The Poland Senate has unanimously approved a bill prohibiting the sale of heated tobacco products with characteristic flavors, without proposing any amendments. The amendment to the Act on the Protection of Health against the Consequences of Using Tobacco and Tobacco Products, also known as the Tobacco Act, aims to implement an EU directive that member states should have been applying since October 23, 2023.
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Senate Bill 702, which seeks to ban the sale of flavored nicotine and tobacco products in Oregon, has recently been heard by the Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health. While proponents of the bill, such as District 15 Representative Janeen Sollman, argue that the ban is necessary to protect youth from becoming addicted to harmful tobacco products, local shop owners like Bobby Painter of Sky High Smoke Shop disagree, asserting that the real problem lies in the availability of these products rather than their flavors.
Read moreNew York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a landmark lawsuit against 13 major e-cigarette manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for their role in fueling the youth vaping epidemic. The companies, including popular brands such as Puff Bar and Elf Bar, are accused of illegally marketing and selling flavored disposable vapes to minors.
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 moreLatvia has implemented a comprehensive ban on the sale of flavored e-liquids for electronic smoking devices and tobacco substitutes, as part of a broader effort to curb youth access to tobacco products and promote public health. The new regulations also raise the legal age for purchasing all types of tobacco products to 20 years old.
Read moreLicking County Board of Health to Conduct Annual Inspections of Retail Stores Selling ENDS Products
A new ordinance in the city of Heath, Ohio, will take effect on January 1, 2025, regulating the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to ensure that only FDA-approved products are available for purchase at local stores. The ordinance, approved by city councilors last year, aims to protect Heath citizens from purchasing unapproved vaping devices and e-cigarettes.
Read moreCompanies Scramble to Find Alternatives as Tighter Restrictions Take Effect in January 2025
Tobacco sellers in Latvia are scrambling to find loopholes to circumvent the country’s new law that tightens rules on selling tobacco products and substitutes. The Baltic nation’s move to restrict the sale of these products has prompted businesses to seek alternative ways to offer their products to consumers.
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.
Personal Experiences Drive Support for Ban
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.
Business Owners Oppose Ban, Cite Adult Choice and Economic Impact
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: A Leading Cause of Preventable Death
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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