Heartland Daily Podcast [Voices of Vapers] – John Dietz: Pennsylvania’s 40% Vaping Tax

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Lindsey Stroud

Government Relations Coordinator at The Heartland Institute

Prior to joining The Heartland Institute, Lindsey worked as a legislative assistant to a Minnesota state senator.She also worked as a session staffer for a Virginia delegate during the 2015 legislative session and an intern for a U.S. congressman from Virginia in 2012. Lindsey graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in government from the College of William and Mary in 2015

Latest posts by Lindsey Stroud (see all)

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In today’s edition of The Heartland Daily Podcast, Lindsey Stroud interviews John Dietz for another segment Voices of Vapers. The podcast series highlights individuals involved in the vaping community and brings attention to efforts to adjust the Food and Drug Administration’s deeming regulations that permit e-cigarettes and vaping devices to be regulated as tobacco products. The new rules threaten this billion dollar industry and also hinder the progress of tobacco harm reduction as many vapers have only been able to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes because of these devices.

Prior to these regulations taking effect, some states have imposed regulations and taxes that are negatively impacting the industry. Vapers and small business owners in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have faced  mounting pressure and uncertainty since the 2016 budget bill imposed a 40% wholesale cost tax on all vaping inventory. Since the tax took effect on October 1, 2016, an estimated 67 shops have closed.

In this podcast, Lindsey talks with John Dietz, current Vice President of the Pennsylvania Vape Association. He focuses on state affairs, health technology, and public health policy. A former smoker for 22 years, John suffered health complications in the early 2000’s and now advocates for smoke-free alternatives. In 2016, John assisted in educating the public on vaping products, arranged meetings with legislators in an effort to reduce the Commonwealth’s 40% vapor tax, and he is co-organizing the Pennsylvania Tax Rally taking place in January of 2017.

You can find more information on the Pennsylvania Vape Association at http://www.pavape.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/pavape.org/. To find out more about e-cigarette regulations please visit our Alcohol and Tobacco place at www.heartland.org.