Nebraska Lawmakers Propose 20% Tax on Vapes

Nebraska lawmakers have proposed Legislative Bill 584 would impose an excise tax of 5 cents per milliliter of consumable vaping material, though the senator said she is working on an amendment that would make the tax a percentage of the sales price, perhaps 20 percent.

State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward, who called it “hooey” that vaping was safer than smoking cigarettes, despite several scientific studies stating otherwise, proposed the bill in to protect children from the dangers of vaping.

Nebraska is one of 20 states that do not, as of Jan. 1, impose an excise tax on vaping products, according to the Urban Institute, according to Nebraska Public Radio.

Hughes said all other products containing nicotine must pay an excise tax. Nebraska, for instance, imposes a 64-cent per pack excise tax on cigarettes.

Earlier this year, Nebraska lawmakers proposed a law that would limit localities in how they regulate electronic smoking devices.