Vaping tax: A Mistake in the making?

[Sharrivz]

"Rather than rushing to impose taxes and punish those who are switching from conventional smoking to vaping, the Department of Health and National Treasury should first look at regulating the products and their inputs, through uniform standards informed by research and industry norms to ensure that consumers have access to safe products"

https://www.news24.com/Columnists/G...4npLstcumA8kaVV8i2XN2EwICli6RwRT5hFewBOOm4YVw

 

[Silver]

Agreed @Stroodlepuff

Thanks for sharing this

If they treat the "sin tax" on vaping the same as smoking it would be a great pity. It would likely lead to less smokers switching to vaping...

Although scientific research on vaping is still not mature, the research to date suggests that vaping is safer than smoking. So in my view, they should tax vaping in accordance with its harm on health. I.e. less than smoking.

 

[zadiac]

Agreed @Stroodlepuff

Thanks for sharing this

If they treat the "sin tax" on vaping the same as smoking it would be a great pity. It would likely lead to less smokers switching to vaping...

Although scientific research on vaping is still not mature, the research to date suggests that vaping is safer than smoking. So in my view, they should tax vaping in accordance with its harm on health. I.e. less than smoking.

Thing is, many smokers switch to vaping in order to (or so they think) save money. The reason should be to quit smoking, no matter the cost. That's what I did. NOW I'm saving money as I've basically settled where hardware is concerned and I'm mixing my own juice, so yes, now I'm saving money compared to smoking, but not in the beginning. Not for any convert.

 

[RichJB]

I think the "vaping is cheaper than smoking" story was started overseas and adopted by locals without factoring local prices into account. It's not that vaping is more expensive here than elsewhere, it's that smoking is so much cheaper. A pack of cigs in Aus will cost you over R300, and Britain and the US aren't much better. When you're paying that to smoke, vaping does become a lot more attractive.

 

[Jean claude Vaaldamme]

My first month or two of vaping, while buying defferent hardware and things, cost about the same as my monthly cigarette bill. Now that I have my happy place and diy/oneshot, my vaping bill is 1/4 of what my ciggs bill used to be.
Maybe if you buy this pirate R10/box ciggies vaping will cost the same or more. But if you diy and used to pay normal R28-R38 for pack of cigarettes, then it will be much cheaper.
And then I have to agree with @zadiac. Then tax is needed otherwise people just keep the habit and nicotine intake, just to do the same cheaper, no will or need to stop completely

 

[Elmien]

To get started, buying a kit etc., can be quite expensive. In the long run, it can save you a lot. Obviously, if you get into DIY it will be much cheaper. Vaping will save you on other costs as well. I have been a lot healthier since switching to vaping. I am lucky enough to have medical aid. I looked at my statements from them yesterday and the medical costs incurred from January to February 2019 compared to January to February 2018 is R2000 less. This is a very short period to look at but it will be interesting to see how it compares for the rest of the year.

 

[Rob Fisher]

I've saved a lot of money by converting to vaping. While I have spent rather more on vape gear than I ever did on smokes my saving comes from the high cost of being in an Intensive care ward in a hospital that I would have been in if I carried on smoking!

 

[GSM500]

The cost factor also depends on your style of vaping. A couple of years ago I used my Nautilus Mega and vaped at 15w. Anything from 3 to 5 mls of 18mg juice a day. Paid R120 for a 30ml Liqua juice. A bottle a week would work out to around R500 worth of juice a month. Also add in a coil or two and I had a total bill of around R600 per month which was about half of my stinkies bill.

Then I found this forum and as a result I'm broke.

Careful of this rabbit hole!