Legislators: It’s Time to End Your Mess of Misconceptions About Vaping!

Indiana passed its vaping law in 2015, but it has had a severe impact on the entire country. This is too bad for the nation, so a judge issued a temporary injunction, and the FBI launched an investigation.

Now, a panel of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals has struck down most of the law, concluding that yes, this law has indeed produced a lot of bad effects!

This regulation imposed "unprecedented" and "extraordinary" requirements on the production of nicotine-containing liquids for vaping. The court stated that the law "looks very much like legislation that authorizes a favored domestic company to monopolize a safe business."

No joke.

The law granted a security company in Indiana exclusive decision-making power. This security company subsequently drove most vaping companies out of business, creating an almost monopolistic position for some domestic companies now directed by the Indiana Vapor Association.

It's not hard to see the problem, is it?

The majority of Republicans in the assembly have pledged to thoroughly reform the current session's bill, believing that at least something should be done.

And they should:

Address the loopholes in lobbying laws. Legislators are not allowed to personally lobby the legislature for a year after leaving, but they can immediately work for a lobbying firm. This is too cozy.

Perhaps they should reconsider their attitude towards vaping. It should be regulated and monitored, of course, but it may also be a great aid for those trying to quit smoking. Our state's legislators seem to view it as a public health threat comparable to smoking, but that is not the case.

Please read the bill carefully and consider who is doing what for whom. Conflicts of interest arise in a part-time legislative body, which is common, but please do not let it easily become a tool for dealers to profit.