Like similar proposals pending in more than 20 other states, the Virginia bill would compel vape producers and dealers to attest, under pain of perjury, that their devices have received FDA approval for sale or are now undergoing premarket assessment.
Just before it was passed, the Florida measure was changed to include a "reverse registry," or a list of goods that the state attorney general has created and are forbidden in the state. The attorney general would use a rulemaking procedure to determine whether items are "attractive to minors," therefore the attorney general would fill the register rather than manufacturers naming goods that are permitted for sale. However, despite the fact that the revised law makes the process of compiling the list more difficult and excludes open-system items from listing, it may still give consumers and the independent vape business trouble.
Registry bills: Big Tobacco's unwanted gift
Large tobacco firms R.J. Reynolds and Altria Group wrote and pushed for the measures in an effort to defend the diminishing sales of their cigarette brands and the unpopular Vuse and NJOY vapes. Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin have previously enacted legislation similar to this one. In the event that the measures become law, vapers may suffer, illicit marketplaces may arise, and many individuals may be forced to resume smoking.
Only seven vaping devices (and certain tobacco-flavored refills) have received FDA approval; they are all produced by subsidiaries of Japan Tobacco, R.J. Reynolds, or Altria. When combined, the devices account for less than 5% of the vape market at convenience stores and almost none in the specialist vape sector (online and vape shops).
Virginia Residents: Get in Touch With Your Governor
Residents may submit a letter to their governor requesting a veto of the laws, according to calls to action made by the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA). You may send the prewritten letter from CASAA, or you can edit it to include your own narrative, which is better. You can even totally replace the prewritten letter with your own writing.
Be courteous if you call. Inform the operator that you are calling to request that Gov. Youngkin reject SB 550, since it would prohibit goods that help you quit smoking. If you are able, please state that you oppose giving Big Tobacco control over the little vaping business. It is said that Youngkin is already uneasy about the register law. If he is aware of significant customer resistance, he could react positively (with a veto).
Virginia: Request that Governor Glenn Youngkin reject SB 550 and HB 1069.
Write: Make advantage of the CASAA Call to Action, and don't forget to include your own narrative!
Dial 804 786-2211.
