FALMOUTH, Maine — The town of Falmouth could become the sixth Maine community to ban merchants from selling flavored tobacco products in an effort to help protect the teen population from early nicotine exposure.
On Monday night, Falmouth's town council took its first step in adopting a policy to ban flavored tobacco products by reading through a proposed ordinance, according to a news release from local coalition Flavors Hook Kids Maine.
"An increasing number of communities understand the importance of ending the sale of flavored tobacco products," BJ McCollister, campaign manager for Flavors Hook Kids Maine, said in the release.
"The health and safety of our kids is directly impacted by flavored tobacco products, and people in our state are fed up with 'Big Tobacco' targeting our children with flavors like bubble gum and wild cherry," McCollister added.
In 2015, Maine's high school smoking rate was higher than the national average for the first time in almost 20 years, according to the Maine Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Council.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 95 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before the age of 21 and 99 percent before the age of 26.
"Communities are taking action because this policy is overwhelmingly supported by fellow Mainers," McCollister said in the release.
Polling shows 63 percent of Maine voters would likely support legislation banning flavored tobacco products, according to the release.
If the town council adopts the new ordinance, Falmouth would be joining Bangor, Bar Harbor, Brunswick, Portland, and South Portland, who currently have comprehensive ordinances ending the sale of flavored tobacco products in their communities, the release said.
The urgency behind the proposal comes in tandem with recent reports of vaping products being manufactured to look like school supplies, such as USB drives, pens, and smartphone cases, according to the release.
“The more we see communities coming together to end the sale of flavored tobacco products, the more we will see our kids having every opportunity to lead a healthy life,” McCollister said.
The Falmouth Town Council plans to hold a public hearing on Nov. 27 to get feedback from experts and community members, the release stated.
“Ending the sale of flavored tobacco products is the single best health policy our communities and our state could enact to protect Maine youth. Our coalition applauds Falmouth and is eager to see the progress on this initiative," McCollister added.