Alberta imposes a new vaping product tax.
With higher taxes on vaping items going into effect at the beginning of this year, Albertans are paying more to puff on vapes.
In order to curb teen vaping, those who sell them in Edmonton told CityNews that additional enforcement and training for vape shop owners are necessary.
According to Jennifer Rodriguez, director and co-owner of Planet of Vapes, “Ontario has been hit with it since the summer and they’ve already lost sales, up to 30%.”
Rodriguez claims that the new provincial taxes on the items, which will cost $1.12 for the first 10 millilitres of vaping fluid and an additional $1.12 for each additional 10 millilitres, are the source of her frustration.
That is equivalent to the current federal vaping product taxes.
One in three young people in Alberta vape, according to the province’s health minister early last year.
However, the proprietor of this store supports reducing teenage vaping and supports stricter tax enforcement.
The government must take the necessary steps to enforce stores, ensuring that they are correctly identifying themselves, taking all necessary precautions, and abiding by the law. Be extremely stringent and ID everyone if all the shops buckle down.
Advocates against smoking and youth vaping support the province’s decision to impose a vape fee. They claim to have statistics demonstrating that taxes cause people to permanently lose their jobs.
Regarding tobacco, there is a similar 4% decrease in usage for every 10% increase in the cost of tobacco goods. However, because they have less money to spend, that effect is two to three times worse in young people, according to Action on Smoking Health executive director Les Hagen.
Although there is currently no indication on how a hypothetical federal election may alter those plans, Hagen also wants to see the federal government carry out its pledge to outlaw flavor-infused vaping devices.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez is concerned about the potential impact of additional taxes on her store’s operations.
We must raise our rate to ensure that we have the funds for running expenses. Customers can no longer afford them since we are raising our pricing.
If you are facing any of the challenges mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will see what we can do to assist you.