Here’s the news: The House is set to vote on H.R. 2339, a tax hike bill Democrats claim will somehow reduce teen vaping.
This is a good thing, right? Reducing teen vaping is a good thing, but this bill doesn’t do that. This seriously flawed piece of partisan legislation is being rushed through Congress and could very well increase teen and adult smoking.
Why is that? This bill is the second largest tax increase Democrats have asked the House to vote on this Congress.
We’ve seen how this has played out at the state level. A recent study assessed a tax that took effect in Minnesota on e-cigarettes. That state tax ultimately led to an increase in adult smoking while decreasing smoking cessation.
In other words, the tax encouraged people to smoke products more dangerous than vapes.
Are there other options to help reduce teen vaping? Absolutely. And Republicans are eager to work across the aisle and with the Administration to find the best path forward. We started to make progress on this front last year, raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 from 18.
A new tax won’t help. Even the American Association for Cancer Research sees the dangers of taxing e-cigarettes like regular cigarettes and argues e-cigarettes should be taxed at a lower rate than proposed in this bill.