A new law being adopted in Indiana may force a number of e-liquid producers to leave the state or go out of business.
A new bill that has been adopted in Indiana may significantly reduce the number of stores selling vape in the state.
According to a recent report from The Indy Star, stated that the Indiana General Assembly has adopted a new measure that will increase the regulations on e-liquid manufacturers. The mixing of e-liquids is already required to be performed in a clean room, and business owners are required to undergo background checks, but the new measure now requires manufacturers to meet new security requirements that the industry fears may put many e-liquid producers out of business.
The Indy Star reported that the new measure requires a stores to apply for a permit to sell the liquids by the end of June. These permits cost $1,000, and as part of the permit application, a store is required to enter into a five-year agreement with a security company.
While entering into an agreement with a security company may not be too difficult, what is of greater concern to the industry is that the security company must employ at least one individual who is a certified consultant on architectural hardware such as locks and door hinges, as well as one who is a certified technician on rolling steel fire doors, The Indy Star reportrd. In addition, those employees must have been on staff for at least a year; thereby, the company would not be able to hire a new individual to meet these new regulations.
Evan McMahon, chairman of Hoosier Vapers, an industry and consumer advocacy group, informed The Indy Star that Mulhaupt’s Inc., which happens to be in Indiana, is the only company in the country that fits this bill. Therefore, this one company would have complete control over who could apply for a permit to manufacture e-liquid.
In addition to limiting the number of in-state manufacturers, the bill would also prohibit Indiana vape shops from selling liquids that are produced out of state by manufacturers that cannot comply with the requirements.
Contrary to McMahon’s claim that there is only one security company that meets the bill’s requirements, senator Ron Alting has stated that McMahon has no proof that other security companies would not qualify. The Indy Star reported that Alting said that there are others that meet the criteria, though he did not state how many or the names of those companies.
This bill would give Indiana the most stringent regulations in the country.
Supporters of the bill claim that the new regulations are intended to increase consumer safety, not to purposely limit the number of vapor producers, and The Indy Star reported that many manufacturers are working to comply with the new law, but some are not so careful, and their products can be dangerous to those who use them.
According to The Indy Star, Hoosier Vapers has filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming that the measures would force the majority of the state’s vapor manufacturers to leave Indiana.