California's Flavored Tobacco Ban Takes Effect Today
According to ABC10, California's controversial flavored tobacco ban takes effect today. A week earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co.'s argument that the new state law conflicts with federal law. Flavored tobacco products such as
According to ABC10, California's controversial flavored tobacco ban takes effect today. A week ago, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company's argument that the new state law conflicted with federal law.<\/span><\/div>
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Flavored tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, and flavored cigars will no longer be sold in stores.
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"If they want to ban flavored tobacco or regulate it, I think they should allow certain stores to be licensed to sell it. It has saved so many lives and helped so many people quit smoking," said Carlo Sharmoug, owner of Stockton Ziggy's Smoke Shop.<\/span><\/div>
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Sharmoug stated that in his 14 years of operation, his store has never sold tobacco to minors.<\/span><\/div>
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Lindsey Freitas, the advocacy director representing California and Hawaii's Smoke-Free Kids campaign, said that before e-cigarettes appeared, the smoking rate among California teens had begun to decline.<\/span><\/div>
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"They started selling flavors like grape, cherry, and gummy bears. Suddenly, we saw the teen smoking rate rise again," Freitas said.<\/span><\/div>
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Stores like Ziggy's believe California will lose millions in tax revenue and are convinced that products will be sold on the black market. However, Freitas disagrees, stating that significant healthcare savings can be achieved just in California alone.<\/span><\/div>
