VIP Vapors’ shelves were empty, and consumers weren’t pleased.
“Take some responsibility with your kids,” Jesse Wright said after finding out that Utah has banned flavored vape liquids.
The Utah State Legislature approved a bill last year that forbids vape shops from selling flavored liquids, and it is currently in force throughout the state. Numerous specialty shops were compelled to remove their merchandise from the shelf or face penalties.
According to Juan Bravo, owner of VIP Vapors, “We get an email very, very late on Friday afternoon that basically said the ban is in effect right now.”
He claimed that the outcome has severely harmed both his business and the businesses of other local vape shops.
“We’re down to doing a fraction of what we’re doing by selling non-vapor products. These are vapor establishments. That’s what we do. It’s been legal to do. We have a permit to do it and now they’re pulling 95% of our revenue off our shelves,” he told.
By outlawing the sale of flavored vape fluids, the regulation aims to reduce the use of vaping by young people. The restriction was challenged in court by the Utah Vapor Business Association, which said it would harm companies and even adults who are permitted to buy these goods. Although a federal judge invalidated a portion of the law permitting surprise inspections, the prohibition on flavored vape juice remained in place. In an attempt to stop the ban, the group has filed an appeal and asked for an injunction.
“It’s being enforced even though there’s an active appeal happening,” Bravo stated.
The Utah County Health Department defended its enforcement action in a statement.
“The Utah County Health Department remains committed to protecting the health of our community, especially our youth, from the risks associated with tobacco, electronic cigarette, flavored tobacco, and nicotine product sales. While the state litigation is ongoing, we are enforcing the law in accordance with direction from the state, court rulings, and our mandate to work in the best interests of public health. We respect the legal process and will continue to fulfill our responsibilities while the matter is resolved,” the agency said.
According to Utah’s Department of Health & Human Services, enforcement was the responsibility of local health departments. It was being handled differently by several health departments throughout the state. All of the people who spoke indicated they were implementing the prohibition, but some were giving stores time to do so, while others insisted that products be taken off the shelves right once.
The law’s implementation has not infuriated everyone. The Washington County Prevention Coalition’s Pam Holiday described the new law as a “significant step in public health policy.”
“By restricting products that appeal to youth, the law aims to reduce the initiation and continuation of vaping among adolescents,” she stated. “While this poses challenges for vape retailers, the primary objective is to protect young individuals from nicotine addiction and its associated health risks.”
In schools throughout the state, prevention organizations have attempted to slow down the rapid adoption of young people. Programs like My Life, My Quit, which provides text-based coaching, have been introduced to assist teenagers in quitting. Student polls indicate that there have been some decreases in youth vaping in recent years, suggesting that efforts are having some success.
“We do upstream prevention and we do education around policies even at our local schools and with our lawmakers and other decision-makers,” stated Kristi Sharp, a Southwest Utah Public Health Department prevention specialist.
By eliminating the allure of flavorings, Sharp and Holiday both stated that they do think the rule will have a good impact on reducing child use in the future. Bravo stated that he does not want kids vaping because he is a dad. However, he contended that some people are just purchasing items online or out of state, which health authorities are not policing, and that the law did not criminalize possessing a flavored vape.
The Utah State Legislature may reexamine the ban on flavored vape juice while the lawsuit is still pending. During this summer’s interim sessions, it was mentioned as a study issue. Due to opposition from social conservatives on Utah’s Capitol Hill, a bill to repeal the flavored vape ban was not approved by the legislature. Bravo claimed that although businesses like his have volunteered to operate under more stringent rules that nevertheless permit the sale of flavored vape liquids, politicians have not yet shown interest in taking that into account.
“We still maintain there is a way of working together, there’s still a way of keeping hands out of minors,” he stated.
In a statement, Sen. Jen Plumb, D-Salt Lake City, who sponsored the initial prohibition, expressed her satisfaction with its implementation.
“The steps to limit flavored vape products aren’t about judgment—they’re about protecting kids. These products pose serious long-term health risks, and as a mom, a pediatrician, and a public health advocate, my goal has always been to safeguard the health of our youth. This law empowers young people to make healthier choices and helps prevent nicotine dependence,” she said.
