Denver’s newest proposed ban on flavored vapes, different tobacco merchandise advances with new exemption

A Denver Town Council committee on Wednesday complicated a measure that may ban gross sales of maximum flavored tobacco and nicotine merchandise within the town, in spite of sturdy objections from the business and outlets that promote e-cigarettes and vapes.

The council’s Protection, Housing, Training & Homelessness Committee voted 6-1 to transport the ban on for attention on the complete council. The general vote will be the 2nd try to move a flavored tobacco ban within the ultimate 3 years.

The measure would ban just about each more or less flavored tobacco and nicotine product from being offered inside the town’s borders, together with menthol cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes and vapes. The function, in step with the ordinance’s sponsors, is to give protection to the well being of younger other folks.

Shops — together with Phil Guerin, the landlord of vape store Myxed Up Creations, which has a Denver location — argued the ban would punish law-abiding trade house owners who don’t promote to underage consumers and would deprive the town of thousands and thousands in gross sales tax revenues. Colorado regulation units the minimal age for tobacco merchandise at 21.

The proposed ordinance was once offered in overdue October, however its development was once not on time thru November whilst sponsors met with business representatives and included comments. The up to date ordinance mentioned Wednesday exempts flavored tobacco smoked out of hookah pipes, a commonplace observe in Center Japanese and North African cultures.

The ordinance, together with the hookah exemption, carefully mirrors the development of a an identical ban that the council handed in 2021. Then-Mayor Michael Hancock vetoed that regulation, arguing that Denver performing by myself — whilst surrounding municipalities endured to permit gross sales of flavored merchandise — would now not stay tobacco out of the fingers of youngsters.