The WasteWatcher January 15, 2021 — Elizabeth Wright On November 27, 2019, Massachusetts became the first state to permanently ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products. This includes mint and menthol cigarettes, flavored electronic cigarettes (vaping and heat-not-burn), and smokeless tobacco. The law also includes a 75 percent excise tax on e-cigarettes. The stated purpose is to stop an epidemic of youth vaping and prevent teenagers from beginning a lifetime of addiction. In 2020, Maryland attempted to implement a similar ban and faced strong opposition, particularly from vapers. It is expected the Maryland legislature will introduce legislation again this year and other states are considering doing so as well.