Los Angeles Bans Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

Starting from January 1, 2023, it will be prohibited by law to sell flavored tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21.

In June of last year, the committee instructed the city prosecutor to draft a law that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco and menthol cigarettes in the city, with an exemption for hookah tobacco products in existing lounges.

The regulation was revised in March and was passed on Wednesday with a vote of 12 to 0.

Harris-Dawson stated before the vote on Wednesday, "It's only right that menthol is included in this ban. It's a flavor, just like any other flavor, and it would be incredibly disappointing if we said we were going to protect people and children from tobacco but exempted a flavor that we know is primarily used by Black folks, followed by Latinx folks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, the tobacco industry has actively marketed menthol products to young people and African Americans, particularly in urban communities.

Before the vote on Wednesday, the leaders of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and the Black leaders opposing tobacco injustice, Carol McGruder, told committee members, "We just want to tell you how fulfilled our hearts are when we stand with the great city of Los Angeles, no longer selling these deadly products in our community to our children, especially in African American communities that have been harmed and targeted by the tobacco industry for decades.

On Wednesday, council members listened to representatives from organizations including the American Heart Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Lung Association, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and Black leaders opposing tobacco injustice, the Youth First Tobacco-Free Coalition in Los Angeles, and more, who spoke in support of a ban on flavored tobacco.

Paul Krekorian, a lawmaker, expressed gratitude towards the coalition's proactive efforts and urged the council to take action.

You are helping to set an example for America as the second largest city in the country, thanks to you. Thanks to you, thousands of people will be freed from the harmful grip of one of the wealthiest and most powerful industries on the planet - all thanks to you and your proactive approach," he said.

Some city council members are also pushing to ban hookahs under the ordinance, including city attorney Mike Feuer. Feuer was tasked with drafting the city's law at the request of the council and submitted a draft in September, but is urging them to amend it to include a comprehensive ban on all flavored tobacco products.

The city of Los Angeles has implemented a total ban on the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including flavored shisha, which could potentially save lives," said Feuer, adding that there are 3.6 million children across the country using e-cigarettes, which he referred to as a gateway to regular cigarettes.

Last June, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez proposed a modification to the original regulation, which would allow for the sale of hookah products for off-site consumption as well as consumption indoors in lounges. She expressed concern for the impact on small business owners who rely on the sale of hookah products for their off-site activities.

Last year, the amendment was passed with 8 votes in favor and 6 votes against. At the time, the city council was facing demands from the nationwide Hookah Community Association to exempt hookah from regulations, citing it as a cultural tradition.

During the city council meeting on June 16th, the lawmaker Paul Krekorian, who has Armenian heritage, attempted to refute the argument that hookah smoking is a cultural tradition.

There has been much discussion surrounding hookah and its cultural significance in certain immigrant communities. This debate has been unsettling for me since I have never tried hookah before; my Armenian family does not allow it. The Armenian culture is defined by its music, art, literature, and faith - not by hookah," Krekoriansaid during the meeting.

In my opinion, the way to preserve Armenian culture is by not allowing young Armenians to die prematurely due to smoking," he said.

In October 2019, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to pass an ordinance prohibiting flavored tobacco products and called on Governor Gavin Newsom to implement a statewide ban on electronic cigarettes.

On August 28th, California became the second US state, after Massachusetts, to implement a statewide ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products. Tobacco manufacturers and retailers have raised objections to numerous laws and regulations, but the court upheld the restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products, citing compliance with the Tobacco Control Act.

According to national data, tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in more deaths than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, homicide, and suicide combined.

Every day, thousands of young people will be using tobacco products for the first time, many of which will be flavored. In just California, 36.5% of high school students report using tobacco products. According to data from the California Attorney General's office, 86.4% of them report using flavored products. The office has submitted a brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of a law in Los Angeles County.

The American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network and the American Lung Association are celebrating the city council's move to ban flavored tobacco.

Stopping the sale of flavored tobacco products in the city of Los Angeles will save lives, reduce the unfair disparities in tobacco use, and prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine. It is known that nearly 80% of children who use tobacco products start with flavored ones, and the taste of menthol has been used by the tobacco industry to target communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community for a long time," said Erica Costa, advocacy director for the American Lung Association of California on Wednesday. "Studies have shown that stopping the sale of menthol cigarettes will lead to a significant number of people quitting smoking.

Source: Spectrum News 1