MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Clay County Commission voted 4-1 to ban the sale of vaping products at county-licensed stores starting June 1.
Commissioner Jenny Mongeau proposed the ban and Commissioner Ezra Baer was the lone no vote.
At the same time, the ordinance allows the sale of flavored tobacco products including menthol cigarettes, nicotine pouches, cigars and chewing tobacco.
“These things contain the equivalent of four to eight cigarettes,” said Commissioner Dave Ebinger, who is also the former Moorhead Police Chief. “We are programming adolescent children to addiction with these products.”
Clay County Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Jason McCoy says 90 percent of students who use tobacco choose to vape.
The county licenses stores in Downer, Georgetown, Glyndon, Hawley and Sabin.
Baer motioned to abolish the county’s tobacco ordinance which includes policies on licensing, fees and compliance check, but it failed.
In December the commission voted to ban flavored tobacco products except menthol cigarettes and flavored chewing tobacco which had a April 1 start date. Commissioners pushed the start date to June, but it will not take effect because of the ordinance passed Tuesday.
Moorhead bans the sale of flavored tobacco. Dilworth bans the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and vapes.
