Denver residents will soon vote on whether to uphold a citywide ban on flavored tobacco products, such as vapes and e-cigarettes.
In November, CBS Colorado reported, Denver residents will vote on Referendum 310. The measure asks voters if they want to keep a ban on flavored tobacco, which was approved in December by the city council.
Proponents of the ban point to the health effects of any tobacco product, which can lead to cancer, heart and lung disease, aggravated asthma, and other serious health problems. Certain disposable vapes can also expose users to dangerously high levels of lead and nickel.
Flavored tobacco products like vapes can also have more appeal to children. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that more than 1.2 million high school students and over 400,000 middle school students use vapes, making them the most widely used tobacco product among youth. And of those students who do vape, nearly 88% say they use flavored products.
"The outcome will be better health for our communities, better health for our youth, less targeting of our youth and people of color with these poisonous products," council member Darrell Watson told CBS Colorado.
Opponents, however, say the ban takes away alternatives for those trying to quit smoking cigarettes, and could result in a citywide revenue loss of up to $13 million.
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"This law is going to impact over 500 businesses that actually have nicotine licenses in the city," vape retailer Phil Guerin told CBS Colorado.
Vapes, particularly so-called disposable ones, also pose a considerable environmental threat. They are just one of the seemingly countless products made primarily of single-use plastic, plus a lithium battery and sometimes other electronics.
This makes them virtually impossible to recycle. Although judging by how often they are found as litter, few people even try to recycle them. They are a part of the growing plastic-waste and e-waste problems plaguing our planet.
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