Flavored tobacco ban a step in right direction

The Oroville City Council has been working diligently to pass a comprehensive policy to protect youth and adults by prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products; and the timing is perfect for such a policy. Flavored cigarettes, with the exception of menthol flavor, were banned in 2009. Since that

2009 action there has been an explosion of flavored tobacco products of all kinds; flavored little cigars, flavored chew and snuff, and flavored vape liquids, pods and devices.

As adults we know intuitively that flavored nicotine products hook kids. Facts support that knowledge: Teens are nearly seven times more likely to vape nicotine than adults, 4 out of 5 kids who vape nicotine use flavored products, and kids report vaping as early as 12 years old.

Strong local policies keep these addictive products out of the hands of young people. For those already addicted to vaping and flavored tobacco products, there are new resources available to help you quit. The California Smokers’ Helpline has launched new quit vaping services in response to the dramatic increase in vaping among youth and recent lung illness outbreak. Those services include a website (novapes.org), phone coaching at 1-844-8-NOVAPE, online chat at nobutts. org/chat, a text program (Text “Quit Vaping” to 66819) as well as No Vape mobile apps for iphone and android.

Local authorities are doing what they can to reduce the availability of these dangerous, addictive flavored products and now there are resources for those already addicted. We’re moving in the right direction.

— Shelly Brantley, Chico