Denver City Council Votes to End Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products, Delivering Win for Kids Over Big Tobacco

Denver City Council Votes to End Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products, Delivering Win for Kids Over Big Tobacco

Statement of Yolonda C. Richardson, President & CEO, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
December 16, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Denver City Council today has delivered a tremendous victory for kids over the tobacco industry by voting, 11-1, to approve an ordinance that will end the sale of flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The City Council deserves enormous credit for standing up to Big Tobacco and taking action to end this industry's predatory targeting of kids, Black and Latino communities, and other communities with flavored products. This ordinance will protect kids from tobacco addiction, advance health equity and save lives.

We applaud Council Members Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Shontel M. Lewis and Darrell Watson for their leadership in sponsoring this ordinance and thank all the Council members who voted for it. Mayor Mike Johnston has indicated that he will sign it into law. We also applaud the more than 100 community organizations that have advocated for this legislation, including Denver Public Schools and students whose outspoken support and personal stories about the harmful impact of flavored tobacco products were critical to passage of the ordinance.

For decades and continuing today, tobacco companies have used flavored products to lure and addict kids and targeted communities. In fact, research shows that over 80% of kids who have ever used tobacco started with a flavored product. In recent years, flavored products have fueled high rates of youth e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction. Tobacco companies have also targeted Black, Latino, LGBTQ+ and other communities with menthol cigarettes, contributing to significant health disparities.

By ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, Denver's leaders are creating a healthier future for kids, families and the entire city.