A document has come to light (here) which shows early plans are being made to add excise duty - otherwise known as sin taxes - to e-cigs.
(a) Do you experience problems in your Member State because E-cigarettes and other (new) nicotine containing products are currently not excisable products?
(b) What are your impressions of the development and size of the market of E-cigarettes and other (new) nicotine containing products? Are there any signs of substitution of the regular tobacco products?
(c) What do you think of the option to adjust the scope of excisable products by including a nicotine-based category?In other words, so many people are switching from tobacco to vaping, member states are suffering a drop in income. This, apparently, is deemed to be causing "problems".
Incredible, isn't it? The EU has, for decades, liberally pissed away our cash on nagging, cajoling, hectoring, intervening, regulating, legislating and bullying smokers to quit. But now that many have done exactly that with e-cigs, it's cocking up member state budgets so screw health, it's now all about revenue raising.
Bates fisks their moronic plan into the middle of next week, so do go have a read.
On a personal note, though, thank you to e-cigs for yet again proving the Puddlecote motto correct ... it's never been about health.
