The Georgia House voted Thursday to impose a 7% tax on vaping products while leaving tobacco taxes at some of the lowest rates in the nation.
The legislation, Senate Bill 375, also would raise the age to buy tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21.
The House passed the bill 123-33, and it now advances to the state Senate for a final vote Friday.
The legislation would help reach the goal of “curbing and hopefully eliminating the epidemic of our youth using and abusing vapes,” said state Rep. Bonnie Rich, a Republican from Suwanee.
The 7% tax, along with licensing fees for vaping product sellers, would raise between $9.6 million and $14.5 million in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Wednesday, according to state estimates.
Minority Leader Bob Trammell said state lawmakers are missing an opportunity to raise hundreds of millions of dollars more by raising taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Mark Niesse – AJC – June 25, 2020.
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