Proposition 31 allowed California voters to keep or eliminate a flavored tobacco ban that would have gone into effect in 2020. Although the ban is still active, some exceptions exist, like premium cigars and loose-leaf tobacco.
If people voted yes,
it would mean that the flavored tobacco ban, Senate Bill 793, would stay in place. If people voted no,
the state would still allow the sale of flavor tobacco because Senate Bill 793 would not have been repealed.
California's Senate Bill 793, which will go into effect on January 1, 2023, passed with 62.26% of the votes in favor and 37.74% against it. This means that starting from January 1, 2023, the sale of tobacco products with flavors will be banned in California. This includes menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vape pens.
The only exceptions to this rule are premium cigars and loose-leaf tobacco, which are not included in the definition of flavored tobacco products.
The flavored tobacco ban is a response to young people's growing popularity of e-cigarettes and vape pens. Critics say that flavors make these products more appealing to kids, who may be more likely to use them and become addicted to nicotine.
The definition of a premium cigar
is as follows: it is handmade, not mass-produced by machinery. The wrapper is made entirely from whole tobacco leaves; there is no filter or tip, the mouthpiece consists of nontobacco material, and it is capped by hand.
The definition of loose-leaf tobacco
is as follows: it is not contained in a cigarette or cigar. The sale of menthol cigarettes will still be allowed in California, but other flavored tobacco products like cigars, electronic cigarettes, and chewing tobacco will be banned statewide.
Some people favor the ban because they believe it will help reduce smoking rates, especially among young people. Others are against the ban because they think it unfairly targets smokers and could lead to a black market for flavored vape products.
The initial ban was met with opposition from the Premium Cigar Association, National Association of Tobacco Outlets, Cigar Association of America, and now the California Association of Retail Tobacconists. They argue that the ban is overly broad
and could lead to job losses in the tobacco industry.
