Minneapolis Looks to Limit Flavored Tobacco & E-Liquid

A proposed ordinance, as noted from the Star Tribune, would restrict revenue of flavored cigarettes (including pipes, electric, water pipe and e-cigarettes) to approximately two-dozen cigarette retailers in town. Additional stations, including benefit, might simply be permitted to market peppermint, menthol, and tobacco-flavored products.

Even though the government has just prohibited flavored smokes, town authorities mentioned fruity flavors make pipes, electric and cigarette more attractive to minors, who can get the goods despite present age limitations. It really appears this is something where honestly there is a gap in our national regulatory program, mentioned Minneapolis city council member Elizabeth Glidden throughout a reading in June.

Neighborhood convenience store-owners have expressed strong opposition to the proposition. Holiday Station stores, Bloomington, Minn., has urged for exempting gasoline stations from the taste prohibition simply because that Holiday digitally confirms the id and age of clients buying tobacco goods (flavored or maybe not).

While some may state these additional flavored products signify just 5% of your cigarette earnings, that truly signifies thousands of dollars per annum that the shop will drop in lost revenues, Steve Rush, Holiday Station stores manager of government relations, advised the city’s well-being, environment, and community involvement board.

Cigarette firms also have spoken out against the prohibition. Altria representative David Sutton told the Star Tribune the ordinance is overly extensive, ban flavors from all possible customers rather than coping with all the problem of under-age cigarette access. “We think it’s unfair to those adult tobacco consumers—indeed our costumers—who may prefer such flavor varieties in those categories,” he said, adding that a self-service ban or stricter age verification laws would be more appropriate.