Vaping advocates hope proposed legislation doesn’t send their businesses up in smoke.

Vape shop owners and smoke free advocates say their industry helps saves lives every year by keeping people off cigarettes.

They say vaping is different from tobacco and should not be included with legislation that limits tobacco usage.

A bill making its way through the Illinois State Senate would include e-cigarettes as tobacco products in the Tobacco Products Tax Act.

Vaping businesses say if the bill is passed, their shops will suffer.

“It’s hard to see it as anything other than an attack on your business,” said Jon Sharpe, Operations Manager of Upper Limits Vapes and Glass. “When your products are going be more expensive than retailers doing business outside the state of Illinois, that’s a scary thing.”

Last week, Senate President John Cullerton called on lawmakers to triple the governor’s cigarette tax proposal.

Governor Pritzker says he supports Cullerton’s plan and looks forward to negotiating with lawmakers.

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