Never, ever believe tobacco companies will slow in their deceit and devious tactics.

After states successfully sued tobacco makers for their decades of lies and negligence in hiding the risks of smoking, many states and the federal government put more restrictions on tobacco marketing and sales.

One big change was a federal requirement that companies stop making and selling flavored cigarettes — other than adding menthol flavor. The effort was needed because tobacco companies were selling bubble gum, grape and other candy flavor-infused cigarettes with an obvious aim at getting children to try them and become addicted, lifelong customers.

But big tobacco quickly shifted gears by putting all the same candy flavors in cigars, little cigarillos and other tobacco products that weren’t specifically barred in the federal regulations.

The products, sold in convenience stores and anywhere other tobacco is sold, are also often cheaply priced — another effort at snagging underage kids to try them. Individual flavored cigars can sell for as little as 50 cents.

Because big tobacco is constantly looking for new ways to push their products to kids, society must be constantly vigilant.

The Minneapolis City Council is considering an ordinance that would restrict flavored tobacco sales. The flavored cigars and other flavored items could only be sold in smoke shops and other shops where only those 18 and older can legally enter. That would help reduce the chances they get into the hands of kids.

The measure would also set a minimum price of $2.60 for a cigar to make them less attractive to children.

The measure, which will be debated in the coming weeks and is being fought by the convenience store industry, also puts more limits on flavored e-cigarettes.

Many health experts worry the candy flavored e-cigs are a simple gateway that get minors hooked on nicotine and eventually smoking tobacco. Tobacco is a legal product and adults have every right to buy and use it. But society has every obligation to ensure that an inherently dangerous product is properly regulated to keep it out of the hands of children.

The ordinance Minneapolis is considering needs to be considered by other cities and by the state Legislature.

Federal regulators, too, need to revisit the rules and treat all of the flavored tobacco products as persona non grata.

 

— Mankato Free Press, June 11