Vermont Legislature Acts to Protect Kids by Ending the Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products; Gov. Scott Should Sign Bill Into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Vermont Legislature today has taken bold and necessary action to protect kids from tobacco addiction and save lives by giving final approval to legislation that cracks down on the sale of flavored tobacco products, including all flavored e-cigarettes and menthol-flavored tobacco products. We applaud the Legislature for siding with kids over Big Tobacco and taking action to stop the tobacco industry from addicting another generation of kids with flavored products. We urge Governor Phil Scott to sign this bill into law and leave a legacy of better health for Vermonters for generations to come. Polling shows this legislation has strong public support.

This legislation takes aim at the tobacco industry’s most pernicious tactic for targeting and addicting kids – flavored tobacco products. It will end the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes, which have fueled a crisis of youth nicotine addiction. In Vermont, 16.1% of high school students currently use e-cigarettes, and research shows that about 90% of youth e-cigarette users nationwide use flavored products. The legislation will also end the sale of all menthol-flavored tobacco products, which the tobacco industry has used to target kids, Black Americans, the LGBTQ+ community and other communities, contributing to significant health disparities. It will also end the sale of flavored oral nicotine pouch products, like Zyn, that are a growing threat to our kids and have been heavily promoted on social media.

We thank Vermont’s legislative leadership and the many voices of parents, teachers, students and community and health leaders for their advocacy and determination. This legislation will protect kids from tobacco addiction, advance health equity and save lives. Gov. Scott should sign it into law.