NANNYSTATERS: Denver City Council approves ban on sales of flavored tobacco products.

The Denver City Council voted 11-1 to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products in the city on Monday night.

The ordinance includes bans on e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, vapes and other flavored nicotine and tobacco products.

Advocates for the ban said leading up to Monday’s meeting that it would keep nicotine products out of teenagers’ and young adults’ hands. Those against the ban said it would destroy small local businesses and, in some cases, businesses would even go under.

Zack Shadi-Kingsley owns three convenience stores in Denver where nicotine products currently make up for about 55% of his inside sales.

“This would hurt,” said Shadi-Kingsley before Monday’s vote. “We spoke about moving out of the city, if this passes, selling all three of our locations in Denver and moving out of the city.”

That’s a small price to pay for the city council (particularly Councilmember Darrell Watson, the measure’s sponsor) to signal its virtue.