The city of Denver is again discussing the possibility of a total ban on the sale of cigarette and tar products. In December 2021, the local council approved a similar ban, but the mayor denied it.
Denver, U.S. may ban flavored tobacco products altogether
According to a report by denver710 on October 28, Denver city leaders once again explored the possibility of a total ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products and tar products.
The proposal was made Monday by the Denver City Council’s Budget and Policy Committee. Leading proponents of the proposal include Serena Gonzalez-Gutierrez. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Shontel Lewis, 8th District Councilman, and Darrell Watson, 9th District Councilman.
Addiction among teens is the main driver of the proposal
Under the proposal, the law would ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including vapes, menthol tobacco, flavored cigarettes, and cigarettes and cigarette packs that contain fruit and sugar flavors. This regulation covers tobacco tar and cigarette products. The lawmakers cited youth addiction as a major reason for pushing the proposal.
Rep. Darrell Watson said that while the law still has many hurdles to overcome, if passed, it will immediately start the process of stopping the sale of these goods. “If the law is valid, the process of outlawing these sales will start immediately,” he said.
For Hush Jeremy Martinez, owner of Vapor, a vape shop near downtown Denver, such a possible ban is a potential threat. Martinez said: “It’s a big blow for us. “If the law passes, we will have to close our business.” Martinez has run the Hush Vapor business on Santa Fe Avenue for the past four years and says business has been good.
Martinez agreed that flavored tobacco and smoke tar products should not be given to minors, but he argued that a total ban on sales is not the right way to solve the problem. “I agree with taking vapes away from kids, but I don’t think a ban is the right way to address this problem,” he said.
This is not the first time the Denver City Council has tried to ban the sale of flavored cigarette products. The council approved a similar ban in December 2021, but it was negated at the time by then-Mayor Michael Hancock.
Monday’s recommendation is the first step in the process of implementing the ban, which would need to go through multiple reviews and get full permission from the city council before becoming law.
