The California bill will eventually ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2007.

SACRAMENTO — Some California lawmakers want to eventually ban all tobacco sales in the country’s most populous state by filing a law to ban the sale of cigarettes and other products to anyone born after January 1, 2007.

If the law is signed into law, it will mean that 2,073 people wishing to buy cigarettes will have to show identification to prove they are at least 67 years old.

“We can ensure that the next generation of children in California will not become addicted to smoking,” said Assemblyman Damon Connolly, a San Rafael Democrat and sponsor of the bill.

The proposal is likely to face strong opposition from the tobacco industry, which will struggle to maintain access to its largest market in the US. If the ban became law, the industry could sue to block it. He can also challenge the polling station ban by asking voters not to let it go into effect.

“(The ban) will impact a lot of jobs and reverberate throughout the California economy,” said Charles Janigian, president of the California Tobacco Retailers Association.

“Tobacco and marijuana are not apples to apples,” he said.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says smoking marijuana contains many of the same toxins and cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. The agency says more research is needed, but limited evidence has shown a link between chronic marijuana smoking and testicular cancer.

The ban could also hurt the state’s revenue, as California collected more than $1.5 billion in tobacco taxes in 2021, according to the California Department of Revenue Administration.

“In the end, the state is the loser,” Janigyan said.

Connolly said the ban would save taxpayers money, citing the “huge impact of nicotine and tobacco on our public health system.”

“Preventing the next generation of Californians from becoming addicted to smoking should be a priority for everyone who cares about our state’s health and the well-being of our children,” Connolly said.

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News

texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

Related Articles

Back to top button