In Georgia, a troubling trend is emerging that threatens the rights of adult vapers and undermines their ability to choose the products that work best for them. Under the guise of protecting youth, state lawmakers are pushing legislation that will effectively dismantle the vaping market, stripping adults of viable alternatives to traditional smoking. Two bills, HB 84 and H.B. 605, alongside the looming specter of H.B. 577, signal a coordinated attack on e-cigarettes—an attack that prioritizes control over choice and taxation over individual freedom. If we don’t act now, the consequences for adult vapers in Georgia could be dire. 

HB 84: Taxation Disguised as Healthcare Funding 

Let’s start with HB 84. This bill proposes raising the tax on consumer vapor products from 7% to 15% of the wholesale cost. Proponents claim this increase will fund healthcare initiatives—a noble cause on paper. But in practice, it’s a tax hike that burdens adult vapers, many of whom use these products as alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Higher costs mean fewer affordable options, potentially pushing vapers back to smoking. You can read the full text of HB 84 here and see how little it focuses on addressing youth vaping, instead opting for a financial penalty on adults. 

H.B. 605: Bureaucratic Overreach in the Name of Cessation 

Then there’s H.B. 605, which mandates that the Georgia Department of Public Health maintain the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line, offering cessation services and lung cancer screening information. While cessation support might sound beneficial, the bill ties these services to retailer obligations and appropriations that could complicate the vaping landscape further.  

The full details are available here, but the intent seems clear: it’s less about helping people and more about adding layers of control. By framing vaping as a problem to be “fixed,” Georgia risks alienating adult nicotine consumers who rely on these products as an alternative to smoking. 

H.B. 577: The Real Threat—an FDA Overreach Enforced at the State Level 

The most alarming piece of this puzzle is H.B. 577. Marketed as a youth protection measure, its true impact would devastate adult vapers. It pushes Georgia to adopt an FDA process—deemed illegal by critics—that would eliminate nearly all vaping products from store shelves. How? By imposing regulations so strict that most manufacturers can’t comply, leaving adults with no practical options.  

This isn’t about keeping e-cigarettes away from kids—it’s about erasing a market that millions of adults depend on to avoid smoking. The contradiction is glaring: a state that prides itself on personal freedom is poised to crush it under a flimsy excuse. 

The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher 

Vaping has become a critical tool for countless adult nicotine consumers seeking to avoid cigarettes. Georgia’s lawmakers, however, seem intent on dismissing this reality, favoring punitive measures that hurt the citizens they claim to serve. If these bills pass, adults will face higher costs, fewer choices, and a regulatory chokehold that could drive them back to cigarettes—or worse.