A new state tobacco law affects where people can buy tobacco and vaping products. These changes are designed to reduce youth vaping in Massachusetts and stop tobacco companies from targeting and addicting young people. The tobacco and vaping industries have targeted youth, LGBTQ populations and communities of color with their deadly products, causing terrible health consequences for the public.
Here’s a simple summary of the law:
- The new law limits where e-cigarette and nicotine vaping products and flavored tobacco products can be sold.
- All flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products can only be sold for on-site consumption at licensed adult-only smoking bars in Massachusetts.
- Starting June 1, 2020, menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products like cigars and flavored chewing tobacco will no longer be sold in stores and can only be sold for on-site consumption at licensed adult-only smoking bars in Massachusetts.
- Starting June 1, 2020, e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping products will increase in price because of an excise tax on the wholesale price.
The new law removes flavored tobacco and nicotine products from stores to protect youth since flavors, including mint and menthol, are a leading reason they start vaping and using tobacco. For more information about the law, visit mass.gov/NewTobaccoLaw.
Contact Ashley Hall, MS at the Northeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, ashley.hall@glfhc.org or (978) 722-2864 to learn more about how this new law will protect youth from nicotine addiction and fight the tobacco industry’s targeting of youth, LGBTQ and communities of color.
Help for those who want to quit vaping, smoking or using other tobacco products is available for FREE at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and KeepTryingMA.org. Organizations that want to support people in quitting can contact Ashley Hall for information and guidance on strategies they can implement.
