Vape Prices Hike As EU Brings In Vape Tax!
A European vape tax will probably be rubber stamped today bringing all things vape into line with lit tobacco and therefore costing much more.
Despite all ‘novel tobacco‘ products – vape kits, e-liquids, heat not burn devices – being within the TPD, they are not taxed as such.
This, says the EU, will bring them into line with lit tobacco and will apparently help ‘tackle the challenges‘ they bring – whatever they are.
The bombshell was broken by news website EuroActiv that received a ‘leaked‘ copy of the new proposals that appear to have come out of nowhere from what I can see.
The draft proposal says:
The current provisions of Directive 2011/64/EU have become less effective, as they are either no longer sufficient or too narrow to address current and future challenges, concerning some products, such as liquids for e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and other types of next-generation products, which are entering the market.
It is therefore urgent and necessary to upgrade the EU regulatory framework, in order to tackle current and future challenges in respect of the functioning of the internal market by harmonising definitions and tax treatment of novel products (such as liquids for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products), including products, whether or not containing nicotine, that substitute tobacco, in order to avoid legal uncertainty and regulatory disparities in the EU.
When they say ‘harmonizing‘ they of course mean tax the shit out of all things vape…strange timing given the WHO is on the rampage around vaping in Europe…
The actual figures are unclear, however according to the Tax Foundation, the EU taxes tobacco with this formula:
…excise duty of €1.80 ($2.12) per 20-cigarette pack and 60 percent of an EU country’s weighted average retail selling price (certain exceptions apply).
On top of excise duties, all EU countries levy a value-added tax (VAT) on cigarettes.
One thing is clear, a combined media fake news assault on vaping, backed by the World Health Organization, and now a heavy tax, might not put current vapers off, but it may affect smokers thinking of switching for both health and the once cheaper option of vaping.
This was a point made very clear in the new ETHRA Manifesto that I wrote about yesterday: European Vaping Manifesto Launched – The Fight To Save Vaping Is On!
Point six clearly states:
Tax policy must take into account that high taxation of safer nicotine products increases rates of smoking.
That makes perfect sense, sadly the EU has ignored this and many smokers may decide to stick with smoking rather than making the switch to what is a healthier and what was a cheaper option.
I’ll try and add an update to Sunday’s Vaping News.
So what do you make of a European vape tax?
Should all ‘novel nicotine‘ products be tax free?
Let me know in the comments below!
World Vape Day vs World No Tobacco Day – Let Battle Commence!
It’s a battle of the ‘days‘ as vape advocates from across the globe plan to go head to head with the powerful World Health Organization.
Saturday May 30th is the launch of World Vape Day whilst World No Tobacco Day is on Sunday May 31st.
You might be forgiven for thinking the two should combine – sadly the WHO is as anti-vaping as you can get.
Indeed it is using the most ridiculous – some might say shocking – images of children to promote its event – WTF is wrong with these people!
So this is going to be about social media numbers and who – pun intended – can come out on top with the message ‘vaping is considerably safer than smoking – no matter what you might hear and from whom’ 😉
And so, the organizers of World Vape Day are urging all vapers to get involved – starting TODAY or as soon as you can!
They want you to flood all of your social media channels with not only your support for e-cigarettes as a tobacco harm reduction tool – but add your own story too.
There are a couple of pre-made templates made for you to add your message – or of course you can make your own.
Please use the hashtags #SayYesToTHR #worldvapeday and #WTHRD in all of your posts!
Here’s one featuring an ETHRA members mum!
UK Vape Shops Set To Re-Open!
The UK Government has given the green light for none essential stores – including vape shops – closed during the lock down to re-open on June 15th.
PM Boris Johnson announced the decision – some might say to distract from other ‘issues‘ – on Sunday giving vape shop owners and staff a couple of weeks to be pandemic prepared.
Many vape shops have obviously struggled during the lock down, however those with websites seem to have done OK, whilst innovative shop owners have offered delivery services to their customers.
On hearing of the big opening, UKVIA was delighted, and its director John Dunne said he was “immensely proud” of the responsible approach most vape businesses had taken adding:
The response from the industry to the challenging conditions has been both staggering and exemplary.
I know that our members that make up a large share of the vaping market have been working around the clock to provide online and home delivery services to the 3.2m vapers across the country.
Our members could have felt downhearted that they were not seen as essential retail outlets as in other countries but they have just got on with it.
As an industry association, we have been engaging with Government to ensure that vape shops could open as soon as possible as the lockdown was gradually lifted.
All our retail members have still been ‘open for business’ since the lockdown begun and have introduced social distancing measures that go well beyond the government guidance.
This should give vapers confidence when going to their local stores.
Our members, together with the industry as a whole, will be delighted that shops will be able to reopen from the 15th June as it will enable them to give the critical support to their customers, and be a boost to the whole supply chain.
Great news indeed.
Dinner Lady Disposable E-cigarette Hits Asda
The new Dinner Lady disposable e-cigarette range is to be launched in 350 Asda supermarket stores.
I recently reviewed the full line and was pretty impressed with the flavours on the whole coming through very well indeed.
I mentioned in that review, they would make great impulse buys for existing vapers and for those looking to make the switch.
And with the European wide menthol lit tobacco ban now in force, many menthol smokers might try them out of curiosity.
John Taylor, the Vape Dinner Lady chief marketing officer said:
We are delighted to be launching our new range of disposable e-cigarettes with ASDA and this comes on the back of the huge success of our first flavours like Lemon Tart for which we have won multiple international awards.”
Vape Dinner Lady’s e-cigarettes have proven to be very popular with consumers looking to switch from traditional tobacco products and we expect our new Flavour Fresh Menthol and Blue Menthol to be appeal widely at this time, particularly as the menthol tobacco products are being restricted from sale.
Many retailers we talk to recognize that e-cigarettes are an essential part of their product range and in particular they like the combination of the premium quality e-liquid and vaping device that Vape Dinner Lady offers.
Let’s hope they sell by the bucket load and get more smokers into vaping.
Smoking and COVID-19 Links Still Unclear
Public Health England has been studying the effect smoking has on COVID-19 and a new update says things are still uncertain.
However it does suggest that whilst more studies are carried out, smokers should be advised to switch to safer nicotine products such as vaping.
This is the 4th update to this research and involved 67 observational studies from the previous 41.
The team of researchers included the excellent Dr Lion Shahab concluded:
Across 67 observational studies, there is substantial uncertainty arising from the recording of smoking status on whether current and/or former smoking status is associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalisation or mortality.
There is limited evidence that current smoking compared with never is associated with greater disease severity in those hospitalised for COVID-19.
More research is obviously needed.
Dr Farsalinos Video Explains On Why Nicotine MAY Help Fight COVID-19
Pro vaping researcher Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos has explained why he thinks nicotine helps tackle COVID-19.
Watch the video because he explains it far clearer than I ever could!
Good stuff!
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More vape news on Sunday!
If you have anyhting vape news related please let me know!
You can contact me at: neilh @ ecigclick.co.uk
Cheers!
