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VTA VOICE
BY TONY ABBOUD
F
aced with an unpredictable,
unaffordable and ultimately
unrealistic application pro-
cess, more and more vapor shops
across the country are facing the real-
ity that they may soon have to close
their doors.This will put thousands of
Americans out of work and eliminate
a healthier alternative to tobacco for
adult consumers.
If the vapor industry is going to
survive—if vapor products are going
to remain on the shelves and not in
some back alley—we all have to rally
around a common objective. Right
now, that means finding a way to work
with members of both parties in Con-
gress to change
the predicate date. No
matter what else you may have heard
or read, there is only one viable path to
save the vapor industry this year: the
Cole-Bishop Amendment.
During a markup of the Agricul-
ture, Rural Development, Food and
Drug Administration bill, Represen-
tatives Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and San-
ford Bishop (D-Ga.) offered a bipar-
tisan approach that would accomplish
the goal of protecting small businesses
and preserving the industry, while set-
ting the stage for common-sense reg-
ulations that would protect youth and
ensure the safety of consumers.
In Congressmen Cole and Bishop,
we have a rare opportunity in an oth-
erwise stymied and polarized Con-
gress to work with members across the
political spectrum to achieve our goal
of keeping new and innovative vapor
products on the market.
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Take Action to Save Vapor and
Support Cole-Bishop
WeAreVapor
47
TOBACCO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016