Denver’s Referendum 310 will decide whether to keep or repeal Denver’s ban on flavored tobacco, including nicotine vaporizers that come in a range of fruity flavors.
If a majority of people vote “yes,” the city will continue to ban the products. If a majority vote “no,” the ban would be repealed and businesses would be allowed to sell the products again.
The full text of the ordinance is available here.
The Denver City Council banned the sales in December and Mayor Mike Johnson signed it. Opponents then started a petition drive to challenge the ban and successfully gathered nearly 11,000 valid signatures, enough to put the repeal on the ballot this year.
The ban, which affects some 575 retailers that sell the products in Denver, is already in effect, but city officials have said they wouldn’t enforce it until after the election.
Health advocates say banning flavored tobacco will reduce the chances that kids are tempted into lifelong addictions. Their opponents say that keeping the ban will hurt local businesses, with customers simply going to other cities to buy flavored products.
