MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Gov. Phil Scott Wednesday vetoed a flavored tobacco ban that has been years in the works but faced fierce opposition from the retail industry and tobacco lobbyists.
S.18 would have ended retail sales of all flavored e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and oral nicotine pouches. The bill would also end the sale of all menthol-flavored tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco by January 1st, 2026.
The ban has fallen short the past six years and was aimed at preventing Vermont kids from getting hooked on products that experts say are targeted toward young people and could save the state over $100 million in health care spending.
But opponents have said the bill will clobber Vermont’s mom-and-pop retailers as well as cost the state anywhere from $7-to-$14 million in lost tax revenue.
In his veto message, the governor said the bill is hypocritical and inconsistent. “To be clear, I too feel we have an obligation to protect our children, but it must be balanced in such a way that we honor the rights and freedoms of adults to make decisions about their individual lives,” Gov. Scott said. “That’s why, in 2019, I signed a bill raising the legal age to buy tobacco or e-cigarette products from 18 to 21 and even increased a tax on some of those products to deter use. In my mind, these were reasonable steps that struck the right balance.”
The governor said the bill is also inconsistent with legalized cannabis legislation four years ago or state efforts to promote distilleries and breweries.
Based on earlier vote tallies in both chambers, it could be a heavy lift for the Democratic supermajority to override the governor’s veto.