Kansas City considers banning flavored nicotine, tobacco products

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Missouri, could ban businesses selling all flavored nicotine and tobacco products. That includes vapes and menthol cigarettes, but not marijuana.

Opponents say the ban will hurt economic revenue and businesses.

Supporters say something needs to be done to address the high chronic illness rates in low income neighborhoods.

“It puts business owners at a hard spot,” Windstar gas station owner Shaheer Qayyum said.

Flavored nicotine and tobacco products make up about 30% of overall sales at Windstar, according to store management.

Qayyum explained he’s worried customers will just go to the next town over if flavored tobacco can’t be sold in Kansas City limits.

“We’re not just losing our cigarette sales, customers will come and buy $10 on pump three of gas, a candy bar, a bottle of soda, and all of those things have sales tax on them,” Qayyum said. “It’s a really big difference for us.”

The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council cites disparities of chronic health issues in low income and minority communities as the main driver behind a potential ban.

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“Health equity is so critically important when we are making policy decisions,” KCMO Councilman Eric Bunch said at Tuesday’s subcommittee meeting.

The Concerned Clergy Coalition in Kansas City has a task force working to address the health issues and concerns in neighborhoods.

President Stephanie Moss, who also works as a nurse practitioner, sees the high rates of ongoing illnesses from nicotine use.

“It’s one particular reason we’re advocating for this change,” Moss said.

Brian Luton

Moss explained flavors make the products more addictive and more dangerous.

“The retailers are centered around in those places or spaces where they are predominantly African-American,” Moss said. “[Vaping and tobacco use] really decreases the quality of life for everybody.”

The KCMO City Council originally heard the proposal on the flavored ban two weeks ago, but it was sent back to subcommittee for a re-read.

After a presentation on the health impacts and the city’s potential tax revenue loss, the committee recommended the ban ordinance move forward.

The city’s finance committee estimates a sales & stamp tax loss between $1 and $6 million.

Kansas City’s Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw explained the city could make up for that loss in other ways.

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“The $50 million that we spend annual on health levy dollars, we may be able to utilize those funds, because we are expecting health outcomes to improve,” Parks-Shaw said.

Parks-Shaw also told KSHB 41 News data from other cities with similar bans shows customers will still shop at stores that no longer carry the flavored products.

The KCMO City Council will be hearing the proposed ordinance and discussing it at Thursday afternoon’s meeting.

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KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.