Denver vape shop owners say flavor ban has knocked out 70% of sales
9news
Denver vape shop owners report a 70% sales decline following the city's ban on flavored tobacco products, leading to store closures and layoffs.Summary
Denver's ban on flavored tobacco products, upheld by voters in November, has severely impacted local vape shops. Owners like Mike Wing and Kristen Hensel report significant revenue drops – 75% and 60-70% respectively – forcing Wing to sell his stores and Hensel to lay off employees. The ban's ambiguous wording also creates compliance challenges for retailers. Despite claims that consumers would shift to neighboring cities, data shows minimal impact on those areas. A lawsuit has been filed arguing the ban is overly broad and unfairly targets vape shops, with owners emphasizing the financial hardship and questioning the fairness of the vote given the significant out-of-state funding supporting the ban.
(Source：9news)
