Health Advocates Launch Campaign to Uphold Ban Amid Retailer Repeal Effort
Denver voters will decide the fate of the city’s ban on flavored tobacco and nicotine products this fall, as a campaign led by Children’s Hospital Colorado and health advocates launches to defend the ordinance against a repeal initiative.
Read moreIn a significant development for tobacco control policy, the state of California and the city and county of Denver have recently implemented what appear to be the nation’s first bans on flavored tobacco products that specifically include nicotinic alkaloids and nicotine analogs. These novel restrictions come as regulators grapple with the increasing popularity of products that use compounds chemically similar to nicotine but fall outside the scope of existing tobacco laws.
Read moreThe Denver City Council has advanced a proposal to ban the sale of most flavored vape and tobacco products within the city, with a public hearing and potential final vote scheduled for Monday, December 16. The measure, which aims to curb nicotine addiction and improve public health, has sparked a heated debate between supporters and opponents, each with their own personal stories and concerns.
Many supporters of the flavored tobacco ban, including city council members and youth advocates, have shared their own experiences with the devastating effects of tobacco use. High school senior Isaac Hysten, whose mother died of a heart attack caused by a lifelong smoking habit, spoke at a youth rally in favor of the ban. Hysten himself struggled with flavored vape addiction before quitting.
Council members Shontel M. Lewis, Darrell Watson, and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, who sponsored the proposal, also cited personal and family histories with tobacco addiction as motivation for their support. Council President Amanda Sandoval shared her own story of losing her father to pancreatic cancer caused by smoking and her concern over her daughter’s vaping habit.
Opponents of the ban, including local tobacco and vape shop owners, argue that it would not effectively reduce consumption rates and would instead drive sales underground or to neighboring cities. Phil Guerin, owner of Myxed Up Creations on Colfax Avenue, emphasized that flavored products are popular among adults looking to quit smoking and that the ban would infringe upon adult choice.
Guerin, who has taken measures to prevent sales to minors, said the ban would put his business “in peril” and that education about tobacco and nicotine should start in the home. Opponents also point out that the ban could eliminate millions in tax revenue for the city.
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and Colorado, killing more than 5,000 Coloradans each year. Supporters of the ban emphasize that flavors lure people, particularly youth and young adults, into hard-to-quit addictions. Menthol cigarettes, in particular, disproportionately impact Black Americans and other minority groups.
More than 550 retailers currently sell flavored tobacco products in Denver, with many residents living within walking distance of a tobacco retailer. The city’s public health department has issued 660 tobacco violations between 2017 and 2023.
As the debate continues, both sides agree on one point: children should not be using these products. The outcome of the December 16 public hearing and potential final vote will determine the future of flavored tobacco sales in Denver.
The Denver City Council voted 11 to 1 on Monday night to ban the sale of flavored vapes and other tobacco products within the city limits. The ordinance, which includes e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, vapes, and other flavored nicotine and tobacco products, aims to reduce nicotine use among teenagers and young adults.
Read moreDenver city leaders have reopened discussions about potentially banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, including flavored nicotine products. At-Large City Council Member Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Council Member Shontel Lewis (District 8), and Council Member Darrell Watson (District 9) sponsored the proposal, which they presented to the Denver City Council’s Budget and Policy Committee on Monday.
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