2.0 Policy Package

Flavored Tobacco Restrictions

Flavored tobacco products — including flavored e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes — endanger the health of our communities. The tobacco industry uses flavored tobacco products to lure new users, especially young people, into tobacco addiction. Prohibiting the sale of all flavored tobacco products can reduce use of these dangerous and addictive products and supports the well-being of everyone — especially young people.

The Flavored Tobacco Challenge

Roughly 34 million adults in the U.S. are current smokers, and over 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease including cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases.
Most adult smokers began smoking before age 18. Flavors make tobacco products more appealing to youth, and menthol flavoring can increase the addictiveness of cigarettes and make it harder to quit.
Flavored tobacco products are used disproportionately among youth and people of color. These populations then suffer disproportionately from the related health impacts.

A Healthy Solution: Flavored Tobacco Restrictions

Protects Youth – Manufacturers intentionally develop and names flavors — like strawberry or cherry dynamite — to lure young people. Flavored Tobacco Restrictions policies can encourage cessation and prevent youth initiation into tobacco use.
Reduces Medical Costs – Flavored Tobacco Restrictions policies can improve public health and save money by reducing tobacco-related diseases and their associated medical costs.
Promotes Equity – Flavored tobacco endangers the health of all our communities. Menthol cigarettes are intentionally marketed to Black communities — even while Black people are more likely to die from smoking-related diseases. Restricting flavors is a straightforward solution that will help everyone live longer, healthier lives.

CityHealth partners with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in support of this policy.

The state of flavored tobacco restriction policies in big US cities

21 out of 75 cities received a medal for flavored tobacco restriction policies, including seven gold, six silver, and eight bronze.

Measuring cities’ Flavored Tobacco Restrictions policies

How will we award flavored tobacco restrictions medals?	Bronze Medal	Silver Medal	Gold Medal
City has a flavored tobacco law that prohibits the sale, by all retailers, of at least one category of flavored tobacco products
The law does not contain any penalties for youth use, purchase, or possession
City has a flavored tobacco law that prohibits the sale, by all retailers, of at least two categories of flavored tobacco products.
City has a flavored tobacco law, which prohibits the sale, by all retailers, of all flavored tobacco products, with no exceptions.

*Number of prohibited product categories varies by medal:

For a bronze, a city must prohibit the sale of at least one product category
For a silver, a city must prohibit the sale of at least two product categories
For a gold, a city must prohibit the sale of all three product categories
- Menthol cigarettes
- All flavored e-cigarettes and vaping devices
- All ‘Other Tobacco Products’ to include cigars, cigarillos, dipping tobacco, snuff, chew, hookah, etc.