Proposed legislation in Washington state could end the sale of flavored tobacco and vape products including menthol cigarettes, vape juices and nicotine pouches.

Under House Bill 1203, the sale of “any flavored tobacco or nicotine product or entertainment vapor product” would be prohibited in the state starting in January 2026.

Grocery and convenience store owners, who said they do not sell to minors, told legislators the move could put them out of business and would only punish their adult customers.

“There are roughly 3,500 convenience stores in Washington state, and most of those are minority owned and operated,” said Katie Beeson with the Washington Food Industry Association. “Flavored products make up roughly 50% of our sales. Removing these products from the shelf simply pushes people to the unregulated market and or to other states.”

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Kristine Reeves, said it’s too early in the legislative session to know if her bill will have enough support to become law.

She hoped to work with those on both sides of the issue to find a way to reach a “shared” goal of keeping the products away from minors, according to media reports.

Reeves said the ban would cause a reduction in state revenue, from the sale of flavored products, but said she has submitted two tax increases to non-flavored products.

She said those increases would off-set any revenue loss to the state under a flavor ban.