WASHINGTON SMOKE-FREE ASSOCIATION
Washington Smoke Free Association – Protecting Your Rights, Defending Your Business
Legislative Update
The Washington Smoke Free Association has successfully stopped two bills this session that would have had a detrimental impact on the vapor industry.
HB 2439 would have imposed significant regulatory burdens on vapor retailers and manufacturers. The bill would have prohibited the sale of "entertainment vapor products" with interactive features and banned marketing or labeling of vapor products that imitate items appealing to minors—measures the association supported. However, the bill's sponsors were unwilling to negotiate on critical issues, including removing a $1,000 per-product certification fee that would have devastated small manufacturers, restoring the mL tax that would further burden retailers, and addressing the problems created by the SB 5814 double tax. These uncompromising sticking points made the bill untenable for the industry.
SB 6129 posed a distinct threat to the vapor industry through changes in taxation. This bill addressed the taxation of nicotine products and would have further increased the industry's operating costs and affected pricing structures.
However, the fight is far from over. HB 2382 would impose significant tax increases on vapor products, and the association is actively working to either kill the bill or amend it to prevent further damage to the industry.
The association continues to address concerns stemming from previous legislation. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, any product containing nicotine, whether derived from tobacco or synthesized, is subject to the tobacco products tax. The tax rate for all nicotine and tobacco products is 95% of the selling price. The vapor retail and manufacturing community remains focused on rectifying the double tax burden this legislation imposed on retailers to prevent it from being solidified by the legislature.
The battle continues. If you support protecting Washington's vapor retail and manufacturing industry, please consider joining the Washington Smoke Free Association and making a donation to support this critical advocacy work.
Since the formation of the Washington Smoke-Free Association (WASFA) and the strategic engagement of professional lobbyists, we have achieved a flawless track record of success. WASFA has consistently stood firm against Big Tobacco's attempts to undermine our industry, defeating every vapor-related bill proposed in the past five years. Our victories are made possible because 100% of membership donations go directly towards advocacy efforts. However, we need as much support as possible to continue protecting and advancing the vapor industry in Washington State. We invite you to join us in our ongoing fight to ensure our industry thrives and serves our community.
