Rifle City Council heard from representatives of Garfield County Public Health and Pitkin County Public Health during their Wednesday, Oct. 15 work session about teen nicotine use — and where young people are getting tobacco products.

The presentation centered on a proposal to implement a new local retail license for tobacco sellers in Rifle. The city currently has 12 tobacco retailers, including Smoke Shop Etc., with most sales coming from gas stations such as Maverik.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 9% of Colorado teens reported nicotine use in 2023 — down sharply from 26% in 2019. State data also show that 79% of youth believe it’s wrong for someone their age to vape, up 9% since 2021, and 68% think breathing secondhand vapor is risky.

While cigarette use among middle school students rose slightly from 4% to 7% between 2021 and 2023, high school use remained steady at 3%. The department also noted that female and nonbinary students are more likely to report vaping than male peers, and that transgender and bisexual students report higher use than their cisgender and straight counterparts.

More than half of youth who vape say they do so because a family member or friend also vapes, though 54% say they are trying to quit. Garfield and Pitkin County health officials told the council that 82% of high school students were not asked for identification when attempting to buy tobacco products.

To address that issue, they recommended Rifle adopt a local Tobacco Retail License, which would require additional inspections by county health officials. Retailers already must hold a state-issued “T-21” license through the municipality. The new local license would add two annual compliance checks by Garfield and Pitkin County Health, in addition to two from the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Liquor and Tobacco Enforcement Division.

Neighboring towns including New Castle, Silt and Glenwood Springs have already adopted similar programs. Data from the Colorado State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup show that 20% of youth in Health Statistics Region 12, made of Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Grand and Pitkin Counties reported using e-cigarettes in 2022 — a significantly higher rate than the statewide average of 16%. 

“I think tobacco use in Rifle is under control and we can’t stop teenagers from trying it out,” Councilor Clint Hostettler said. “If there’s something presented to us that makes sense, we’ll be willing to consider and look into it.”

The 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey also found encouraging signs. For the first time since 2015, current e-cigarette use among Colorado high school students significantly declined — dropping to 16%, down from 26% in 2019. Current cigarette use fell to 3% from 6%, and overall use of any tobacco product dropped from 29% to 17%. The data suggest more students understand the health risks of smoking and vaping, and more believe parents and other adults view youth tobacco use as wrong.

Survey results also indicate that fewer students see cigarettes or vape products as easy to obtain, possibly reflecting policy changes in recent years. Proposition EE, passed in 2020, created a statewide tax on nicotine and vapor products starting in 2021, and the federal Tobacco 21 law raised the minimum purchase age from 18 to 21. Additionally, more than 36 Colorado communities now require retailers to obtain local tobacco sales licenses.

Still, the report highlighted areas of concern, including an increase in the number of students who say they vape because products are flavored. The share of high schoolers who tried vaping before age 13 rose from 13% in 2019 to 22% in 2021.

Nationally, access through online sales remains a concern. A 2024 Truth Initiative report found that roughly 76% of online vape retailers allow customers to reach checkout without verifying their age. The report also pointed to social media platforms, such as TikTok, where videos share methods for concealing vape products.

During the discussion, council members asked for more details on where underage sales were occurring locally, how often youth were not carded, and whether Garfield Re-2 School District officials could provide additional input before considering a formal ordinance.