By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
In another victory by gridlock the families in the state legislature were not able to get enough muscle behind two bills that would have taxed the fledging electronic cigarette industry into vapor. The sixty day legislative session came to an end and debate on these bills did also.
The bills have been controversial from the beginning. At first a 95% tax was the target and when that effort failed there were proposals to tax the “juice” by the milliliter. One thing is stilllargely accepted, the families still want in on the tax lute and will take up the issue probably next session.
We previously discussed this issue HERE.
Somehow members of the legislature still are of the “if one child can be saved” mantra somehow translates into the need to impose a hefty tax on something. It might also be the case that the effect might literally tax smokers to death, where the tax on e-cigarettes is so high, people stay with ordinary tobacco use and suffer the known health effects of smoking that might be lessened by e-cigarettes.
This is truly going to be a litmus test on whether the legislature wants tax revenue so dearly, it is willing to allow thousands of Washington citizens to die. It would really be a sad day in Olympia when taxes are more important than the health of Washingtonians.
By Darren Smith
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