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Maryland Call To Action

West Coast Vape Supply

 Maryland Tobacco Tax Initiative

Link to SB631

Link to HB1153

These bills would:

Cause smokeless tobacco products to be taxed at 5-6 times the current tax (the Senate bill would increase tax to 70%, the House bill would tax it at 95%.)

Companion bills have been introduced to both the Senate (SB631) and the House of Representatives (HB1153). The Senate bill has been referred to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, and the House bill to the House Ways and Means Committee and House Health and Government Operations Committee. The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee will hold a public hearing on SB631 on Wednesday, March 7th at 1:00pm; the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing on HB1153 on Friday, March 9th at 1:00pm. Public testimony will be allowed from attendees wishing to speak. We strongly encourage local tobacco harm reduction advocates to attend these meetings. If you would like assistance with what to say, please contact us at [email protected].

Please call, write or fax the members of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee below.

(When writing to the Senate refer to SB2819, with the House refer to HB2557.)

1. Let them know that you oppose a tax increase on smokeless tobacco products.

2. Tell your story on how switching from cigarettes to a far less hazardous smoke-free tobacco product has changed your life.

 

 

 

3. Explain that the purpose of increasing cigarette tax rates was to reimburse state expenditures for treating the many diseases caused by cigarette smoking. Because smokeless tobacco products have been found to be around 99% less harmful than cigarettes, there is no justification for such an outrageously excessive tax, which would discourage smokers from switching to a less harmful alternative.

 

 

 

4. Because smokeless tobacco products are taxed at a much lower rate in neighboring states, many or most smokeless tobacco users in MD will travel a short distance to a neighboring state to buy tobacco, which will result in very little tax revenue increase for Maryland. Adjacent states include: PA (no smokeless tax), WV (7% of wholesale price), VA (10% of manufacturer’s price) and DE (15% of wholesale price).

 

 

 

5. Sharply increasing the smokeless tobacco tax rate also will encourage former smokers who had switched to using smokeless tobacco products to return to smoking.

 

 

 

6. Tell them that by switching to a smokeless product, you have greatly reduced your health risks.

 

 

 

7. Direct them to the CASAA.org website for more information.

 

 

Contact information

 

Senate Budget and Taxation Committee (B&T) – SB631

 

Comma delimited email list:

 

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

 

 

 

Semicolon delimited list:

 

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

 

 

 

3 West, Miller Senate Building, Annapolis, MD 21401

 

(410-841-3690 Annapolis/Baltimore or 301-858-3690 Washington, D.C.)

 

 

 

Chair: Edward J. Kasemeyer

 

[email protected]

 

3 West Miller Senate Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3653 or 301-858-3653

 

 

 

Vice Chair: Nathaniel J. McFadden

 

[email protected]

 

422 Miller Senate Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3165

 

 

 

David R. Brinkley

 

[email protected]

 

420 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3704 or 410-841-3704

 

 

 

Nancy J. King

 

[email protected]

 

222 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3686

 

 

 

Richard F. Colburn

 

[email protected]

 

315 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3590

 

 

 

Richard S. Madaleno, Jr.

 

[email protected]

 

203 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3137

 

 

 

Ulysses Currie

 

[email protected]

 

201 James Senate Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3127

 

 

 

Roger P. Manno

 

[email protected]

 

3 West Miller Senate Building

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3151

 

 

 

James E. DeGrange, Sr.

 

[email protected]

 

101 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3593 or 301-858-3593

 

 

 

Douglas J. J. Peters

 

[email protected]

 

121 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3631

 

 

 

George C. Edwards

 

[email protected]

 

322 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3565

 

 

 

James N. Robey

 

[email protected]

 

120 James Senate Office Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3572 or 410-841-3572

 

 

 

Verna L. Jones-Rodwell

 

[email protected]

 

420 Miller Senate Bldg.

 

11 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3612

 

 

 

House Ways and Means Committee (W&M) – HB1153

 

 

 

Room 131, House Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401-1912

 

(410-841-3469 Annapolis/Baltimore or 301-858-3469 Washington, D.C.)

 

 

 

Comma delimited list:

 

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

 

 

 

Semicolon delimited list:

 

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

 

 

 

Chair: Sheila E. Hixson

 

[email protected]

 

131 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3469

 

 

 

Vice Chair: Samuel I. Rosenberg

 

[email protected]

 

131 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3297

 

 

 

Kathryn L. Afzali

 

[email protected]

 

319 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3800

 

 

 

Anne R. Kaiser

 

[email protected]

 

151 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3036

 

 

 

Kumar P. Barve

 

[email protected]

 

361 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3464

 

 

 

Eric G. Luedtke

 

[email protected]

 

222 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3110 or 301-858-3110

 

 

 

Joseph C. Boteler III

 

[email protected]

 

326 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3365

 

 

 

Aruna Miller

 

[email protected]

 

225 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3090

 

 

 

Talmadge Branch

 

[email protected]

 

151 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3398

 

 

 

LeRoy E. Myers, Jr.

 

[email protected]

 

215 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3321

 

 

 

Jon S. Cardin

 

[email protected]

 

304 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3833

 

 

 

Justin D. Ross

 

[email protected]

 

151 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3652

 

 

 

Mark N. Fisher

 

[email protected]

 

151 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3652

 

 

 

Andrew A. Serafini

 

[email protected]

 

215 House Office Building

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3447

 

 

 

C. William Frick

 

[email protected]

 

219 House Office Building

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3454

 

 

 

Melvin L. Stukes

 

[email protected]

 

412 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3544

 

 

 

Ron George

 

[email protected]

 

163 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3439 or 301-858-3439

 

 

 

Michael Summers

 

[email protected]

 

203 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3340

 

 

 

Glen Glass

 

[email protected]

 

325 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3257

 

 

 

Frank S. Turner

 

[email protected]

 

206 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

410-841-3246 or 401-841-3246

 

 

 

Carolyn J. B. Howard

 

[email protected]

 

301 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3919

 

 

 

Jay Walker

 

[email protected]

 

204 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3581

 

 

 

Jolene Ivey

 

[email protected]

 

207 House Office Bldg.

 

6 Bladen Street

 

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

 

301-858-3478

 

Source: http://www.casaa.org/CTA/article.asp?articleID=236


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Blake Brown
Blake Brown

Blake is the owner and creator of the Guide To Vaping blog. He has expressed his passion for the vaping industry through his deeply rooted and highly informative content. Being a writer and content provider for the vaping industry for year's, Blake has also gained experience from working with multiple blogs and well respected companies.

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