Colorado Springs City Council, state lawmakers consider tougher nicotine laws

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado state legislature and the Colorado Springs City Council are exploring separate proposals to strengthen a law recently passed by Congress to raise the minimum age for buying nicotine products to 21.

State lawmakers proposed a bill that would allow authorities to conduct random inspections of businesses that sell cigarettes, vaping materials and other nicotine products.

The City Council is considering an ordinance similar to that bill.

The purpose of these efforts, officials said, is to stop the rapid increase of kids -- many as young as middle-schoolers -- who become addicted to high nicotine levels in vaping and part of the nationwide vaping epidemic.

"It's an effective campaign by the tobacco companies to target our kids," said City Councilwoman Jill Gaebler, during a work session on the subject Monday. "When they get older, they switch to cigarettes and become addicted to them. Then they're at risk for cancer and other health problems."

During the work session, a high school student shared her personal experiences with vaping.

"I started doing it with an older sister," she said. "It was a social thing to do. People need to realize, it's in the bathrooms, the hallways, even in the classrooms. Teachers see the clouds of smoke and don't know what to do about it, so they call security."

What concerns the council about the legislature's proposal, is whether it includes funding to pay for cities to hire additional personnel for enforcement.

"I can tell you right now, if we have to do this ourselves, I'm going to need to hire four officers and a sergeant," said Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski. "And that would cost around $100,000 per person."

Gaebler said the city could generate revenue for enforcement by requiring nicotine outlets to pay for a specific tobacco license -- something that many states and cities already have.

"We require liquor establishments to have a [liquor] license," she said. "But we only require nicotine outlets to have a business license. Having a specific tobacco or nicotine license would pay for the enforcement we need."

After a lengthy discussion, the council decided to study the matter further and wait for the outcome of the state legislation.

"Maybe we'd be ready to vote on something in May, after the legislative session ends," said Councilman Don Knight. "

"There are a lot of factors in this," said Councilman Don Knight. "We need to make sure we're addressing the right thing. Is the issue nicotine? Or is it the marketing campaign of vaping materials?"

"I say we stop talking about it and do something," said Councilman Bill Murray. "Let's find the money and start doing this enforcement."