The tobacco companies achieved, through a signature collection campaign, temporarily prevent it from taking effect in January in California a law that prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products.
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The Department of State and the State Attorney’s Office will not enforce the pending law until it is verified that there is at least 623,000 valid signatures. If so, the measure will be proposed to voters in the next general election or special election., probably in November 2022.
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If that is not the case, The law will enter into force when the Secretary of State certifies that signature pickup fell short.
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The law was prompted by doctors and groups fighting cancer, lung, heart, and dental disease.
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Supporters of the law say the measure on flavors, such as menthol-mint, is part of an effort to discourage marketing that appealed to youth, particularly those from low-income, African-American, and Latino communities.
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What does the law say?
Pending law does not ban all flavored tobacco products.
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The bill exempts loose leaf tobacco, premium cigars and shisha tobacco used in the hookah.
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Premium cigars are defined as those that are not mass produced by a machine, have wrappers made entirely of whole tobacco leaf, and cost at least $ 12.
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Nor does it prohibit the sale of marijuana flavored.
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What does the industry say?
The California Coalition for Equity, that already has 21 million dollars in its coffers, He said he expects the referendum to be confirmed through the verification process in late January.
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They said that they had collected over 1 million voter signatures.
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The group backed by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company and Philip Morris USA said what ban hurts thousands of retail businesses in bad economic period due to the pandemic of coronavirus.
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