She said during the city’s most recent commission meeting the health department is also considering a density and proximity clause that would limit tobacco retail licenses within a certain distance to youth-based organizations.
Springfield currently requires retail vendors of tobacco and tobacco-related paraphernalia to apply for a sales license and abide by regulations prohibiting the sales of such products to people under the age of 21. The legislation was designed to discourage early use of tobacco, which the health department says can lead to addiction and potential long-term health problems.
Licenses are $150 and retailers must apply annually. The requirement also supports 100% ID checks for tobacco-related sales, Behler said.
Currently the fine for non-compliance is $500, and the proposal is to raise this to $1,000.
“Hopefully with a combination of increasing fines and retailer education, we’re hoping that that can be effective going forward with reducing underage sales,” Behler said.
A health department survey of almost 4,000 area high schoolers found that 16% had tried smoking a cigarette in their lifetime, with 7.9% before age 13. It found that 3% had smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days, and 28% had tried some form of vaping. Just under 6% had used an e-cigarette 20 times in the last 30 days.
Behler said there are 130 tobacco retailers in Clark County, with about 87 being located in Springfield.
The retail licensing requirements went into effect in January 2022, and although fines were not enforced in the first year, Behler said the health department conducted compliance checks of 84 businesses. This led to a 35% (29) failure rate. In August 2023, 8% (7) of 86 businesses checked were considered to have failed, she said.
“The fines work, which is our conclusion and really supporting those enhancements and making them stiffer and higher penalties can really just benefit this policy altogether,” Behler said.
Behler said tobacco is a gateway drug, with users starting with nicotine and later evolving to using “harder substances.” Preventing youth from accessing tobacco early will end up decreasing healthcare costs down the road, she said.
Behler and Health Commissioner Chris Cook demonstrated the availability of vapes in local schools with a bin full of 35 pounds of confiscated e-cigarettes from a local high school. The products are brightly colored and come in a variety of flavors, which could appeal to youth.
During a presentation at a local school, Behler said she asked students on a scale of one to 10 how easy it was to obtain tobacco products.
“They all laughed and they unanimously agreed it was a 12,” Behler said. “Kids who are between the ages of 13 and 18 have incredibly easy access to addictive nicotine products here in our community.”
Vapes are largely designed to appeal to youth, particularly with how easy they are to conceal Behler said.
“As time goes on, these products are evolving to become more technology-based,” Behler said. “These products are starting to turn into gaming systems, where they have LED screens that you can play games with each other, so the more times that you puff on a vape, the more you’re interacting and earning points on the game.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Vapes are increasing in nicotine content, Behler said. A traditional cigarette contains around 20 milligrams of nicotine, while a vape has between 20-50 mg, she said. They also have between 5,000-20,000 puffs, the equivalent of 500-1,000 cigarettes.
Locally, vapes cost between $12-$18, while cigarettes are $4-$6, Behler said.
Cook and Behler encouraged commissioners to support stricter regulations on the retail licensing program.
“I don’t think I’m being overly dramatic when I say our kids are under attack and it’s our job to do anything that we can to give them every opportunity to be healthy for a very long time,” Cook said.
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