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Denver begins enforcement of flavored tobacco ban; health department outlines compliance steps
Summary
DDPHE briefed council on implementing Denver's flavored tobacco ban, explaining enforcement methods, an updated fine schedule, retailer outreach, a pilot school vape-waste program and plans to track compliance and health metrics over coming years.
The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment told the City Council Health & Safety Committee it has begun enforcing the city's flavored tobacco ban and is combining retailer outreach, undercover compliance checks and licensing enforcement to reduce youth access.
Terry Montoya, tobacco program manager for the City and County of Denver, said the ban was passed by council in 2024 and later faced a referendum-signature effort (Measure/Prop 310) in 2025. Montoya said public support remained strong during the signature effort and that the department has moved from planning into enforcement.
Brandon Gentry, tobacco program supervisor, outlined enforcement operations: routine undercover purchase attempts by trained investigators (the program aims to visit each retailer two to four times per year), a licensing component to track retailers, and updated standard operating procedures and a revised fine schedule. Montoya and Gentry said self-service displays and loose-cigarette sales (
