When I was a child, one of the things my mother made clear to me was never to accept candy from a stranger. A referendum in Washington County seeks to remove the ban on flavored vape and tobacco products. To think that these products can be kept out of the hands of children and adolescents is the height of self-delusion; just look at the kids walking down the street with a vape device cupped in their palm, blowing out white vapor.

Ask yourself why the smell of pumpkin pie reminds you of the warm Thanksgiving hugs from your grandmother or the taste of candy cane recalls your best childhood Christmas. It’s all about dopamine release in the brain. Then ask yourself why the tobacco industry has poured billions into the vaping industry, complete with psychological research into the effects of flavors on children. And ask yourself, is it really freedom of choice or is it the money?

So, when the little man wearing a plaid jacket standing in the tobacco field complains about loss of revenue, it isn’t really about free enterprise. It is about addicting another generation to a lethal habit. He has not come for business; he has come for your children. Vote no on the referendum to remove the ban. Other county commissions who want to have a healthier community should have the same courage as the Washington County commissioners and consider similar bans.

Steven D. Aguilu, Portland