Rhode Island Needs Adult Vapers Support To Reverse Flavor Ban

The flavored vape ban in Rhode Island, which went into full effect on January 1, 2025, continues to cast a long shadow over our industry more than a year later. Here at White Horse Vapor, we've watched the industry change dramatically. What began as a well-intended effort to curb youth access to vaping has instead delivered a devastating blow to legitimate small businesses across the state, including ours.

Over the past 13+ months, our revenue at White Horse Vapor has remained down by roughly 80% from pre-ban levels. The shelves that once showcased an array of appealing flavors—strawberry, vanilla custard, cool mint, and countless others—now hold only tobacco and menthol options. Customers who relied on these varieties to make the switch from traditional cigarettes walk in, look around, express disappointment, and often leave without purchasing. Many have told us directly that they've resorted to buying from neighboring states, online gray markets, or heartbreakingly, returned to combustible tobacco products that carry far greater health risks.

This isn't an isolated hardship. Specialized vape shops throughout Rhode Island have faced similar or worse fates. Numerous independent retailers have closed permanently, laying off employees, forfeiting leases, and closing chapters on years of community involvement. These aren't faceless corporations—they're local families who invested savings, hired neighbors, and built trust through responsible practices like rigorous ID checks and age verification. The ban's broad application has punished these compliant businesses while doing little to stop determined youth from accessing products through other means.

In early 2025, hope emerged in the form of Bill S543, which was introduced in the Rhode Island Senate on February 26, 2025. This targeted legislation sought to define "vape shops" clearly—retail locations primarily dedicated to selling nicotine-related products to adults 21 and older—and exempt them from the statewide flavored electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS) prohibition. It would have preserved the general ban elsewhere while allowing responsible, adult-only specialty shops like White Horse Vapor to offer flavored options under strict oversight.

Unfortunately, as of February 2026, S543 died in committee after being held for further study, with no passage or revival in the 2025 session. The flavor ban remains firmly in place, as confirmed by the Rhode Island Division of Taxation's ongoing enforcement guidelines. Recent proposals, like one in 2026 to include menthol as a restricted flavor, only tighten restrictions further rather than provide relief.

The consequences persist and compound. Small business closures reduce local tax revenue, eliminate jobs, and shrink community options for adults seeking harm reduction. Many former smokers who successfully transitioned using flavored vapes have relapsed or turned to unregulated sources, undermining public health objectives. Research and testimonials consistently show that flavor variety is a major factor in helping adults maintain abstinence from cigarettes— which represent far more harmful products linked to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues.

The policy also highlights stark inconsistencies. Rhode Island permits flavored alcoholic beverages and cannabis products, both carrying addiction and health risks, yet vaping flavors remain singled out for near-total prohibition (except tobacco/menthol). This selective enforcement feels arbitrary, especially when it devastates an entire sector of small entrepreneurs without proportionally reducing underage access, which federal rules already restrict through PMTA requirements and marketing limits.

At White Horse Vapor, responsibility has always been core to our operations. We never sold to minors, enforced 21+ policies stringently, and educated customers on product use and risks. Reinstating flavored sales in dedicated, age-gated shops wouldn't flood the market or target youth—it would channel adult consumers into regulated, taxable environments where oversight is strongest.

The stories we hear daily are poignant. Loyal customers miss the customization that made vaping sustainable for them. Employees worry about job stability after years of dedication. Fellow shop owners share tales of depleted savings and forced career changes. One retailer described empty stores and mounting bills, mirroring our own challenges. These aren't abstract statistics; they're real people and families bearing the brunt of a one-size-fits-all approach.

We remain committed to advocating for balanced, evidence-based policy. A revived or similar measure to S543—exempting verified adult-only vape shops—could restore viability without compromising youth protection. It would support harm reduction for smokers, sustain small businesses, and keep economic activity local.

What can you do right now?

• Reach out to your state senator and representative. Ask them to introduce or co-sponsor new legislation exempting dedicated vape shops from the flavor ban.
• Share your personal experience—whether as a customer who benefited from flavors for quitting smoking, or someone concerned about small business survival.
• Stop by White Horse Vapor to discuss options, try available products, or simply show support.
• Consider signing petitions or joining calls to action when new bills emerge.

The ban was meant to protect, but its sweeping impact has harmed far more than it helped. Small businesses like White Horse Vapor are fighting to adapt and survive, but we can't do it alone. Your voice, your story, and your support can push policymakers toward common-sense reforms that protect kids, empower adults, and preserve Rhode Island's entrepreneurial spirit.

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we can work toward a fairer future for vaping access and small business in our State.