Op-Ed: Banning all flavored tobacco doesn’t work

This was originally published by The Colorado Sun on April 19, 2022.

Colorado lawmakers are attempting to ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vapor products under the auspice of “protecting the children.”

It’s laudable to reduce youth use of age-restricted products, but a ban on all flavored tobacco and vapor products disregards data indicating youth are not overwhelmingly using combustible tobacco products.

This could lead to more harm than good and ultimately fails to address why youth use vapor products.

After an hours-long hearing in the Colorado House Health & Insurance Committee, House Bill 1064, which would ban flavors, advanced with significant amendments. What began as a ban on all flavored tobacco and vapor products now includes exemptions for premium cigars and pipe tobacco, as well as a provision permitting flavored products in age-restricted stores.

Read the full article here.