F E AT U R E
“ T H E U N C E R TA I N T Y C A U S E D B Y F U T U R E
R E G U L AT I O N N E G AT I V E LY A F F E C T S A
SMALL BUSINESS’S ABILITY TO PLAN FOR
FUTURE GROWTH.”
must now influence.
NFIB’s Regulatory Reform Agenda
“The uncertainty caused by future
regulation negatively affects a small
business’s ability to plan for future
growth. While regulation is necessary,
it must be pragmatic and sensible.
Agencies need to carefully analyze how
their regulations affect small businesses.
At the same time, federal regulators
should work with small businesses to
help ensure compliance with the spirit
of the law, rather than aggressively
impose fines and penalties for violations
that result from confusion” (http://
www.nfib.com/article/nfib-regulatoryreform-67563/).
Some of the Vape Shops out there are
68 VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE USA
members of small business advocacy
groups like the examples I’ve listed - if
so, most likely on the local level rather
than a on national stage. Personally,
I think these groups are being slightly
hypocritical by charging businesses
with 1-9 employees hundreds of dollars
annually when they’re all claiming to
help protect small business from costly
endeavors. Well, the reason specific
places are considered “Small Business”
is all due to the fact they do not have too
much capital to work with.
Although I absolutely understand the
necessity for a membership fee because
these groups need funding to operate
accordingly, providing services and
resources for all members. Many of the
Vaping advocacy groups do also ask
for donations as well as require some
member fees, which in some cases
could become far less inexpensive
than expected. For example, the Vapor
Technology Association (VTA) is a
membership only group. I’m by no means
suggesting Vape advocates are preying
on small Vape-related businesses. I’m
simply pointing out how everything has a
price and that even though these groups
do advocate on behalf of their members,
they’re still burdened with great
responsibility to run their own business
while attempting to speak out and stand
up for their members. It’s actually quite a
complicated scenario.
In any event, do all small businesses,
Vape-related or not, get their money’s
worth in the long run?
It is worth noting that you can become
a member of CASAA for no charge,
so that is reassuring. However, this
advocacy group is for business as well
as individuals. It would be unrealistic
to charge an individual the same cost
as a small business. Regardless, the
Vaping industry should have stressed the
importance to those who are a part of the
Vape industry that it would be beneficial
for small businesses to look into the
idea of becoming members in Nationally
recognized small business organizations
since they’re designed for protection
and security. I refuse to believe that all
these Vaping advocacy groups never
mentioned this advantageous concept
to assure that they would only give
up their money to their own industry’s
organizations. Yet, I also refuse to
accept that these advocacy groups were
completely unaware that it may be a
helpful suggestion to join such groups.
Basically, what I’m attempting to
communicate is that the Vaping industry
was well-aware of the potential damage
FDA regulations could cause and that
their livelihood would most likely be in
jeopardy. The industry as well as most of
the vaping product consumers knew for
years that the hammer might be coming
down on the industry and countless
companies, not all, but many did almost
nothing for preparation from the deeming
FDA Regulations.
Sure, some brands set aside a nice
chunk of change in anticipation of the
deeming FDA prohibition and some