It’s not taxing

Respond to this consultation, it’s important. The wrong decision will shut shops and deter new ecig users.

The European Union wants to tax ecigs. As they have to – to pretend they are democratic somehow – they have a consultation on their suggestion, closing date 16th Feb. Replying to this consultation is about the best thing you can do for ecigs right now – and I’ve tried to make it simple!

If you don’t want simple, here is the link to find the consultation, here is Clive Bates on it, and here is the NNA’s take.

For the rest of us morons, here is the easy way to tell them how they can stuff it:

1. Click this

2. You get some background info, don’t even bother to read it, just click Next.
3. You get some personal Q’s, answer as you will 
4. After clicking Next, you get a no-brainer!
5. The next two Q’s are similar:
6. Ignore the scary lime-green text, you are more of an expert than these people will ever meet, next Q …I’m not entirely sure I’ve read this the right way but that is my guess, you can guess yourself! Next!
7. Easy – computer (i.e. me) says no:
8. With the next two Q’s, the last option is the most important.
9. Heat-not-Burn, I’m in favour, however, up to you, answer as you will, next!
10. Next page, the cigarillos one, seems safe. Answer if you want, or just click next like I did.
11. ditto
12. Raw tobacco – now I’ve never had any interest in this before, but are the EU saying I can’t grow a plant? At least do this:
13. Click Next! We’re doing well…
14. Waterpipe, say what you want, next!
15. I’d leave this one out, I don’t know the relevant codes, non-ecig anyway:

Next Q – whatever you want, then Next leads us on to the final page …

Bonus points here (shedloads of them) for adding extra arguments as to why taxing ecigs (over and above VAT) is a monumentally bad idea via a document upload. Like most consultations, this one doesn’t really give us a chance to address what is really important. You can take cues, should you need any, from the NNA and/or Clive Bates. If you have any questions, or suggestions for improvements to this walkthrough, please comment.

Phew! Well bloody done, you now get an advocacy medal. Tiaras are available but you have to convince someone else to do this to get one of those …