CLEVELAND — Cleveland Tobacco businesses said they are ready to lawyer up if city council passes a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products. Customers are also asking city leaders to leave the decision up to voters.
Customers, like Carahlynn Burns, can taste the rainbow when it comes to buying vaporized tobacco products.
“Raspberry lemon; I liked the triple berry, peach mint, peach ice, all that,” said Burns.
But, these flavored products can kill.
“Cleveland has the life expectancy for the residents is 10 to12 years shorter than our in the entering suburbs,” said David Margolius, Director of Public Health City of Cleveland.
The latest tobacco ban proposal by Cleveland city leaders would include a tobacco retail license which would require an annual registration process of $500, a yearly inspection by environmental health experts, and the halt of all flavored tobacco product sales including menthol cigarettes. Other cities, like Columbus, have already passed similar bans.
All Coast Distributions owns six Planet of the Vapes locations in the Cleveland area. Regional Director of Marketing Kari Pearson said if the ban passes, it could cost them 50% of their total revenue and could cost their employees their jobs.
“It would be really devastating to have to let go people because we are cutting down half our sales because we aren’t making enough because we have five flavors or just unflavored,” said Pearson.
The proposal could be heard by Cleveland City Council’s Health Committee around April to institute the policy by the end of the year. Burns said she will drive as far as 30 minutes to get tobacco products if it goes into effect.
“It’s something I am putting in my body, I choose to buy it,” said Burns. “I know the side effects and the harms it can bring, but I think it is something a person should be able to choose what they want to do.”
Pearson said All Coast Distributions are prepared to take the city to court if the ban passes.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that. If they were to ever go through with this, that’s something with our shops alone we will have that conversation with our lawyers,” said Pearson.
Burns wants the issue put on a ballot.
“I think they should have more of a public opinion say on it, more of a census with that,” Burns added.
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