Adams and Arapahoe County public health leaders commend a new Aurora city ordinance that reduces youth access to tobacco, nicotine, and kratom as an invaluable step in protecting youth health.
On March 9, the Aurora City Council approved a new ordinance that reduces youth access to nicotine and tobacco products. Health data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, medical providers, and research organizations continue to show that youth who use such products are at increased risk of becoming dependent on them.
“Protecting children from tobacco is not just about health in the future; it is about preventing a lifelong addiction before it can even begin,” said Arapahoe County Public Health Director Jennifer Ludwig. “By limiting access, Aurora has reduced the chance that a young person will ever take that first puff, significantly lowering their risk for chronic disease and ensuring they have the opportunity to grow up in a tobacco-free environment. We applaud Aurora’s forward thinking on this important issue.”
Addressing how easily young people can access tobacco and nicotine is essential.
“The City of Aurora is stepping up to do more to protect the health of our young residents,” Aurora City Council Member Stephanie Hancock notes in a release from the City of Aurora.
Eighty-five percent of surveyed Aurora Public Schools students were not refused when they attempted to buy nicotine or tobacco products from stores, according to Healthy Kids Colorado survey results. The American Lung Association reports that every day, almost 2,500 children under 18 try their first cigarette, with many at a higher risk of developing severe nicotine addiction.
Aurora’s new ordinance protects children by:
- Increasing compliance checks to make sure businesses are not selling to minors
- Increasing the distance between tobacco retailers and schools
- Preventing employees under 21 from handling or selling nicotine products
“As a public health practitioner, I have seen the health impacts of vaping among youth. Increased anxiety and depression, lung disease, and early-onset chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Evidence even suggests that many widely available vapes emit heavy metals, including lead, into the lungs of young people,” says Dr. Kelly Weidenbach, Adams County Health Department Executive Director. “Thank you to the Aurora City Council and community leaders for prioritizing this incredibly important policy intervention!”
Numbers from the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey and Healthy Kids Colorado Survey show that tobacco and vaping use among youth is declining, thanks to programs and policies aimed at keeping these products out of children’s reach. This latest policy is a powerful measure to drive down youth smoking and vaping further!
The ordinance also accounts for other products that may negatively impact youth health, including products like kratom, nicotine pouches, and age-restricted hemp products.
“We’re so proud to have worked alongside our community partners to pass this tobacco retail license. This is truly a community-led effort and reflects how much Aurora cares about setting our youth up to live happy, healthy lives,” says Casey McAndrew, Adams County Health Department’s Community Policy and Prevention Specialist.
Both Adams and Arapahoe Public Health are pleased to be among the many supporters of this ordinance:
- The Aurora Chamber
- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
- Aurora Partners for Thriving Youth
- Children’s Hospital Colorado
- American Heart Association
- Colorado Black Health Collaborative
- American Lung Association
- Colorado Soccer Foundation
- Aurora Mental Health & Recovery
- Dayton Street Opportunity Center
- Aurora Public Schools
To learn more about tobacco and nicotine prevention and cessation, visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Envrionment, Arapahoe County Public Health, or the Adams County Health Department.
