Study: Vaping among teens drops significantly in Clay County 5 years after Moorhead flavored tobacco ban

MOORHEAD — In the five years since Moorhead barred the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products, vaping among high schoolers in Clay County has dropped significantly, according to state data. The ban went into effect Jan. 1, 2022. Since Moorhead approved its ban in October 2021, use of e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, among high schoolers in Clay County dropped from 24% to 8% over the last five years, said Jason McCoy, a tobacco prevention coordinator with Clay County Public Health, referring to 2025 Minnesota State Survey results. The survey asked middle and high school students about their behaviors. McCoy said the ban, plus other ordinances and education, has helped with the decrease. “What we led with in Moorhead was the idea that Moorhead needs to protect Moorhead’s kids,” he said. E-cigarettes and pouches, both of which contain nicotine without tobacco, are more popular among youth than traditional cigarettes and chewing tobacco, according to national studies.

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