Users of vapour nicotine products may end up paying more in 2020.
Proposed legislation could result in a substantial increase in provincial sales taxes on vaping products in the new year.
According to an official release from the BC Ministry of Health, the government of British Columbia intends to introduce legislation later this month that would increase the provincial sales tax on all vaping products by from 7% to 20% as early as January first. If passed, this legislation would make British Columbia “the first province in Canada to introduce a specific tax rate related to vaping products”. BC Minister of Health, Carole James, said that the dramatic 13% increase reflects the “urgency” of the problem.
The proposed change would also increase the existing tax rate on traditional tobacco products by two cents per cigarette and gram of loose tobacco.
The new provincial restrictions would also heavily limit the sale of flavoured vaping products, with a specific focus on potentially banning those that appeal to youth.
Written by Justin Madu, mypgnow.com staff