On April 15th, a California bill that aimed to gradually eliminate tobacco sales was put on hold, and anti-tobacco organizations have not disclosed why they did not provide support. The bill has since been modified to focus on enforcing the existing ban on flavored tobacco.
Three years ago, advocates successfully convinced California's legislative body to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products in an effort to reduce the number of smokers and e-cigarette users in the state, following a fierce lobbying campaign by industry proponents.
In recent months, a newly-elected member of California's legislature proposed a gradual elimination of tobacco sales, yet anti-tobacco organizations mostly remained silent. The proposal was postponed this week and did not even receive a hearing. The legislator will introduce a bill in this session to strengthen the enforcement of the ban on flavored tobacco.
In February of this year, Democratic legislator Damon Connolly introduced Assembly Bill 935, which proposes a bold move to prohibit the sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes, to individuals born on or after January 1, 2007. Connolly hails from San Rafael.
This concept remains at the forefront globally. In December of last year, New Zealand became the first country to adopt such an approach, prohibiting the sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, to individuals born after 2008. The town of Brookline in Massachusetts passed a broader tobacco product ban in 2020, including electronic cigarettes. The ban faced legal challenges from retailers and was upheld in court last year.
Lawmakers in Hawaii and Nevada have also proposed gradual elimination of sales this year, but neither of these measures have held a hearing yet.
Further reading:
California lawmakers propose bill to end tobacco use.
References:
California lawmakers have decided to postpone the proposed 'Endgame' bill aimed at eliminating the tobacco industry. The legislation has been put on hold for now.
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