Supervisors of San Francisco city have approved an ordinance to ban the sales of flavored e-liquid from April next year. The city is the first in the nation to approve such a sweeping ban to prohibit flavored tobacco sales.
The new ordinance states that “flavored tobacco products promote youth initiation of tobacco use,” while “menthol, in particular, cools and numbs the throat to reduce throat irritation and make the smoke feel smoother.”“We are focusing on flavored products because they are widely considered to be a starter product for future smokers,” said Supervisor Malia Cohen, who approved of the bill.
Under the new law, only tobacco products and e-liquids which are flavor-free and menthol-free would be legal to sell in this city. While products like all flavored cigarettes, flavored cigars, flavored smokeless tobacco, flavored shisha and flavored nicotine solutions that are used in e-cigarettes are prohibited.
The sweeping ban will have a deeply influence on the local vaping business and it is also feared that other cities also have a similar ban. In New York City, for example, proposed laws ban flavored tobacco products. But they allow menthol-flavored cigarettes and other varieties that are part of the San Francisco ban. Chicago restricts the sale of flavored tobacco products within a 500 foot radius of a school.
Ray Story, CEO of Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association, an industry association, branded the ban as extremely irresponsible. He holds the opinion that many smokers have used flavored e-liquid to help them either cut down cigarettes or stop smoking completely.
“At the end of a day, it is an adult product,” said Story. “Personally I am absolutely against flavors like bubble gum or pink elephant or strawberry delicious. I think the name itself sends the wrong message. But the adult looking for a less harmful alternative is not looking for these products. This ban makes absolutely no sense”
Regina Dick-Endrizzi, executive director of San Francisco’s Office of Small Business questioned the influence the ban would have on small businesses which sold tobacco products.
She said, “The SBC in general does not support outright bans as a means of achieving a policy objective and added that such a regulation would be better if it were applied at the State level.”
Ryan
Ryan is a writer, editor and content creator who spends most of his time bringing the interesting, entertaining, original and well-written articles to vapers. He believes that vaping is not only a healthier alternative to smoking, but also a great experience of life.
