As legislation that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products remains stalled in Cleveland City Council, city health officials are taking a new approach to reducing the smoking rate.
The Cleveland Department of Public Health will soon offer free cessation classes for residents in a city where one in three adults smoke — nearly triple the national rate.
Representatives from the city's health department say in a city where nearly half the population is Black, smoking and access to resources and education is an equity issue.
"Big tobacco has a racist history of using and continuing to use targeted, predatory marketing to drive sales and get people hooked," said Prince Pempton, a health promotion coordinator in the Department of Public Health.
The courses, which will run over a seven-week period, will focus on ways to permanently quit smoking, such as FDA-approved cessation medications, as well as lifestyle changes to manage stress, maintain motivation, avoid weight gain and more.
The city is partnering with the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority, the Cleveland Public Library and the Cleveland Clinic to spread the word and help facilitate programming.
Director of Public Health Dr. Dave Margolius pleaded with members of Cleveland City Council's health committee Monday to take up the flavored tobacco ban proposal that has been stalled since it was proposed in February 2023. Margolius has consistently advocated for the policy as a way to mitigate what he calls a "new generation of smokers," as youth are increasingly choosing vapes and other flavored products over cigarettes.
State legislators have attempted to block such bans by passing a preemptive measure that would disallow home rule, essentially banning local bans. Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed it, but legislators overrode his veto.
Cleveland and 13 other Ohio cities recently sued the state over the law and won a temporary restraining order allowing local bans to be enacted. An injunction hearing is scheduled to begin May 17.
Margolius said he's optimistic about again pursuing the flavored tobacco ban.
"We know what the right thing to do is," Margolius told Council members. "We’ve been doing the work in the community and people are suffering. People can’t breathe."
But state law isn't the only reason the ban hasn't gained footing. Despite its introduction over a year ago, the proposed ordinance was never heard in committee.
Some Council members say they're worried about how the city would enforce such a policy. They also worry about losing small businesses to neighboring cities, and about retailers facing competition from businesses in neighboring cities without such restrictions.
"In Cleveland, we want to ban everything," said Council President Blaine Griffin in Monday's health committee meeting. "Why isn't everyone trying to make the same jump? Why is it always, 'Let's go and let's lobby the poor inner city people ... and put all kinds of regulations in place?' And then what we wind up dealing with is a tsunami of businesses that jump right across the border because of all of the things we have regulated in Cleveland."
Margolius pointed to Columbus as an example of a city where a flavored tobacco ban has been successful, with several neighboring suburbs implementing similar policies months later.
"We were excited to get the chance to do a Q and A with Council about the policy," Margolius told Ideastream after the meeting. "We really want to dispel any rumors that there's no enforcement strategy or that we're doing this [cessation education] plan without a ban. We want to keep that door open with City Council."
While education is important, Margolius said the city needs policy and enforcement to reduce the city’s smoking rate.
Those interested in signing up for cessation courses may visit www.clevelandhealth.org.
