Pitkin County Board of Health urges county to pursue comprehensive flavored‑tobacco ban

The Pitkin County Board of Health on Jan. 15 voted to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners consider a comprehensive ban on all flavored tobacco products, including flavored vapes and nicotine pouches.

Peter Mueller, the county’s health promotion program administrator, outlined the proposal and asked the board to forward a recommendation to the commissioners. Sarah Strasberger, principal of Harrison High School, and students from the school described what flavors look like in everyday life and the effect on teenagers. "Of our students who have used vape in the last 30 days, almost 95% of them have used a flavored vape," Strasberger told the board.

Students who spoke said sports participation, trusted adults and school clubs reduce use but that flavors and discreet packaging make initiation and concealment easier. "The flavors make it taste better," one student said, arguing a ban would reduce the product's appeal to younger people.

Peter Mueller also noted potential fiscal impacts: county tobacco tax receipts have been "fairly static at $180,000," and other jurisdictions have seen revenue drops of about 10%–30% after flavor bans, he said; the board was not given a county-specific revenue projection. Board members asked about enforcement and retail sources; students and staff said youth sometimes obtain products from peers, stores outside the county or by using fake IDs.

Board members moved and approved a motion to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners consider a comprehensive flavor ban covering all flavors and product types and to seek draft language from staff for the commissioners' consideration. The recommendation will be delivered to the BOCC with staff‑prepared verbiage.

The board framed the recommendation as a public‑health prevention strategy and asked staff to follow up with draft ordinance language and an analysis of likely budget impacts and enforcement implications.