E-cigarette ban doubled youth smoking rates in San Francisco

In June 2018, San Francisco residents voted to restrict the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. According to a new study, the decision has caused young people to increase cigarette smoking.

San Francisco’s flavor ban was associated with more than doubled odds of recent smoking among underage high school students relative to concurrent changes in other districts

While the policy applied to all tobacco products, its outcome was likely greater for youths who vaped than those who smoked due to higher rates of flavored tobacco use among those who vaped

Prior research has already documented similar results. A 2015 study, for example, found that state bans on e-cigarettes increased smoking rates among 12 to 17-year-olds.

We have seen in Minnesota proposals to ban flavored tobacco. Cities like Bloomington have already banned the sale of flavored tobacco, including e-cigarettes. In a perfect world, this should end all use of flavored tobacco.

However, total abstinence rarely works when it comes to most risky behaviors — illicit drugs or otherwise. Getting rid of safer products only ensures that the only options available are the more harmful ones.

Research shows that e-cigarettes are approximately 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes. When policymakers restrict access to e-cigarettes, they encourage people to smoke more, raising the risk of developing smoking-related illnesses. At a time when a nicotine-free society seems highly out of reach, harm reduction should be the next best goal.

To be clear, e-cigarette could likely have their own risks. According to the research, however, such risks are not comparable to those of combustible cigarettes. Moreover, e-cigarettes also offer smokers a pathway to quitting. Making them more easily accessible —  at least as an alternative to smoking — should be common sense.