EGO CE4 E-cig bill called a ‘Trojan horse’-Priceangels.com

On the surface, the bill looks simple enough — prohibit those under age 18 from purchasing alternative nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes.Anti-smoking advocates say that below the surface of House Bill 144 is a tobacco-industry-crafted “Trojan horse” designed to ensure that the emerging CE4 electronic-cigarette market and other alternative nicotine products remain taxed at a lower rate than traditional cigarettes and stay outside the state’s indoor smoking ban.

“What they’re trying to do is carve out a new definition that will muddy the waters for many other tobacco products now, and new and emerging products that we don’t know about yet,” Stephens said. The bill was brought to Rep. Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard, by Lorillard Tobacco Co., the nation’s third-largest cigarette manufacturer, which also purchased e-cigarette company Blu in July 2012. Ohio’s current tobacco laws do not cover e-cigarettes.

“We set about closing this loophole in Ohio and other states as Lorillard strongly believes that electronic cigarettes are for adult recreational use only,” Kurt Leib, Midwest representative for the company, told lawmakers in May.E-cigarettes look similar to cigarettes, but when the user inhales, the device heats up nicotine-infused liquid inside, releasing a vapor that is inhaled and then exhaled. The vapor is largely odorless, and the cigarettes come in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, cotton candy and Dr Pepper.ff5DF45s

Boston University researchers have concluded that “few, if any, chemicals at levels detected in electronic cigarettes raise serious health concerns.” Researchers also found that the products may help smokers stop using regular cigarettes.Lincoln Chafee last week vetoed a similar, but somewhat more-restrictive bill, calling it “counterproductive to prohibit sales to children while simultaneously exempting electronic cigarettes from laws concerning regulation, enforcement, licensing or taxation.”

Other states passed EGO CE4 e-cigarette access bills before the American Cancer Society became aware of the national push. Stephens and Kiser said they have proposed a simpler way to block the sale of e-cigarettes to minors without creating a new category of alternative nicotine products.Kunze, pointing to a recent legal opinion from the non-partisan Legislative Service Commission, argues that the bill does not change the current tax status of e-cigarettes, and that nothing would stop advocates from pushing for a higher tax rate in the future.

Cathy Callaway, associate director of state and local campaigns for the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network, agrees, but she said the bill sets the stage for treating e-cigarettes differently from other tobacco products.Asked if e-cigarettes should be taxed the same as regular cigarettes, Kunze said: “I don’t think there is enough information yet.