ROCHESTER, Minn. — A growing number of communities across Minnesota are considering bans on flavored vapes following a recent decision by the Food and Drug Administration to approve the marketing of fruit-flavored e-cigarette products for the first time.
According to MPR News, several groups in Olmsted County, which is home to Minnesota’s third-largest city, Rochester, are pushing for a ban or stricter limits on flavored nicotine products. The coalition, called “Love Your Lungs Olmsted,” argues flavored tobacco products are designed to attract young users and hook them on addictive nicotine.
The effort is part of a broader, decade-long trend across the state. Minneapolis became the first Minnesota city to restrict flavored tobacco sales in 2015, followed by St. Paul in 2016. Since then, more communities have followed suit.
Today, 28 cities and eight counties in Minnesota have enacted some form of restriction on flavored vapes and other nicotine products. The latest is Plymouth, a Minneapolis suburb, which approved a ban in April.
“State and local governments can and should continue to prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association.
At least six states, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Utah, have statewide bans on flavored vape sales. Research has found those policies are linked to decreases in e-cigarette use among young adults compared to pre-ban levels.
The American Lung Association also raised concerns this week about the FDA’s decision, warning it could put young people at risk.
“After years of recognizing the dangers flavored e-cigarettes pose to youth, it is deeply troubling to see FDA ignore the scientific evidence and reverse course,” Wimmer said.
Youth vaping has declined since peaking at about 20% in 2019. In 2024, about 5.9% or 1.6 million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey.
However, that same survey found nearly 90% of youth who vape use flavored products. Fruit flavors are the most popular, chosen by 62.8% of users.
“These choices could lead to another youth vaping crisis,” the American Lung Association wrote. “Juul, the e-cigarette brand that played a big role in the youth vaping epidemic, used to sell a wide variety of flavors, including mango. These flavors helped cause a sharp increase in youth vaping from 2017 to 2019.”
The FDA’s decision also comes as federal tobacco prevention programs, including the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and the “Tips From Former Smokers” campaign, have faced disruptions and changes.
