Heated tobacco tax proposal draws sharp opposition from health groups, industry argues harm-reduction case

House Bill 357, sponsored by Representative Hollis, would define "heated tobacco products" and impose an excise tax set at 50 percent of the cigarette tax rate. The Ways and Means General Fund Committee held a public hearing with both opponents and proponents testifying and did not take a final vote at this session; the committee scheduled a vote for March 19.

Representative Hollis said the bill creates a new category for products that heat but do not combust tobacco and that the FDA has determined certain heated tobacco products to be "appropriate for the protection of the public health." She described the proposal as risk-based taxation that incentivizes adult smokers to switch to less-harmful alternatives. In describing testing she said the product produced "smoke" odor in a trial on her husband and described personal adverse reaction when she tried it.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network…