🚨 Rhode Island Call to Action: Don’t Let S2098 Eliminate Another Option for Adults 🚨
Rhode Island is once again at a crossroads—and this time, it could remove one of the last remaining alternatives many adults rely on to stay away from cigarettes.
Senate Bill S2098 proposes a ban on menthol vapor products, further tightening restrictions in a state that already enacted a sweeping flavor ban.
If passed, this bill would leave tobacco-flavored products as one of the only remaining legal options for adult vapor consumers.
🏛 What You Need to Know
Senate Finance Committee Hearing
📍 Rhode Island State House — Room 211
📅 Tuesday, May 12, 2026
⏰ 4:00 PM
Can’t attend? You can still make your voice heard.
📧 Submit written testimony: SenateFinance@rilegislature.gov
⏳ Deadline: Before 3:00 PM Tuesday
Why This Matters
Rhode Island already implemented a flavor ban that significantly reduced access to products many adults used to move away from smoking.
Now, S2098 goes a step further.
It targets menthol vapor products—one of the most commonly used options among adults who have switched from cigarettes.
For many, menthol isn’t just a preference.
It’s what worked.
The Reality for Rhode Island Adults
- Over 64,000 adults in Rhode Island use vapor products
- That’s nearly 7% of the adult population
These aren’t statistics policymakers should ignore.
They represent real people who made a change—many after years of smoking.
Removing more options doesn’t eliminate demand.
It just limits access.
What Happens When Options Disappear?
We’ve seen this before.
When states restrict access to preferred alternatives, consumers often:
- Return to cigarettes
- Cross state lines to purchase products
- Turn to unregulated or illicit markets
None of those outcomes improve public health.
The Bigger Picture
Cigarettes remain the leading cause of preventable death:
480,000 Americans die each year from smoking-related causes
Approximately 1,800 Rhode Islanders lose their lives annually
Over 8 million deaths globally every year
Those numbers haven’t changed.
But policies like S2098 risk pushing people back toward the very products causing that harm.
This Is About Adult Choice
No one is arguing that youth should have access to these products.
They shouldn’t.
But this bill doesn’t just target youth access—it removes options from adults who already made a different choice.
Adults deserve:
- Access to alternatives
- The ability to choose what works for them
- Policies based on outcomes—not assumptions
Make Your Voice Heard
If you live in Rhode Island—or care about the direction of these policies—now is the time to act.
📧 Email your testimony: SenateFinance@rilegislature.gov
🕒 Submit before 3:00 PM Tuesday
Or attend in person and speak directly to lawmakers.
Final Thought
This isn’t just about menthol.
It’s about whether policies will continue to remove options—or recognize that adults deserve better than being pushed back toward cigarettes.
Flavored Vapor Products are Not Available for purchase in the state of California
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