The United States Postal Service (USPS) is set to issue the final ruling on what has come to be known as the “vape mail ban” later this month. The new law placing restrictions on vaping products mailed in the United States, which became official on March 27, 2021, comes as a result of an amendment to the PACT Act.
For those unaware, the PACT Act’s vaping language came as a rider bill injected into a COVID-19 pandemic recovery package that former President Donald Trump signed into law on December 27, 2020. As a result of the newly amended law, vaping products such as e-cigarettes are now classified as combustible cigarettes, which places them under previously established laws that covered tobacco products in order to ensure that the sale of vaping products as well as their taxation is addressed properly.
The PACT Act’s Impact On Vape Mail
Once the United States Postal Service has issued its final ruling, which it is set to do by April 27, 2021, it will no longer ship vaping products. The ruling could come sooner than April 27, as USPS has until that date to announce its ruling for restricting vaping product mail.
United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx have announced that they will cease shipment of vaping products. The decision by the two companies reflects an internal policy change that has not been dictated by the PACT Act, as both companies are legally allowed to ship vaping products.
In addition to bringing an end to vaping products shipped through USPS, the PACT Act will also enforce the following requirements on vape mail shipments in the United States:
- Age verification
- Delivery, billing, or shipping
- Sales bans on restrictions such as flavor bans
- State & ATF reporting
What The Vape Mail Ban Means For US Consumers
Vapers in the Unites States who order their vaping products online and have them shipped to their homes will no longer be able to receive their shipments through USPS as a result of the new law. For now, it appears as if UPS and FedEx will also no longer deliver vaping products to American consumers. However, there are specialist carriers that are willing to overcome the challenges imposed on them by the PACT Act to legally deliver vape mail to American vapers.
This means that vapers in the US who order their vaping products from online vape shops will be able to continue to receive their vaping products through the mail, however, there may be delays and there may be areas that are not initially serviced. As a result, some vapers may be left unable to receive their vaping supplies through the mail, at least temporarily.
Vapers Are Stocking Up
Some vapers in the US have already started stocking up on supplies and it’s certainly not the first time US vapers have done so, nor is it the first time vapers in other countries have done so. Changes such as those imposed by the PACT Act have a tendency to instill concern in vapers who wonder whether or not they’ll be able to acquire the vaping products that they use. The mere notion of a pending restriction such as this one or, for example, a ban on flavored vaping products, has been known to push vapers to stockpile vaping supplies and that’s exactly what some vapers are doing in light of the upcoming US vape mail ban.
In Australia, vapers began stockpiling vaping supplies last year when the country’s health minister announced an outright ban on importing nicotine vaping products. Australia’s vape import ban was defeated, but not before many Australian vapers stocked up on supplies.
What Will Happen To Online Vape Stores
There is a chance that some online retailers of vaping products whose primary or sole customer base is US consumers will close up shop. Cafe Racer, a California-based vape company known for its own brand of e-liquid and pod vaping products, briefly announced through its online store that it was no longer shipping products to customers as a result of the vape mail ban. However, the company has since declared that it will remain open due to the delayed response from USPS on the PACT Act. If Cafe Racer is any indicator of what is to come, we will almost certainly see some online vape shops that close their doors once USPS issues its final ruling on the PACT Act.
But while some stores may close, others are sure to continue operating by enlisting the services of shipping companies that are willing and able to deliver vape mail to US customers.
Local Vape Shops May See Increased Sales
One possible winner in all of this is the local vape shop, as local retailers that sell their products over the counter to customers that walk in their stores will not be restricted by the vape mail ban.