In Los Angeles, part of the Senate on Wednesday approved a set of six anti-smoking bills. In these, we find measures raising the smoking age to 21 years and prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in public places such as restaurants where smoking is already prohibited.
While increasing the age for vaping and e-cigarette bills had been blocked in the Legislature, they were picked up in a special session on health and approved by a new Senate committee on public health and development services. Republicans were unable to vote for these bills.
Are e-cigarettes a "gateway" to teen smoking? A new study is currently underway to determine it.
Le Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) proposed a measure to classify e-cigarettes and personal vaporizers as tobacco products so that they are subject to the same restrictions. " The fastest growing segment of the vape market is made up of middle and high school aged children“Said Senator Leno. " Students who have never smoked a cigarette, however, use e-cigarettes. »
The bill also allows operations to be launched in order to locate and catch retailers who sell e-cigarettes to minors, it also requires the use of packaging with child safety. According to Mark Leno " This bill will certainly protect the next generation». The Smoke Free Alternative Trade Assn opposed the move which he sees as an attack on a product that has helped many smokers to quit smoking. According to Michael Mullins: “ The bill will thwart a growing industry"
The measure does not speak of tax but Kari Hess, co-owner of Nor Cal Vape in Redding, said that " the legislation will lead to taxing the industry". Kari Hess then addressed the panel: “ This bill will make the products 
vaping will be prohibitively expensive and I might be forced to close my doors ”.
The bill increasing the legal purchasing age for cigarettes from 18 to 21 was introduced by the Senator Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), who stated that this " will significantly reduce the number of young people who start smoking and will result in significantly lower health costs". For him " It should not be so easy for our children to get their hands on this deadly drug"
Among the opponents whose Pete Conaty, a lobbyist for veterans groups " If residents are old enough to join the military and go to war at 18, they should be able to choose whether or not to smoke. »
Other bills approved by the committee and sent to the Senate for consideration
- Tobacco ban (including e-cigarettes) in all schools, even those with a specific charter.
- Fill the gaps in the laws about smoke-free workplaces, extending them to hotel lobbies, small businesses, rest rooms and warehouses.
- Allow county voters to tax tobacco distributors.
Source : latimes.com
