CHICAGO (WAND) - Chicago has banned the sale of flavored vaping products.
The office of Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the passage of an ordinance Wednesday. Lightfoot thanked Alderman Matt O'Shea for his sponsorship of the ordinance, Chairman Roderick Sawyer for his committee leadership and city council members together for bringing it to the finish.
"Eighty percent of young tobacco users started with a flavored product, so this is a huge step in preventing young people from potentially developing a lifelong addiction to nicotine," Lightfoot's office said.
A press release from the city said flavors of vapor products and combustible tobacco are targeted to youth and can mislead kids into thinking they're safer than other tobacco items.
“I congratulate the City Council for addressing flavors comprehensively in this vapefocused ordinance, rather than carving out specific flavors,” said Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. “And I look forward to seeing this body take this same comprehensive approach to flavors in the future, as together we address combustible products and work to improve the health and life expectancy of all Chicagoans.”
The release said Chicago is one of the first U.S. cities to put e-cigarettes in its Clean Indoor Air Ordinance and the first big city to start a vaping tax. Chicago is the first jurisdiction to include menthol in a ban on flavored tobacco sales. This ban covers stores located within 500 feet of high schools.
Chicago has also sued vape product manufacturers and retailers for what it called "deceptive marketing and illegal sales to kids."
Click here for more information about the Chicago ordinance.
