GYC Rep. Toh Introduces the S.A.V.E. ACT to Curb the Vaping Epidemic Among Youth

Kyan Toh
Sep 14, 2023
3 min read

(Hågatña, Guam) This week, Guam Youth Congress Representative Kyan Toh introduced Bill 10-34 (COR), the Stop Addiction through Vaping Excise Act of 2023, or S.A.V.E. Act. This Act will impose a tax on all vaping products sold in Guam to reduce the usage of nicotine devices among the island’s youth. If the S.A.V.E. Act becomes law, vaping products will finally be regulated in a similar manner to cigarettes and tobacco products.

Representative Toh is joined by seven cosponsors, Reps. Wuju Rachael Cho, Austin Fortuno, Kaitlyn Galindez, Julie Laxamana, Billy Mann, Vinh Nguyen, and Nathan Paz. The bill will be referred to the Committee on Rules and the Committee on Health & Human Services and Gender Affairs.

The S.A.V.E. Act will impose a tax on all vaping products sold in Guam to reduce the usage of nicotine devices among the island’s youth and is modeled on the Tobacco Control Act of 2006. Today, vaping amongst Guam’s youth is a major concern as it is becoming more prevalent on school campuses.

According to the 2021 Guam State Epidemiological Profile, Guam’s youth have the highest rate (49.6%) of ever and current use of vaping products among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, vaping is the most prevalent form of tobacco use for Guam’s youth.

By setting an excise tax of 40% on vaping products, which include vaping devices and paraphernalia sold in Guam, consumers will be less incentivized to purchase and use these harmful substances. “It is simple economics: as the price of a good increases, the demand decreases. That is exactly what we are trying to accomplish for vaping products with the S.A.V.E Act,” Representative Toh said.

“Vaping has become an epidemic amongst my fellow youth; we all know someone who should not be using vaping products but does so anyway. As the youth of this island, we cannot sit idly knowing that our peers are inhaling chemicals and toxins that have lasting negative impacts on their health. While several steps have been made to help reduce the usage of vaping products, there needs to be comprehensive reform that will have lasting impacts on deterring the use of these products. The S.A.V.E. Act is a step toward improving the lives of everyone who calls Guam home,” stated Representative Toh. “The youth are supposed to be the future of our island – the longer we wait to take action, the longer we are harming the future of Guam,” Representative Toh added.

The S.A.V.E. Act also establishes a licensing program that would require retailers and wholesalers of vaping products to possess a license from the Department of Revenue and Taxation. Additionally, this legislation will also create a new revenue stream for the Government of Guam by disbursing the tax revenues into five special revenue funds. Of the tax revenues collected,

35% shall be deposited into the Healthy Futures Fund;
25% shall be deposited into the territorial Educational Facilities Fund;
15% shall be deposited into the Police Services Fund;
15% shall be deposited into the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center;
10% shall be deposited into the Department of Revenue and Taxation.

“I am hopeful that we can reduce youth vaping once and for all. I am optimistic that with the help of my colleagues and Senators, the Guam Youth Congress and Guam Legislature can work together to codify this vital, important, and urgent Act. It will not be easy, but I am committed to doing everything possible to advance this measure,” Representative Toh added.

Representative Toh looks forward to working with his colleagues in the Guam Youth Congress to swiftly pass this measure and refer it to the Senators in the Guam Legislature.

END OF STATEMENT

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