ROANOKE, Va. – Sales of tobacco and vaping products near schools would be banned under a proposed under a proposed ordinance in Roanoke County. The Board of Supervisors held a first reading on the ordinance Tuesday and have scheduled a public hearing on the proposal for next month.
Roanoke County Public Schools asked the supervisors to take advantage of a new law passed by the Virginia General Assembly this year, which allows localities to ban new retail sales of tobacco and vaping products within 1,000 feet of schools and daycare centers. Stores that had licenses before the law went into effect are not subject to the new rules.
In a statement to 10 News, Roanoke County Public School Superintendent Dr. Ken Nicely said:
“The use of e-cigarettes and vape products among young people has become a significant public health concern. Youth are more likely to be exposed to vaping when vape shops are located near schools. By limiting the sale of vape products near educational institutions, we can help reduce the exposure and temptation for young people to begin using these harmful products. This proposed ordinance is in line with efforts by other municipalities across the country to protect the health and well-being of children and teenagers. Keeping vape products away from school environments will help foster a safer community and discourage the initiation of vaping among youth.”
The proposal comes as researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University were in Roanoke Tuesday presenting findings on schools and vaping during the 2024 Community Coalitions of Virginia State Summit.
The VCU team analyzed liquid from vaping products confiscated by schools and submitted for the research.
“While the majority of them are nicotine products, 15 percent of them are cannabis or cannabinoid-based products,” said Alaina Holt, PhD, Associate Faculty, Department of Forensic Science, Virginia Commonwealth University. “The majority of those include things like Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC so these semi-synthetics that are really emerging on the market and have poor regulation and quality assurance measures.”
The Partnership for Community Wellness also helps in data collection in Roanoke County for the research, which is funded through a recently expanded grant from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth.
“We are sending in the vapes that are collected. nothing is identified by score or anything,” said Nancy Hans, the group’s executive director. “We are just trying to find out what is really in those vapes and what is that going to mean for getting that education out to our community.”
She said the research underscores the need for more restrictions, like stronger age checks and expanding the 1,000-foot perimeter to 2,000 feet.
The public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Nov. 19.