Snowmass Village (CO) Ban On "Flavored Tobacco" Includes Pipe Tobacco

[Bowie]

I found this today when researching the backlash against vaping. I want to see how broadly the resulting proposed "flavored tobacco" bans across the country impact - if at all - pipe smoking. This one is not good for pipe smokers, although a quick search shows no nearby B&Ms affected:

The Snowmass Village (Colorado) Town Council passed the first reading of their "flavored tobacco" ban on November 4. It broadly sweeps in pipe tobacco. "Flavored tobacco" there are those with "Characterizing Flavors," which include but are not limited to "fruit, chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, cocoa, 66 dessert, alcoholic beverage, menthol, mint, wintergreen, herb, spice."

"Pipe tobacco" and cigars are included in the definition of affected tobacco products. Curiously, however, the ordinance does not define "pipes" although it does define cigarettes and cigars.

If you hear about your local or state government "taking on vaping," read the proposed language of the law/ordinance. It could be broader than you think. Could a ban include ordering banned tobaccos online for delivery into the region? It's not beyond reason to see it happening.

Link to news article about the Snowmass vote.

Link to PDF text of proposed ordinance.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Could a ban include ordering banned tobaccos online for delivery into the region? It's not beyond reason to see it happening.

Not likely, as a state has a tad more pull in getting the federally governed USPO to do this or that... a county or region just wouldn't have the pull to get the USPO to regulate themselves like that.

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

so the smart play is for any B&Ms within town limits to move just outside.. like all municipal bans.. virtue signaling with no real impact.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

My very small hometown back in the early 80's banned rock and roll, and the town's only music store, which sold organs and pianos to churches, moved outside the city limits so that it could continue to carry the small handful of rock albums that it had.

A side note, the whole county was dry, the largest region in the USA to remain dry... until just a few years ago. And, even now, people will stand out front of those stores and picket the sale of beer.

 

[JMcQ]

In the 80's, my small Midwest town outlawed dancing until Kevin Bacon came in his VW bug and out-preached John Lithgow.

 

[Bowie]

My very small hometown back in the early 80's banned rock and roll,

I hope you remained "Footloose"! I remember lots of protestors in my small TX town crying out against KISS and Hotel California.

 

[mso489]

The concept is, I think, against tempting children. Children, in this scenario, will not belly up to a big bowl of a strong non-aromatic English blend but will smell the siren song of cherry or vanilla aromatics. Eventually, the young generation just won't be drawn into unhealthy habits and public health will be better. Vaping is the front line, then maybe nails, and perhaps cigars. Pipes get included or not, depending on whether the town council has ever heard of or seen a tobacco pipe.

 

[Bowie]

Not likely, as a state has a tad more pull in getting the federally governed USPO to do this or that... a county or region just wouldn't have the pull to get the USPO to regulate themselves like that.

That's a good point. And it's quite easy (in most cases) to just drive to another city or county to shop.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ultimately, laws like these in small towns are merely political posturing. They are almost unenforceable, especially since these outlawed flavors are also used in casings which are not listed on the tins. Like the rock and roll law... what the hell is rock and roll? How is it technically different from country?
My current town passed a law that everyone in city limits "has" to own an assault rifle. In talking to the mayor, he said that it was merely showing the citizens where he stands on guns. Ha ha, I've known him for 20 years and the piss ant doesn't even own a gun.

 

[trouttimes]

Snowmass Village is just following Aspen who has been pushing this for a while. The area is very "progressive" and wants to lead the state along with the likes of Boulder. Down valley, Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs are also following suit. I could say a lot more but we all know what would happen to this thread.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Holy shit Cosmic... I would love to visit that small town one day. Sounds like a very curious place. The idea of seeing someone picketing a store that's selling beer is so foreign to me, that I'd have to see it to believe it.

I trust what you're saying is true... it's just so hard to imagine.

 

[Bengel]

How is it technically different from country?

I think it was the hip gyrations, but Luke Bryant has probably clouded that distinction

 

[jpmcwjr]

My very small hometown back in the early 80's banned rock and roll, and the town's only music store, which sold organs and pianos to churches, moved outside the city limits so that it could continue to carry the small handful of rock albums that it had.

A side note, the whole county was dry, the largest region in the USA to remain dry... until just a few years ago. And, even now, people will stand out front of those stores and picket the sale of beer.

So, it might be a while before the county allows the sale of marijuana.... (We had dinner last night with a couple from Denver, who were amused at how much pride their state took in being the first to legalize the sale of weed.)

 

[jpmcwjr]

Snowmass Village is just following Aspen who has been pushing this for a while. The area is very "progressive" and wants to lead the state along with the likes of Boulder. Down valley, Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs are also following suit. I could say a lot more but we all know what would happen to this thread.

Do they ban the sale of mint flavored grass??

 

[trouttimes]

Sorry, I don't have any knowledge of grass flavors unless it's the grass I grow in the pastures for the cows and horses.

 

[supperthyme]

If you hear about your local or state government "taking on vaping," read the proposed language of the law/ordinance. It could be broader than you think.

Very well said! I'm glad that somebody is addressing this. ? I hate to use the slippery slope cliché, but I find it very applicable in this instance. A move to ban vaping could vary well restrict the sale of flavored pipe tobacco in the future and put us one step closer to living in a nanny state.

 

[brian64]

and put us one step closer to living in a nanny state.

If we're not already living in one, I'd hate to see what it's really like.

 

[supperthyme]

If we're not already living in one, I'd hate to see what it's really like.

Ha, well you just have to take a look across the Atlantic at our English friends. Arrests are being made over Facebook posts and crude jokes.

 

[brian64]

Ha, well you just have to take a look across the Atlantic at our English friends. Arrests are being made over Facebook posts and crude jokes.

Indeed. And we are but one step away from that here as well.

As someone once said (don't recall who at the moment):

"If you don't believe in freedom of expression for those you despise, you don't believe in it at all."

The First Amendment is unpopular…which is why we need the First Amendment.

A Survey Finds Speech Restrictions Are Pretty Popular. That's Why We Need the First Amendment.

Most respondents, especially millennials, favored viewpoint-based censorship, suppression of "hurtful or offensive" speech in certain contexts, and legal penalties for wayward news organizations.

reason.com

 

[WebsterDitty]

The concept is, I think, against tempting children. Children, in this scenario, will not belly up to a big bowl of a strong non-aromatic English blend but will smell the siren song of cherry or vanilla aromatics. Eventually, the young generation just won't be drawn into unhealthy habits and public health will be better. Vaping is the front line, then maybe nails, and perhaps cigars. Pipes get included or not, depending on whether the town council has ever heard of or seen a tobacco pipe.

“...but will smell the siren song of cherry or vanilla aromatics”. Once flavored vaping is gone, could it be council members do not want to give those who vape an alternative fix of nicotine by unknowingly turning them to what most older generation enthusiasts enjoy and have fond memories of since childhood...tobacco pipe smoking (when grandpa smoked his pipe it smelled so good).