Vermont House debates S.18 to ban flavored tobacco products and e-liquids; committees present health and fiscal cases

The Vermont House heard a lengthy second-reading presentation on S.18 on the floor in Montpelier, a bill that would prohibit retail sales of flavored tobacco products, flavored e-liquids and menthol tobacco products and add e-liquids to multiple tobacco-related statutes.

Representative (Member) from Shelburne, speaking for the Human Services committee, framed the bill as a public-health response to increased youth use of flavored e-cigarettes and menthol products, citing CDC and state survey figures and linking flavors to youth initiation. "S.18, as we just heard, is a bill that bans all flavored tobacco products and e liquids," the member said, and described committee findings that flavored products have proliferated the market and are attracting young users.

The Human Services presentation summarized broad testimony from clinicians, school nurses, public-health officials and students. Quoting a school-health witness, the member relayed: "Student education is interrupted as students skip class to feed their nicotine addiction ... Students say appealing flavors draw them to vaping, and they are more likely to use nicotine products later." The committee reported S.18 favorably, with the Human Services committee vote recorded on the floor as 10–0 with one member absent.

Representative (Member) from Northfield reviewed the bill’s text and committee amendments that tighten and unify definitions ("characterizing flavor," "e-liquid," and "flavored e-liquid"), extend prohibitions (including sales on school grounds), and add penalties aimed at knowingly enabling minors’ access. The member described planned reporting requirements: a Health Equity Advisory Commission review of the menthol ban, an attorney general analysis of advertising restrictions, and Department of Health reports tied to the Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey and school impacts.

Representative (Member) from Burlington, speaking for Ways and Means, presented the committee’s fiscal analysis and four instances of amendment that would narrow some definitions and change effective dates. The Ways and Means fiscal note (dated Feb. 23, 2024) projected revenue losses in 2026 and 2027 and weighed those losses against anticipated long-term health-care and productivity savings. On the floor the member summarized the fiscal projections: revenue loss estimates of roughly $2.8–$4.7 million in 2026 (six months), and a wider 2027 range depending on assumptions; the committee nonetheless recommended accepting its amendments.

Members debated implementation timing, equity concerns about menthol prohibitions and the scope of the ban (the Ways and Means amendments explicitly limit coverage to products that contain nicotine). The bill as presented would take effect in phases; committee sponsors described staggered effective dates so that some reporting and treatment provisions go into effect on passage while retail prohibitions would begin on a later date to allow implementation and additional review of menthol-specific impacts.

Before floor consideration could conclude, the Speaker announced a new amendment to the Ways and Means report and recessed the House for about 10–15 minutes so the committee could meet. No final floor vote on S.18 was recorded in the provided transcript.

What happens next: the House recessed for committee consideration of a Ways and Means amendment; sponsors said several report deadlines would occur before portions of the ban—particularly the menthol provisions—would take effect, allowing the legislature to revisit those sections if the Health Equity Advisory Commission recommends changes.