Politicians are never going to be popular people and that's definitely the case in Vermont. Protesters have been out in force complaining about budget cuts which obviously means their politicians have again made a right mess of the state's finances. So that means any chance to get some extra revenue in will be greatly appreciated. Hence the fact they are taxing e-cigarettes but they claim this isn't a financial matter, of course not.





Vermont has a $113m budget hole so it's no wonder they're looking for additional sources of revenue That's why they felt it necessary to pass a Health Care bill that will hurt the e-cigarette industry.The bill will raise around $12m to support primary care providers and increase access. A whopping 46% tax is being introduced on e-cigarette products bought for retail by stores. Rep. Jim McCullough D-Williston says: "If we permit this to continue without regulation, then we are aiding and abetting nicotine addiction, guaranteed for our children in middle school right now." Not that vaping lounges are responsible for supplying these "children" with e-cigarettes and at least these youngsters aren't smoking deadly tobacco cigarettes. Thankfully the taxation rate is only half of that imposed on regular tobacco products. It appears this is all down to a willingness for tax fairness. The new law will also regulate display counters and ban the use of e-cigarettes in public and the workplace.





While there are many critics of the e-cigarette industry extremely pleased at these unjust regulations, there are those who rightly think they are wrong. Rep. Bob Helm, R-Fair Haven feels it is wrong to pass such stringent laws at this point in time: "Let's just put it on hold for a year. I'm not saying I'm against it, all I'm saying is put it on hold for a year. Let's get some good concrete information enforced we go flying off the handle." Get some "good concrete information"? Does that mean no one has bothered to actually do any research on e-cigarettes? There's plenty of information out there that will show how the product has helped people give up their deadly habit of smoking tobacco when all other methods failed dismally. There's information out there that tells you how it's not addictive as tobacco. The problem is, these politicians either don't go looking for the facts, they decide to hide any positive information under the carpet.



