Portland city councilors are expected to vote Monday night on a proposal to ban flavored tobacco products.
This is largely due to concerns for young people and the potential that flavored products could lead to addiction.
A recent study conducted by Flavors Hook Kids, a coalition made of parents, educators and health officials, showed more than half of Maine voters would likely support this kind of ban.
In the American Lung Association’s latest State of the Air report, Maine got an “F” in progress to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products.
Bangor is the only city in Maine so far to have a ban on flavored tobacco products.
Portland’s Health and Human Services Committee unanimously approved of the ban late last year, but not everyone is on board with the idea.
Some local smoke and vape shops in Portland say while they agree there needs to be a solution for bringing down youth vaping rates, a ban would just push people out of Portland to neighboring towns.
If the ban is passed, the ban would go into effect this June, the same time the city of Bangor’s ban would take effect.