Flavored cigars will no longer be sold in many Minneapolis stores starting in January.
The City Council voted Friday to ban flavored tobacco products at convenience stores, according to the Star Tribune
The federal government banned flavored cigarettes in 2009, but other tobacco products are still sold with fruit and candy flavors.
Council Member Elizabeth Glidden called the ban a "major policy change" that will have a significant effect on young people in the city. She said it is up to cities to fill in the gaps left from federal action aimed at curbing youth smoking.
"It seems like a challenge that we as local communities need to take action to address," she told the crowd at Friday's meeting. "You have come to us with proposals on how to make that happen."
Currently, cigars sold in flavors like grape, strawberry and chocolate can be sold at more than 300 locations. Starting in January that drops to fewer than two dozen adult-only tobacco shops.
The vote followed several weeks of debate between anti-tobacco advocates who argued that flavored products were designed to attract young smokers and shop owners who fear a significant hit to their businesses.
The measure passed on Friday also set minimum prices for both flavored and unflavored cigars at $2.60.
