Voters approve ban on flavored tobacco

Denver voters on Tuesday retained a controversial ban on the sale of flavored tobacco merchandise inside metropolis limits.

As of midnight, outcomes confirmed 71.5% of voters upholding the ban.

Supporters of the ban celebrated the outcomes and stated the choice will defend kids from nicotine dependancy, decrease smoking charges and promote public well being.

“With 4 out of 5 children who use tobacco beginning with a flavored product, this result’s important to stopping children from accessing candy-flavored nicotine,” Jodi Radke, regional director of the Marketing campaign for Tobacco-Free Youngsters, stated in a information launch.

Denver election outcomes

Opponents of the ban conceded the race Tuesday night time and stated in a information launch that the voters’ determination will lower metropolis tax income and power roughly 100 small vape companies to shut. The ban may also limit adults from shopping for authorized substances and improve youth cigarette smoking, which they stated is extra dangerous than vaping.

The Metropolis Council in December outlawed the sale of most flavored tobacco and nicotine merchandise, from flavored vapes to menthol cigarettes, in an 11-1 vote. However opponents of the choice gathered sufficient signatures to place the query to a citywide vote and positioned Referendum 310 on the poll. The retention query is worded in order that “sure” is a vote to maintain the ban and “no” is a vote to repeal it.

Proponents of the ban — which has not been enforced but — stated flavored nicotine merchandise are marketed to younger individuals and might lure them to nicotine dependancy. Banning merchandise like strawberry mango e-cigarettes and “rainbow sweet”-flavored cartridges is a public well being measure to guard the following technology, they stated.

The ban confronted opposition from native tobacco retailers in addition to the broader tobacco business. Opponents stated the ban would damage small companies in Denver, and would-be prospects nonetheless would be capable to purchase flavored tobacco merchandise in neighboring municipalities. Others stated the ban would create a black marketplace for the substances.

The council ordinance made it unlawful to “promote, provide on the market, give, barter, ship or furnish” flavored tobacco merchandise in Denver. That utilized to e-cigarettes, tobacco vape pens and different merchandise that present “a cooling” or a “numbing sensation, style or odor aside from the style or odor of tobacco.” That features smells or tastes just like fruits, mint, menthol, candies or different candies, desserts, herbs, spices or alcoholic drinks.

The ban additionally utilized to menthol cigarettes, however didn’t apply to hookah tobacco.

Companies that violate the ban will first get a warning and, if a second offense happens, a 30-day ban on promoting all tobacco merchandise. Additional violations will end in longer bans.