Wisconsin’s new vape law could put local shops out of business | Things To Do
New vape law could put shops out of business
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. (WKOW) − A new state law set to take effect on September 1 could put hundreds of vape shops out of business. The law mandates that vaping products can only be sold if they are FDA-approved and are state certified. If the products don’t meet these requirements, store owners would face fines of $1,000 per unit.
Shelves of flavored vape juices at M of N Vapors in Sun Prairie, where inventory could become unsellable if new state regulations take effect September 1st.
In response to the new law, a Wisconsin trade group called WiscoFAST has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Revenue. The lawsuit argues that the law interferes with the FDA’s responsibility to regulate vaping products at the federal level. With the state’s heavy fines and limited time to comply, the group is pushing for an injunction to stop the law from going into effect, fearing it could devastate local businesses without a fair chance to adapt.
At M of N Vapors in Sun Prairie, owner Dave McMurray says the financial burden would force him to file for bankruptcy.
“So just walking in here right now, it’d be somewhere between a half million and a million dollar fine per day. Needless to say, with fines like that over my head, I won’t be open” McMurray said.
While the Department of Revenue’s official list of FDA-approved products is not yet available, the unofficial list currently includes just 17 items made by only three manufacturers. The official list is supposed to be posted in August, according to the Department of Revenue’s website. McMurray, like others, says the state is giving them less than 30 days to adjust.
Calvin Sorchi, another Sun Prairie shop owner, expressed frustration over the fate of his unsellable inventory. “It’s not right when businesses like myself have hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory that we’re just supposed to throw away,” Sorchi says.
Customers who use vapes as an alternative to quit smoking cigarettes are also upset.
“It got me off cigarettes within the first week, so it definitely does its job,” says David Bennett.
Other customers can’t believe it.
“I’m not going back to cigarettes because those are nasty, so I can’t. I have no idea at this point. I’m in denial, I guess, a little bit, until the day comes that I can’t come and get one.” says Cassie Cheek-Benton.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do, because my kids don’t like the smell of smoke. I don’t want to be at work smelling like smoke.” says Zuri Cheek-Benton.
While some are fighting the law in court, shop owners are anxiously waiting for its impact to unfold.
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