AURORA, Colo. — Aurora City Council voted Monday night to enforce a ban on psychoactive products and drug paraphernalia sold at some convenience stores, vape shops and liquor stores around the city.
City leaders said items like flavored nitrous oxide canisters, poppers, synthetic weed, mad honey, mushroom gummies and items that can be used as crack pipes are sold at stores because of a "gray area" in enforcement. Council members said they are worried about kids and teens who are getting their hands on the products.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a 110% increase in deaths due to hypoxia from nitrous oxide abuse from 2019 to 2023.
Maisha Fields, executive director of Dayton Street Opportunity Center in Aurora, said teens have easy access to these products at convenience stores, especially when they're located close to schools.
"They walk by places where they can get a vape. They walk by places where they can get psychedelics," Fields said. "Everyone deserves a place where they can walk and they can recreate, and they can play and they can work. And our children in this part of the world have more access to the bad things than the good things."
Aurora city leaders said they wanted to close a loophole in the law to enforce the ban on these products. The ordinance would align with state law for kratom and hemp by specifying allowed amounts of 7-hydroxy in kratom and THC in hemp products.
“We see things like foil, too. We’re really looking for the list of drug paraphernalia and not the stuff that’s legitimate,” City of Aurora Manager of Licensing Trevor Vaughn explained.
City council brought up concerns about how to enforce the ordinance. The city said staff will educate store owners about the new ordinance and be transparent about when and why enforcement actions are taken. The ordinance takes effect in 30 days.
