Boulder's 40% Tax On Vaping Products Starts Wednesday
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) – Beginning Wednesday, all vaping products sold in Boulder will be subject to an additional city sales and use tax of 40%. It's part of an effort to curb use among young people.
According to a 2018 study from the United States Center for Disease Control, Colorado has the highest rate of teen vaping in the nation with 27% of high schoolers found to use vape products. In 2019, Boulder County Public Health estimated that 33% of high school students in the city vaped.
Nearly 80% of voters approved the additional tax last November. It applies to any refill, cartridge and component of an electronic smoking device.
Additional measures to curb youth tobacco use were passed by City Council in 2019, including:
- Raising the age to purchase to 21 for tobacco products
- Limiting any one retailer from selling more than two electronic cigarettes or four associated products including refills to any one person in any 24-hour period
- Banning the sale of flavored vaping products (with a temporary exception for menthol-flavored products)
- Restricting the ability to sell menthol-flavored vaping products only to businesses that have 21 and over age restrictions for entry until Dec. 31, 2019. After Jan. 1, 2020, the sale of menthol flavored electronic cigarettes in the city of Boulder is completely prohibited.
