‘No flavored tobacco products, no exceptions.’ California lawmaker unveils new ban effort
A California lawmaker has announced a renewed effort to ban flavored tobacco products in the state, and he’s gotten the lieutenant governor and nearly 30 other legislators to sign on to the bill.
Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, announced Senate Bill 793, which would prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarette products such as Juul pods.
This marks a redoubled effort for Hill, who last year withdrew a similar bill, Senate Bill 38, due to “hostile amendments” that Hill said created “unnecessary, harmful exemptions.”
SB 793 offers “no flavored tobacco products, no exceptions, regardless of the device, the delivery system, or the product,” Hill said in a statement.
Hill’s office announced that 29 lawmakers are backing the bill, as well as Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
“Too many of our kids are already suffering addiction to tobacco products. This flavor ban will help them break free, as well as prevent more young people from becoming addicted in the first place,” Kounalakis said in prepared remarks.
Last year, more than five million middle and high school students vaped, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly a third of students believed e-cigarettes cause “no harm or little harm from intermittent use.”
In California, 56 counties and cities, including Sacramento, have banned or placed restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products.
Now it’s time for a statewide ban, said Jim Knox, managing director for the American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network.
“Anything less than ridding store shelves of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol, hookah, cigars, cigarillos and chewing tobacco, diminishes the health and safety of California kids who will find a way to access flavored tobacco anywhere retailers are able to sell these alluring products,” Knox said in prepared remarks.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 9:36 AM.
