As the Trump administration signals a softer stance on flavored vapes , anti-tobacco advocates in Minnesota are intensifying efforts to restrict flavored nicotine products at the local level. A coalition called “Love Your Lungs Olmsted” has formed in Olmsted County to push for a ban or restrictions on flavored vape sales. The campaign reflects a decade-long trend: 28 cities and 8 counties across Minnesota have now enacted some form of flavored nicotine restriction, with the Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth being the most recent, approving a ban in April 2026.
The federal backdrop is driving renewed urgency at the local level. On May 5, the FDA released guidance allowing California-based manufacturer Glas to market fruit-flavored e-cigarettes — including blueberry and mango variants — bringing the total number of FDA-authorized vapes to 45. Reporting from the Wall Street Journal and others indicated the FDA was under significant pressure from President Trump to approve the flavors, and the decision is cited as a factor in the departure of former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.
Teen nicotine use, while declining, remains a concern animating the local push. According to the FDA’s National Youth Tobacco Survey, fewer than 10 percent of high school students reported nicotine use in the past 30 days in 2025 — down from a record high of 31 percent in 2019. Public health advocates and school officials argue that flavored products are the primary gateway, with the vast majority of underage users consuming flavored vapes. A chemical health specialist at Rochester Public Schools reported approximately 70 student referrals related to nicotine and THC abuse in the past school year, noting that vaping often precedes broader substance use.
Not all stakeholders support broad flavor bans as the most effective remedy. Brad Erpelding, president of Northland Vapor, which operates multiple locations in Fargo, North Dakota, argues that restricting sales to age-verified specialty shops — rather than gas stations and convenience stores — would be more targeted and effective. He points to the practical limitation of local bans: when Moorhead, Minnesota enacted its ordinance in 2021, he simply closed that location and opened a new store across the state line in Fargo, which was profitable within the week. The newly FDA-approved Glas vapes include technology pairing the device to the purchaser’s phone to verify the buyer is 21 or older, though anti-tobacco advocates expressed skepticism about the industry’s commitment to enforcement.
