From a courtroom in Columbus, a judge has ruled a new state law that prevents cities from banning the sale of flavored tobacco products does not pass constitutional muster.”It has been a long fight. But I am delighted to hear this,” said Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks. “It sounds like common sense is ruling.” Parks is among those who think there are companies that make vapes and e-cigarettes far too appealing to teenagers.”For companies to actually make candy flavored, grape flavored and cotton candy flavored vape — it’s marketing directly to kids,” she said.Parks’ point of view is shared by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.”We know that many of these kids will move from the vaping over to the cigarettes. We know that will happen,” DeWine said during an event in January. “So this is a public health crisis with our kids.”WLWT’s Todd Dykes talked to workers who were behind the counter of smoke shops in Clifton, near the University of Cincinnati, on Monday.While no one wanted to be on camera, they said they didn’t understand why the legal sale of flavored tobacco products to adults was coming under fire.One shopkeeper told Dykes bluntly: if there’s a ban on products like flavored vapes in the Queen City, stores will close.Parks is unmoved, arguing that public health concerns linked to kids who vape are too important to ignore.”This is our turf. These are our children,” Parks said. “And we should be able to determine what works for our community.”Columbus banned the sale of flavored tobacco products at the start of the year. Cincinnati has not taken that step but is part of the lawsuit that wants cities to be able to make their own rules.
CINCINNATI —
From a courtroom in Columbus, a judge has ruled a new state law that prevents cities from banning the sale of flavored tobacco products does not pass constitutional muster.
“It has been a long fight. But I am delighted to hear this,” said Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks. “It sounds like common sense is ruling.”
Parks is among those who think there are companies that make vapes and e-cigarettes far too appealing to teenagers.
“For companies to actually make candy flavored, grape flavored and cotton candy flavored vape — it’s marketing directly to kids,” she said.
Parks’ point of view is shared by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
“We know that many of these kids will move from the vaping over to the cigarettes. We know that will happen,” DeWine said during an event in January. “So this is a public health crisis with our kids.”
WLWT’s Todd Dykes talked to workers who were behind the counter of smoke shops in Clifton, near the University of Cincinnati, on Monday.
While no one wanted to be on camera, they said they didn’t understand why the legal sale of flavored tobacco products to adults was coming under fire.
One shopkeeper told Dykes bluntly: if there’s a ban on products like flavored vapes in the Queen City, stores will close.
Parks is unmoved, arguing that public health concerns linked to kids who vape are too important to ignore.
“This is our turf. These are our children,” Parks said. “And we should be able to determine what works for our community.”
Columbus banned the sale of flavored tobacco products at the start of the year. Cincinnati has not taken that step but is part of the lawsuit that wants cities to be able to make their own rules.
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