From the SmokeAxis Desk
Expert resources for smoke shop owners, vape shop operators, and wholesale buyers. From licensing and compliance to sourcing strategy and market trends — everything you need to run and grow your retail business.

Louisiana quadrupled its retail tobacco permit fee in August 2026 and rebuilt how vapor products move from wholesaler to shelf. What the permit now costs, why the state's own fee page still shows the old number, and which categories are closed.
Latest
FAQ
The questions we answer most often.
Distributors require a resale certificate from your state, and most states also require a tobacco retail license for tobacco and vape products. Requirements vary by state — check your state's rules in the compliance dashboard.
The PACT Act removed vape products from USPS and most common carriers, and several states restrict inbound shipments by flavor rules or registry status. Our PACT Act compliance guide covers what that means for shipping and lead times.
Minimums vary widely by category and supplier — case-pack quantities in fast-turning categories, dollar minimums elsewhere. Supplier profiles list a minimum order when the distributor provides one, and the supplier directory can filter to no-minimum suppliers.
Guides display a last-updated date whenever they are edited. Always confirm current requirements with your state agency — guides are editorial content, not legal advice.
The supplier directory lists distributors by category and state, with filters for shipping coverage and minimum order. Start with the category guide, then shortlist from the directory.
The guides library covers the working questions of wholesale buying for smoke shops, vape shops, and head shops: how to open accounts with distributors, how state licensing and tax rules apply to tobacco and vape products, and how to buy each category — minimum order quantities, freight terms, margin norms, and reorder timing.
Guides are published under a personal byline — currently Jay, SmokeAxis’s founder — and display a last-updated date whenever they are edited. For state-level lookups, use the compliance dashboard.