Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Background/Purpose:

Youth use of nicotine products, particularly flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine

pouches, continues to evolve rapidly and presents ongoing challenges for

schools, families, and communities as well as substantial health risks. Local

communities throughout Colorado are adopting evidence-based tobacco control

policies to reduce youth access and exposure to these highly addictive products.

This session will examine how local policy action can build momentum toward

broader statewide change while advancing health equity and protecting young

people.




Methods:

This presentation will review emerging national data from the CDC Foundation’s

Tobacco Epidemic Evaluation Network (TEEN+) Study and the Healthy Kids

Colorado Survey (HKCS). Presenters will also highlight examples of local tobacco

control strategies, including flavored tobacco sales restrictions, tobacco retail

licensing programs, and pricing policies. Tobacco control policy experts will

discuss policy trends, coalition-building efforts, impacts of flavor restrictions on

youth access, and a renewed statewide campaign (Flavors Hook Kids Colorado)

to end the sale of flavored tobacco products statewide during the 2027 legislative

session.




Results:

Recent data demonstrate continued youth use and exposure to flavored tobacco

products alongside increasing use of nicotine pouches and disproportionate

impacts of flavored products on specific populations underscoring the need for

comprehensive prevention and policy approaches.

Local policy initiatives have shown success in reducing product availability,

increasing retailer accountability, and strengthening public awareness and




engagement around tobacco prevention and cessation. Research shows that

states or localities with flavor tobacco restrictions have lower youth use, with the

strongest protective effects seen under comprehensive restrictions.




Implications:

Participants will leave with practical insights into emerging tobacco use trends,

evidence-based policy approaches, and strategies for building momentum for a

statewide flavored tobacco policy in 2027. The session will emphasize

collaboration, coalition-building, and health equity as essential components of

effective tobacco control and broader public health policy efforts.