Ban on flavored vape products advances in Washington Legislature
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A proposal to ban flavored vapor and tobacco products in Washington state has cleared an early legislative hurdle, but could end up stalling partly because it could worsen the state's budget shortfall.
Why it matters: Supporters say selling vapor products in fruit and candy flavors encourages kids to become addicted to nicotine, which the CDC says damages their developing brains.
State of play: Washington state already bans sales of all vapor products to people under 21.
- But Chris Reykdal, Washington's superintendent of public instruction, told a panel of lawmakers last month that kids are still getting their hands on the products.
The fine print: House Bill 1203, which was approved by the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Business on Tuesday, would ban not only flavored vapor products, but also menthol cigarettes.
- Banning sales of those products would cause the state to lose an estimated $234 million in tax revenue over two years.
- That's a "vast" financial impact, state House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Seattle) told Axios — particularly when lawmakers already face an estimated two-year budget shortfall of $10 billion to $12 billion.
- State Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way), the measure's lead sponsor, said she's proposing other tobacco-related taxes this year to help offset those revenue impacts.
What they're saying: "While we've been successful in getting kids off cigarettes, that has just transitioned to vaping," Reeves told lawmakers at last month's public hearing.
By the numbers: In the state's 2023 Healthy Youth Survey, 14% of 12th graders surveyed said they'd used vapor products or e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
The other side: Stores that sell vapor products are opposing the bill.
- "Vaping is not smoking," Sara Stewart, a lobbyist for a coalition of retailers that sell vaping products, said during the Jan. 31 public hearing.
- Stewart said she wants to work to address lawmakers' concerns about youth vaping in a way "that still allows adults to have access to something that has allowed them to quit smoking."
What's next: The measure still must clear a committee that deals with budgetary issues and pass the full House and Senate to become law.