(photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
The House Ways and Means Committee approves legislation to increase the state tax on vapes and e-cigarettes, but the same panel did not approve a bill to increase Louisiana’s tax on cigarettes. 7-4 was the vote against the cigarette tax hike. But Vacherie Representative Ken Brass’s legislation to raise the tax on vapes and e-cigarettes passed on a 9-6 vote. Brass says a higher tax will result in a drop in usage for these harmful products.
“This is going to deter and lower the rate, which is ultimately going to save us as a legislature governor, healthcare costs,” Brass said.
Democrats on the committee voted for Brass’s bill, while Republicans were split. Bossier City Representative Dennis Hamburg knows there’s a large percentage of teens smoking vapes and e-cigarettes and if it costs more, it can reduce the percentage of minors using these products.
” I’m not a guy that really likes taxing our people, but if this can curb that appeal and slow that rate down a little bit,” Hamburg said.
A representative from the American Lung Association testified and said one out of four middle school students and one out of three high school students are using tobacco products and a majority are vaping. Eric Weinzettle says for every 10% increase in prices, consumption will drop 13 to 22% among youth.
But Mandeville Representative Jay Galle’ is not a believer in those statistics.
” I think vaping is horrible. I think it’s a horrible addiction, and I wish it didn’t exist. But it is an addiction, and addictions are rarely deterred by an increase in price, so there’s that,” Galle’ said
Galle’ says if the sales tax is increased, he anticipates teenagers finding other ways to get their hands on vaping products.
“The youth cannot afford it. They could go to the street. Again, I don’t know if that’s true, but that’s one of my concerns,” Galle’ said.
Brass’s legislation could have a hearing in front of House Appropriations, before a vote on the House floor. It will take a two-thirds vote for the measure to advance to the Senate.
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