Are you one of the millions of Americans who enjoy the luxury of having your favorite vape products shipped right to your door? That luxury is about to become a wistful memory thanks to an amendment to the Pact Act. Also known as the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, this amendment lumps vape products into the cigarette category, regardless if they contain nicotine or not. As a result, all online vape sites will be forced to find other means to ship vape products, if at all. 

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

Back in 2019, thousands of underage teenagers became seriously ill, while over 30 of these teens died in hospital beds. At first, vaping was blamed, since every one of these teens had somehow acquired a JUUL pod and were blaming the device for the deterioration of their lungs. Panic ensued and JUUL ended up pulling all of their flavored pods, save for menthol and tobacco. It later came out that these teens had secretly added a toxic blend of THC and vitamin E acetate to get “high.” But even though illegal THC and vitamin E was the real culprit, the damage was done. The word “vaping” left a bad taste in the mouth of parents across the country, and these parents wanted justice! That justice came in the form of raising the minimum age from 18 to 21, implementing a high tobacco tax on all vape products, eliminating the sale of flavored e-liquids, and most recently, the PACT Act. 

WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN?

The Pact Act was signed into law on December 27, 2020 and effectively banned the shipment of tobacco products. However, the loose wording did not specify vaping. That oversight was swiftly corrected just a few days ago to include any electronic device that aids in the nicotine delivery system. This caused FedEx, USPS, and UPS to release dates on when they would forbid any and all shipments of vape products. FedEx was the first to release a date that banned the sale of vape products, effective March 1st. UPS was quick to follow, stating that April 5th would be their final date to ship vape products. USPS protested at first, but released their final date as April 26th. The shipment of tobacco has always been prohibited, but new verbiage on page 5,136 of the PACT Act states that vape products will not be shipped to anyone, regardless of their age and nicotine content. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

In the event that online vape sites find alternative means of shipping vape products to their customers, there are strict rules set in place to keep tabs on all vape sites and their customers. All vape shipments will require an adult signature and age verification upon delivery. Online vape websites must file extensive monthly reports to their state representative, as well as with the federal government. These reports are required to list the customer’s address, age, and order information (such as products ordered, amount of said products, and frequency of said orders). High vape taxes will be enforced on all vape products, as well as documentation that these taxes are being paid. Lastly, the online vape shops are required to keep records of any attempted or refused delivery, which will be noted in the customer’s personal file. 

These vape restrictions put tremendous strain on struggling businesses, major vape brands, and online vape sites alike. Consumers will be forced to visit brick-and-mortar stores until alternative couriers can be utilized. Since online shops often use warehouses as storage, they can offer lower pricing and free shipping. With this amendment to the PACT Act, prices will rise, taxes will skyrocket, and unfortunately many sites will be forced to permanently shut down. Some vapers may revert to smoking or cease vaping entirely, as vaping will become expensive, inconvenient, and stressful. 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

All of us here at Ultimate Vape Deals understand the panic that comes from these new rules. We promise you, our customer, that we will do everything in our power to serve you to the best of our abilities. We ask for your patience in these uncertain times, and we are deeply grateful for your patronage. We vow to keep you updated on the latest information, allowing you to know everything that we do, as soon as we know. As of now, we are still fulfilling orders as quickly as possible. We urge you to stock up on your favorite brand name e-liquids at the lowest prices in the industry, as the final deadline of April 25th is quickly approaching. Our devotion to customer service is as strong as it’s ever been and we understand, now more than ever, how important vaping is to you.  

IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO?

While it might seem like this is the end of vaping as we know it, there is still something you as the consumer can do! Visit commoncause.org to find contact information for your state representative. Reach out to them and state your concerns and let your voice be heard! State representatives aren’t interested in what the businesses have to say, but may be more willing to listen to the people. Explain to your state rep why you feel this amendment to the PACT Act is potentially dangerous. If vape shipments make vape products more difficult to acquire, the black market will gladly fill the void with vape products and couriers, increasing crime and potentially harming others. The mandate of “staying home and staying safe” is clearly put on the back burner if vape businesses are no longer able to ship vape products to residents’ homes. Now vapers will be forced to enter the public, endanger their safety, and possibly become exposed to the deadly Coronavirus, all to get a simple bottle of vape juice. If vapers are no longer able to get their vape products delivered, they may even revert back to smoking, which has been vilified as detrimental to your health for the past decade. Insurance claims for lung cancer and other health issues will rise, and insurance companies will be forced to raise their rates, as former smokers once again pick up cigars and cigarettes. Are these things the PACT Act wants to be responsible for? I think not!

CONCLUSION

We can all agree that tobacco and vape products in the hands of children is the last thing anyone wants. But to punish the entire vaping community instead of looking for alternative means is cruel, unfair, and wrong. Vaping has always been misunderstood and distrusted, given the steep learning curve and plethora of misinformation. In spite of that, vapers form deep social bonds and are grateful for vape products as they become closer to a tobacco-free life. We urge you to fight back against these unfair restrictions and to change the minds of non-vapers who do not understand how vital vaping is to our existence. In time, laws can be changed, repealed, and revoked. Remember the Alcohol Abolition in 1919? Now, in 2021, you can get alcohol delivered right to your doorstep...but not vape products? Something is seriously wrong with that equation. If you’re curious to know more about the PACT Act and how it affects you, we urge you to do your research and share this information with your peers. As always, we here at Ultimate Vape Deals are available for your questions, comments, and concerns. You can always reach out to us via social media, email, or phone. We’re eager to share our knowledge with you, our family of vapers. In the meantime, make sure your supply of vape products are well-stocked and properly stored. The future is uncertain, but take comfort that we’re right there with you, ready to help in any way that we can! Stay strong, cloud chasers!