In 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report warning the public about the dangers of smoking. At the time, about 42% of American adults smoked cigarettes, a figure that has declined to about 18% today, according to Harvard Health. Once seen as a glamorous habit of movie stars, smoking is now often viewed as a harmful addiction. However, despite the decline in traditional smoking, many young people are turning to e-cigarettes and vaping products to consume nicotine.
According to the 2023 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, 18,8% of Clark County 10th graders have tried vaping or e-cigarettes, compared to 18,6% statewide. Additionally, 7,7% of those youth have used a vaping product in the past 30 days. Many of these e-products contain flavors in addition to nicotine. About 2,3% of local 10th graders report using these flavored products. Researchers say tobacco companies use these flavors, often fruity or sweet, to attract and retain young customers.
To counter this trend, a bill was introduced in this year’s legislative session. Backed by Democrats and supported by Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, the bill would ban the sale of flavored vapes, menthol cigarettes, and nicotine pouches starting January 1, 2026. The legislation, introduced as House Bill 1203, would also target “entertainment vaping products” that include video games or music, according to the Washington State Standard.
“The prevalence of flavored products is encouraging too many young people to engage in behaviors that are very dangerous to themselves,” Reykdal said. “I’ve said before that these industries are really looking to create lifelong customers.”
Since 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned all flavors except menthol in cigarettes. Last year, the Biden administration announced plans to ban menthol cigarettes as well, but that ban has been postponed indefinitely, which critics attribute to a campaign decision not to upset menthol smokers. Flavored vapes, however, remain legal at the federal level.
If House Bill 1203 passes, businesses licensed to sell tobacco products would have to post signs announcing the statewide ban. The bill also provides funding for the state Department of Health to conduct an awareness campaign about the dangers of flavored nicotine products.
Of course, the measure has its critics, primarily within the tobacco industry. The bill could reduce state tax revenues because tobacco users would quit and new users would not become addicted. Tobacco lobbyists also point out that some research suggests vaping poses fewer health risks than smoking, so offering products to entice smokers to switch to vaping would be beneficial.
However, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, commercial tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Tobacco use costs society billions of dollars in health care and lost productivity each year.
