The eLiquid.com team has been keeping tabs on the state of vape, and so far, we know that it will be a hot-button issue entering the 2020 election. While not all candidates have a formal stance on vaping, you can take action and encourage your elected officials to oppose a flavor ban. While there are many issues that will take center stage in the 2020 election, we here at eLiquid.com believe that vaping could decide the 2020 election. Here’s why.
The Vape Industry And What We Do
As you already know, the vape industry has created jobs and improved access to alternative nicotine products for adults. Adults have reported that flavors have helped them switch to vaping. In fact, the very existence of your local vape shop or retail establishment, along with websites such as eLiquid.com that help facilitate the purchasing experience, employ hundreds of thousands of individuals across the United States.
President Donald Trump made a promise to become “the greatest jobs president in history” and has pledged to remove regulations from other industries during his time in office. Pro-vape advocates have warned against excessive regulations and taxes. Flavor bans or other regulations that limit the access of vape products to adults could create the newest and biggest black market in the United States. Therefore, could vaping actually decide the 2020 election?
What Vaping Can Do in The 2020 Election
This map lists multiple key states that could decide the 2020 election. Each of these states shows Trump’s margin of victory or defeat, as well as the number of vapers. We see here that traditional “swing states” such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida are among a larger number of states shown on this map which will be referred to as “vape states.” Trump had very thin margins of victory in Wisconsin and Michigan, which have large numbers of vapers, while he narrowly lost other states such as Nevada, New Hampshire, and Maine. All of these states have considerable numbers of vapers.
This is important as 80% of vapers consider themselves single-issue voters on vaping. Entire states may flip in the presidential election if flavor bans or higher taxes were enacted at the state or even federal level (the latter which is looking more likely). While we have already seen some legislation, such as the vaping age being raised to 21 federally and taxes and flavor bans at the state level, there is considerable momentum to push these issues to the federal level. Recently, we have also seen the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule on banning flavored pods.
Age verification checks are necessary for the industry to keep vape products away from minors and to stave off even further regulation. However, further restrictions, namely flavor bans or higher taxes on vape products, may deprive vapers of the harm reduction products they may need. Flavors are essential in the process of creating alternative nicotine products.
While vaping may not be the key issue of the 2020 election, it could definitely influence the election as it is an issue that may sway hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of votes. Let your elected officials know that you vape and you vote. You can also take action and become involved in the process to protect the vape industry.