at Americans for Tax Reform, said the goal was to educate lawmakers and the public on the health benefits and safety of vaping, and to raise questions about taxing small businesses.