Columbus Passes Flavored Vape and Tobacco Ban

Time:2022-12-20 Views:396

The Columbus, Ohio City Council voted Monday to prohibit sales of flavored vaping products

and tobacco, making it one of just a few major cities between the east and west coasts to

do so. The flavor ban passed unanimously (7-0), despite strong opposition from vaping

businesses and other local retailers.

The ordinance will take effect Jan. 1, 2024, assuming Mayor Andrew Ginther approves it. He

has already indicated strong support for the law.

The new ordinance bans sales of all flavored vaping products—with or without nicotine—as

well as other low-risk flavored products like nicotine pouches and snus. It also bans

flavored combustible tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. There is an exemption

for hookah tobacco consumed inside licensed hookah bars.

The bill was promoted by the Coalition to End Tobacco Targeting, an astroturf group created

and funded by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ lobbying arm. TFK’s involvement will be

familiar to vaping advocates from most cities or states that have faced recent flavor ban

attempts.

The Coalition ran the process from beginning to end—setting the agenda, controlling the

message, disseminating facts and figures, and encouraging the local news outlets, city

health department, schools, churches and community groups to view the group as a helpful

partner.

With a population of over 900,000 residents, Columbus is the largest city in Ohio (the

seventh-most populous state). It is the state capital, and home to Ohio State University

and six Fortune 500 companies.