Colorado lawmakers are attempting to ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vapor products under the auspice of “protecting the children.” It’s laudable to reduce youth use of age-restricted products, but a ban on all flavored tobacco and vapor products disregards data indicating youth are not overwhelmingly using combustible tobacco products. This could lead to […]
smoking
Posted inBusiness, Crime and Courts, Election 2020, News, Politics and Government
Emails show negotiations involving Colorado governor, cigarette giant that led to tobacco tax hike
Gov. Jared Polis’ office was asked to meet several conditions insisted upon by Altria in exchange for the cigarette giant agreeing not to fight legislation that put a question on the November ballot asking voters to raise tobacco and nicotine taxes in Colorado, emails obtained by The Colorado Sun show. One of those conditions included […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Investing in our present and future doesn’t have to be just a slogan for Colorado voters
We find ourselves in uncertain times, but this November, Coloradans will have the opportunity to take a concrete step forward in support of health and education. By voting yes on Proposition EE, we can choose to boost community health, particularly for our teens, protect our public schools from the worst of the budget cuts facing […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Teen vaping cannot be Colorado’s new normal. This is a preventable epidemic
Just when I thought we were making significant strides at preventing teens from smoking traditional tobacco, the tobacco industry invented vaping and Colorado’s teen vaping epidemic ensued. I have had to change my practice, the questions I ask my patients, and the counseling I offer because the tobacco industry has been very successful at getting […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers will weigh in 2020 whether to ban flavored vaping products
State Rep. Yadira Caraveo plans to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to ban flavored vaping products as a way to curb what officials say are crisis levels of teen e-cigarette use in Colorado. “These flavors are targeted toward children, and really are meant, in my opinion, as a way to addict a new generation […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: It’s time for Colorado to respond to the teen vaping epidemic
“Gummy bear,” “cotton candy” and “banana split” aren’t just candy flavors you might find in your child’s Halloween basket; they are flavors that tobacco executives are using right now to hook kids like yours on nicotine vaping. Despite the news you may have recently read about the Trump administration’s new restrictions on nicotine vaping products, […]
Posted inBusiness, Education, Environment, Health, News
Vaping waste is a whole new headache for schools and cities, including in Colorado
By John Daley, Colorado Public Radio In her office at Boulder High School, the assistant principal has a large cardboard box where she can toss the spoils of her ongoing battle with the newest student addiction. “This is what I call the box of death,” said Kristen Lewis. “This is everything that we’ve confiscated.” The box […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
If Congress doesn’t raise the tobacco-purchasing age to 21, Colorado lawmakers next year will try to
Congress could soon pass bipartisan legislation raising the age to purchase tobacco products across the U.S. to 21 from 18. But if the proposal grinds to a halt in the slow-moving gears of Washington, a pair of Democratic state lawmakers are poised to ensure the change happens in Colorado. State Sen. Jeff Bridges of Greenwood […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Education, News
Colorado teens are switching from smoking marijuana to eating it, study shows
By Kathleen Foody, The Associated Press Some teenagers in Colorado, where marijuana is legal for adults, are shifting away from smoking in favor of edible cannabis products, a study released Monday shows. About 78% of the Colorado high school students who reported consuming marijuana in 2017 said they usually smoked it, down from 87% two […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Boulder misses the mark on e-cigarettes
Everyone is concerned about the uptick in teen vaping. But too often the regulatory response is misguided, which makes it harder for adult smokers to quit, and threatens to undo decades of work done to reduce teen smoking. Boulder, like many other states and municipalities, is considering an e-cigarette flavor ban. This would prohibit the […]