In 2022 Bangor Will Say Goodbye To All Flavored Tobacco Products
This has been coming down the line for a minute.
Just a couple of months ago, Bangor sent this idea to committee. They were exploring the possibility at that point, of what it would look like if flavored tobacco was banned in the city. Well, that just became a reality. The Bangor City Council voted 7-1 to go forward with the ban, according to WABI.
Bangor may be able to sleep well as a city, but it doesn't solve a problem.
Granted, you've got about 8 months to stockpile all the menthol cigarettes and flavored vape juices you can. The ban won't actually take effect until June 1st of 2022. The biggest reason the city is looking to make the change is to try and curb the amount of teen smoking/vaping, by eliminating flavors that seemingly are kind of marketed to kids.
Will it really make a difference?
Here's the thing... It's not like this is any kind of statewide ban. So, anyone could simply head over to Brewer. Or up to Orono. Or into Hampden. You may be cutting off a diseased limb, but you're not really eliminating the disease. People who want this stuff will go find it. Banning it in the city doesn't really do much.
Well, except possibly hurt small businesses that will now lose all sales, even to adults, who may prefer flavored tobacco stuff. Sure, you've gotten rid of a very few sources for kids to get it. But kids can't buy alcohol, and yet somehow still get their hands on it. Bangor may be able to sleep well as a city, but it doesn't solve a problem.
Will the rest of the state join in?
Who knows? But until it becomes a broad-sweeping ban, little will actually be done to stop kids from vaping or smoking. Is it a start? Yes. But I don't think Bangor should go patting themselves on the back just yet. It's the only city in the whole state to do this. Take your bows when the rest of the state follows suit.