Another Flavor Ban Beating

Happy August!

Things have been quiet over the past few months since session ended. As most of you know, we once again defeated a flavor ban and another bill By Senator Kramer. This bill would have hurt small business in Maryland. We will see a bill like this again, and it’s worth reviewing some points of the bill:

Prohibition of all sales of vaping products through direct to consumer sales, including internet and mail order sales.

Vaping products may only be sold by businesses licensed as a vape shop vendor.

Flavored vaping products may not be sold in the state with the exception of the following:

Vape Shop Vendors may only sell “refillable flavored vaping products and no other types flavored vaping products.

Vape Shop Vendors must register with local health departments in their jurisdiction.

Vape Shop Vendors are prohibited from selling any other tobacco product.

Vape Shop Vendors will be limited to the sale of vaping products and are prohibited from selling other merchandise or products.

Vape Shop Vendors must prohibit entry into facility by anyone under the age of 21.

By January 1, 2021, Vape Shop Vendors must utilize point of sales systems, for all transactions, that require the scanning of a government issued identification proving legal age to complete a sales transaction.

No Vaping products may be sold in the state with out a statement that reveals all components and ingredients of the vaping product which shall be provided to the Secretary of the Department of Health and the Field Enforcement Division of the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission.

The Secretary and Alcohol and Tobacco Commission may prohibit the sale of any vaping product in the state and may test vaping products to ensure that they are in compliance with the ingredients as stated.

Separate licenses shall be required for manufacturing, wholesale, and retail licenses for all vaping products.

Emissions for vaping products shall be restricted as other tobacco products included in the Maryland Clean Indoor Air Quality act.

There was a lot in this bill we could live with and lot we could not. We gave thoughtful responses to our lobby team and they worked with Sen. Kramer while other lobby teams (convenience store lobby, big tobacco lobby etc.) were banging down his door in fury. This allowed a relationship with Sen. Kramer to grow because of our willingness to work with the senator and provide thoughtful comments.

Members from the MVA will attend MACo in Ocean City (O.C.) MD from Aug 18-21 (Covid Delta variant restrictions may be forthcoming). Every member going down to O.C. to represent the MVA is going and doing so on their own personal money. Hotels, food and any campaign funds given will be fully funded by the member and not the MVA. We mention this because we want to be 100% transparent where the MVA’s dues are being spent. This event will be a good opportunity to talk to Delegates and Senators alike and to let them know we are ever watchful about what is going on and take an active role in our industry’s well-being.

We finally have our website up and working 100%. We can now accept credit cards for dues payment! After months of being denied by CC processing companies and a lot of back and forth with those companies and our web developer, we are finally good to go. I know there may still be some bugs on the website (misspellings, broken links etc). Please let us know if you find them so we can fix them. We are actively trying to add more things to the website such as video testimony from past events, history of MVA’s achievements and other items. There are a member’s only areas where you can start chat topics and issues, create and change your personal avatar and have access to all past newsletters and new important issues that will only be available via member login.

We are only months away from session, which begins the 2^nd Wed. in January. Board member are working with the lobby team to introduce our own pro vaping legislation. More on this to come as we meet with stakeholders and determine what exactly is the best move. Either way, we will show up to fight bad legislation that harms small business vape shops in Maryland. This is a huge part of why we are heading to O.C. this month. There are some key legislators we need to make contact with and pick their brains about a course of action. We will need member support in contacting legislators in their district and making sure they know that you own a small business in the community, you are active contributor to your community, you help people stop smoking, and you are a voter.

We need more members! As our fight progresses, lobbying fees will increase. However, our lobby team has proven time after time that they are in the fight with us and bring results that have allowed us to stay in business with the least amount of government interference. There will be an effort to increase membership soon. If you have any ideas or would like to help in recruitment, please let one of our board members know. It is imperative that the vape shop owners in Maryland band together because it’s a major part of being victorious. Not only does it increase funds to fight, it also increases our numbers that show up, and show out during testimony on unfair bills.

As always, your continued support is appreciated. We’ve had many victories in Maryland that has kept our industry alive. The fight is not over and we must remain vigilant, strategic, and funded.

Thank you!

Matthew Milby MVA VP