Key highlights:
The state of Tennessee in the United States is proposing strict regulatory standards for the e-cigarette market.
Opponents argue that the bill may result in the closure of small e-cigarette retailers.
According to a report from Yahoo on March 4th, the state of Tennessee in the United States is advancing a bipartisan bill aimed at implementing stricter regulations on the e-cigarette industry and protecting minors.
The bill proposes implementing uniform identification requirements, imposing a 10% tax on "open system" e-cigarette products, and prohibiting products that have not been approved by the U.S. FDA. It will also establish a state-level product registration system, which will include 34 FDA-approved e-cigarette products and over 400 products currently in the approval process.
The e-cigarette industry claims that this bill will force them to remove 99% of their market products, leading to bankruptcy.
Danny Gillis, President of the Tennessee Smoke Free Association, stated, "Requiring registration and banning our products is inappropriate, it is essentially a ban and will harm public health within the state." Gillis claims to have thousands of customers who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking. He expressed concerns that the proposed legislation would allow Big Tobacco companies, who own the 34 products currently approved by the FDA, to control the e-cigarette industry that was originally intended to reduce harm.
The sponsor of the bill, Ken Yager, refuted concerns about businesses closing down as a "false issue," stating that "the bill does not intend for anyone to go bankrupt, and its provisions do not lead to bankruptcy for anyone.
Due to scheduling issues, the House version of the bill has been postponed to be addressed at the next Government Operations Committee hearing.
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