By now, you have likely heard about the PACT Act,
which is also referred to as the “vape mail ban,” which has been affecting the
vaping market at large. Back in December
of 2020, we can all remember the hurdles involved in passing the COVID Relief
Bill, which was part of a larger spending bill with many facets unrelated to
the current pandemic crisis. Slipped
into that bill was the PACT Act, short for “Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking,”
which has, without a doubt, created the biggest obstacle that the vaping
industry has seen thus far, and that is saying something.
The Vape Mall recognizes that a lot of our customers
are still unsure as to how these new vaping laws affect our ability to deliver
e-liquids and other vaping goods. It has
taken us a while to speak about the topic, because the literature in the bill
has been confusing to say the least.
What is the Pact Act?
The vaping industry has been around for over a decade
now and has only grown and grown since it first emerged around 2008. During this time, we and other vape companies
have been able to provide adult smokers with an alternative means for consuming
cigarettes, and we speak for the entire industry when we say that this is
something that we are enormously proud of.
However, not everyone has shared in our
enthusiasm. The FDA and the Federal
Government at large have been at odds with us for quite a while, mainly out of
a concern that vaping goods largely attract minors. Our company completely empathizes with these
concerns, as we ourselves have worked hard to ensure that our products stay out
of the hands of those who are underage, as have all of the reputable vaping
companies over the last several years.
The PACT Act has been the government’s last-ditch
effort to prevent minors from accessing vaping goods, by classifying vaping
products as tobacco products in order to prevent them from being sent through
the mail via the United States Post Office (USPS). It further requires that vaping companies
keep strict records of sales to be reported to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to further regulate the industry.
This new law went into effect on March 27th, which
means that USPS currently does not ship vaping goods any longer. “Vaping goods” has become a blanket term, at
least in the legislative literature, that includes not only nicotine products,
but hemp products as well.
In response to the PACT Act being passed, both UPS and
FedEx have decided to join in the efforts by also announcing that they will
stop shipping vaping products to customers, effective April 5 and March 1,
respectively.
Vaping companies still have the ability to have their
products shipped directly to vendors, such as local vape shops throughout the
country. Of course, the majority of
vapers purchase their goods online, and prefer the enormous selections that are
available in the online marketplace.
What This Means The Vape Mall Customers
Since the PACT Act was first announced, we have been
working tirelessly to come up with alternative means to deliver our products to
your doors, just as we always have. And,
we’re not alone – virtually all online vaping companies have been putting all
of their effort into figuring out how to continue operating to serve the vapers
of this country.
USPS, FedEx, and UPS are the most popular shipping
suppliers in the country, but they are not the only ones. There are many alternative logistics
providers that are fully equipped to transport vaping goods from our warehouse
to the homes of customers. The PACT Act
does not prohibit these logistics services from doing just that, as the law
only applies to the USPS, as it is a government-owned organization.
We are presently developing relationships with
alternative shippers so that we can move forward in a way that allows us to
continue our operations. But, this is
not an overnight process. There are
logistical factors to work out, including the impact on shipping costs as well
as regional limitations.
Therefore, we ask you to be patient with us as we work
relentlessly to continue to serve our customers. We will keep you updated and will do
everything in power to continue the same level of service with affordable
shipping. In the meantime, you can stock
up on our products before FedEx and UPS finally cease transporting our
e-liquids and other vaping goods.
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