Plymouth City Council Considers Flavored Tobacco Ban

The Plymouth City Council hopes a new policy could help to keep kids away from cigarettes. 

The council is moving ahead with a set of new tobacco restrictions, including a ban on flavored tobacco products.

“I am not naive thinking that in any way this going to stop youth from smoking,” said Plymouth City Council Member Julie Pointner. “However, if one, two, 10, 15 or whatever don’t start because of what’s happening in our city, I’m okay with that.”

If it’s approved, the policy would ban the sale of menthol cigarettes, vapes, e-cigarettes and flavored chewing tobacco.

Likewise, the policy would would ban coupons and price promotions for tobacco products.

Along with the ban, the policy caps the total number of tobacco licenses. That is, the city would not issue any new tobacco licenses to businesses.

Several business owners pushed back on the policy, saying they will lose money if flavored tobacco is banned.

“If I lose this kind of income — I constantly do improvements to my site,” said Tracy Vining, owner of a BP station in Plymouth. “New car wash, new siding, new concrete, I’ve got new pumps going in on Wednesday. It’s going to affect all of that.”

Also included in the policy is a 500-foot buffer zone between tobacco businesses and schools and parks. 

Plymouth