After months of debate, a proposal to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products has failed in Albany County. 18 members of the County Legislature voted in support of the measure last night, but 20 were needed for it to pass. Albany would have been the first county in New York to have such a ban in place.
Opponents claimed the measure would have hurt business owners and wouldn't have actually stopped people buying flavored tobacco products.
A statement from the American Heart Association said it was disappointed the ban fell short and accused lawmakers of bowing to pressure from tobacco companies.
Legislators can take up the proposal again after the first of the year. Meanwhile, an emergency executive order from Governor Cuomo placing a statewide ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes awaits a judge's ruling.
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