UTAH MOVES TO TAX E-CIGARETTES LIKE REGULAR SMOKES

[sailingaway]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A proposal in the Utah Legislature that would tax electronic cigarettes at the same rate as regular cigarettes has put the state at the forefront of a national movement to regulate the increasingly popular devices.

More than 35 proposals calling for some type of regulation of electronic cigarettes have been introduced this year in legislatures across the country, but Utah seems to be the only state currently proposing that they be taxed like regular tobacco, said Karmen Hanson, a tobacco policy analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures. Hanson is unaware of any state with a law like this on the books.

Often called "e-cigarettes," the battery-powered devices heat a liquid nicotine solution and create vapor that users inhale. Their popularity has spiked in recent years.

First marketed overseas in 2002, e-cigarettes first became widely available in U.S. in 2006. There are several million users worldwide today, up from a few thousand in 2006. Analysts estimate sales could double to $1 billion in 2013.

because, hey, you're addicted, so they can squeeze money out of you....

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/utah-moves-tax-e-cigarettes-regular-smokes

[TheGrinch]

Ridiculous, they don't even have any proof whatsoever they're in the least bit harmful (and plenty of indication that vapor is a ton safe safer than additive-filled smoke). It's exactly liek you say SA, that they're pretty much admitting they're jsut making money off of addictions. Pathetic that they think they can get away with not even pretending to hide behind "public health" (yet).

I love my E-cig, finally found a good one that I can refill on my own, rather than having to pay for the far more expensive disposable cartidges (still cheaper than smokes, but not by alot). Has helped tremendously in me cutting down my smoking (just 5-7 on my best days, and hope to keep cutting them out), and it's just about paid for itself already for the $40 for it and the $12 bottle of liquid that I still have almost 2/3 after a week and a half of frequent use. Pretty much what a carton of smokes would have costed, and now that it's paid for, the cost will only be $12 for 2-3 weeks worth easy.

I may have to see how long the bottles of liquid keep and stock up before they decide to tax them like crazy, if not banned for being a threat to big tobacco.

[jkr]

WHY DONT THEY TAX BEING BUSY-BODY KNOW NOTHING KNOW IT ALL BULLY BOY THUGS WHO CANT MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS?

THERE is something that needs to be taxed...

[sailingaway]

WHY DONT THEY TAX BEING BUSY-BODY KNOW NOTHING KNOW IT ALL BULLY BOY THUGS WHO CANT MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS?

THERE is something that needs to be taxed...

can you imagine the revenue levels, too? Taxing interfering busybodies?

[ZENemy]

This literally made me LOL...

I cant wait until they tax the tax, for being taxes.