The city of Aurora, Colorado, approved an ordinance to ban gray-market products, a step set to take effect to protect health and safety in the city. The Denver Post reported the recent crackdown on unregulated products and paraphernalia sold in vape shops and corner stores.
These include flavored nitrous oxide canisters, poppers, "mad honey," synthetic cannabinoids, and mushroom gummies, plus paraphernalia disguised as everyday items.
When misused, these substances can lead to neurological issues, cardiovascular risks, and emergency room visits.
Statewide data from Michigan's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report analysis, for instance, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that nitrous oxide involvement was documented among poison center cases. Cannabis was also involved in 9% of these cases.
The Aurora City Council voted to pass an ordinance banning the sale of certain psychoactive products and drug paraphernalia.
Aurora Councilwoman Alison Coombs, who co-sponsored the ordinance, said via the Denver Post, "The concern in relation to the substances is [that] they are unregulated, and people don't know what they're putting in their bodies. It's a health and safety issue."
City inspectors have already confiscated some of the products, many of which are mislabeled or look harmless at first glance — like glass tubes filled with silk roses that appear decorative but are linked to illicit drug use.
This move echoes other policies designed to curb harmful products and create healthier spaces. Some states are attempting to ban the use of medical devices with DEHP, period products with PFAS, and consumer goods with added microplastics.
While city officials emphasize the public health benefits of the ordinance, some members of the business community may be impacted by it. Some small retailers, for example, may not be aware of the complex regulations.
Perhaps by pairing enforcement with education, business owners can better understand consumer safety standards related to the new ordinance.
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