Good News: North Dakota Defeats Proposed Tobacco Tax Increase

North Dakota residents stood up against the proposed tobacco tax increase, which would also affect vaping products. This initiative, known as Measure 4, was defeated by a majority of 62.52% to 38.48%.

Since the FDA's presumed rule took effect in August, vaping products have been regulated as tobacco products in the U.S., forcing vapers across the country to vote in favor of tobacco products to ensure unobstructed use of their preferred smoking cessation tools.

This proposed measure would have increased North Dakota's cigarette tax from 44 cents per pack to $2.20 per pack, which would have served as a strong deterrent against smoking, but it also meant a new 56% tax on e-cigarettes, a product that has helped many curb the deadly habit... It’s a tragic reality.

Speculators indicated that the main reason most North Dakotans voted against the tax was due to a general unease about how tax money would be used, coupled with the common perception that tax increases are inherently negative.

The irony of it all

The main opposition to the tax increase was largely funded by big tobacco companies. Sadly, smoking and vaping are regulated as the same, and the vaping industry's victory also signifies a win for the deadly tobacco industry.

Ironically, the primary purpose and design of e-cigarettes is to aid in smoking cessation. However, in the U.S., these two industries are cleverly tied together, preventing the vaping industry from replacing tobacco. Ultimately, as major tobacco companies invest in the e-cigarette industry, it will ultimately be a win-win situation for the latter.