Azim Chowdhury Quoted in Vapor Voice Article About Confusion Surrounding Proposed Nicotine Tax

Keller and Heckman Partner Azim Chowdhury was quoted in the Vapor Voice article, “Confusion Continues to Cloud Proposed Nicotine Tax.” Congress has introduced an excise tax on certain nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and oral pouches, as part of the proposed Build Back Better (BBB) social spending and climate bill. While the goal of the proposed nicotine tax, which does not apply to combustible cigarettes, is to increase revenue and improve public health, officials say the tax will ultimately be paid by consumers and could actually harm the public health if it turns adult smokers away from potentially less harmful alternatives. There is also confusion about how the new tax, which would apply to tobacco-derived nicotine as well as synthetic nicotine-containing products, could impact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authority to regulate synthetic nicotine products. “It seems like the general industry feels like [this nicotine tax] won’t get through somehow, that some people will prevent it from being in the final bill, but I think it’s a huge risk,” said Azim. “Without serious pushback, it could end up there; it could very well end up becoming law.”

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