Topic: Tobacco Tax

The FDA and Department of Justice are forming a multi-agency task force, including the Postal Service, to combat the "teen vaping crisis." Lawmakers at a Senate hearing criticized the FDA for failing to regulate the 6,000 unauthorized e-cigarette brands currently on the market. The regulatory push is linked to the Tobacco Tax Equity Act, which seeks to reclassify and tax nicotine products at parity with traditional tobacco.

The FDA has approved the sale of the first menthol-flavored e-cigarettes, a move that benefits major tobacco companies like Philip Morris. This follows a period where independent vaping companies were driven out of business by high regulatory costs. Critics argue the government is clearing the market of competition to facilitate a taxable nicotine monopoly controlled by established tobacco corporations.

The FDA is planning to mandate a reduction in nicotine levels for traditional cigarettes and has moved to ban Juul vaping products from the US market. Critics argue this will not reduce smoking but will instead force users to buy more cigarettes to satisfy their addiction, thereby increasing tobacco tax revenue and benefiting Pfizer’s smoking cessation products. The move is characterized as a "big-ass scam" that ignores the failure of past prohibitions.

The proposed ban on "combustible" menthol products is viewed by some as a strategic move to transition the market toward smokeless alternatives like Philip Morris's IQOS. As traditional cigarette tax revenues decline due to the rise of vaping, tobacco companies are seeking new high-end products to maintain their state master agreements. The narrative of "saving lives" may mask a broader industry shift toward non-combustible nicotine delivery systems.

Senator Mitt Romney has proposed legislation to ban flavored vapes and impose new excise taxes on nicotine products, which the hosts view as a move to protect the Master Settlement Agreement funds tied to traditional tobacco. Meanwhile, President Trump appears to be reversing his earlier support for a total flavor ban, announcing meetings with vaping industry representatives to find a solution that balances children's safety with job preservation.

Anti-vaping campaigns in the United States, largely funded by Michael Bloomberg, are targeting companies like Juul. Critics argue that the push to ban flavored e-cigarettes is a "scam" designed to protect the interests of Big Tobacco and generate new tax revenue through nicotine levies.

A donor from New Zealand provides an update on the resignation of Prime Minister John Key and the ongoing debate over marijuana legalization. The note discusses the conflict between potential cannabis tax revenue and the existing $1.7 billion collected from tobacco taxes.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is identified as a vehicle for government-aligned social engineering, specifically targeting the soda industry. Recent episodes are noted for equating soda companies with Big Tobacco and promoting the idea that sugary drinks are responsible for childhood obesity and mental health issues.

The hosts list several taxes introduced or scheduled under the Obama administration, including a 156% increase in federal tobacco taxes and a new tax on indoor tanning. Other upcoming measures include the "medicine cabinet tax" affecting health savings accounts and new levies on medical devices and prosthetics set for 2013. They question the lack of media coverage regarding the cumulative impact of these financial burdens on the public.