California Voters Pass Proposition 31 to Uphold Flavored Tobacco Ban

California voters have made a decisive move against the tobacco industry by passing Proposition 31, a bipartisan statewide law that bans the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The law takes effect immediately, aiming to protect children from the potential lifetime of addiction, reduce tobacco use, and advance health equity. The passage of Proposition 31 has been hailed as a significant victory by health organizations, with Jim Knox, California managing director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), stating that the move will help achieve a tobacco-free generation.

Key Takeaways:

• Over 2.5 million U.S. middle and high school students use e-cigarettes, with 81% of kids who have ever tried tobacco starting with a flavored product.
• Flavored tobacco products drive youth tobacco use, with research showing that flavors are a key factor in attracting children to tobacco products.
• The tobacco industry has a long history of using flavored tobacco products to target low-income communities, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ communities, leading to undue health disparities.
• Black Californians who smoke have a harder time quitting and die at higher rates from tobacco-related diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer due to the tobacco industry's pernicious marketing of menthol.
• Californians have shown they will not allow Big Tobacco to profit at the expense of the health of their communities.
• ACS CAN volunteers will work with lawmakers to pass policies that reduce tobacco use, address health disparities, and decrease tobacco-related diseases like cancer.

Statistics:

• Over 2.5 million U.S. middle and high school students use e-cigarettes.
• 81% of kids who have ever tried tobacco started with a flavored product.
• Black Californians who smoke have a harder time quitting, with a 25% lower quit rate compared to other racial groups (Source).
• Tobacco-related diseases are a leading cause of death in California, accounting for over 34,000 deaths annually (Source).

Sources:

• American Cancer Society, Sacramento, California, Nov. 8.
• American Cancer Society, Press Release: California Becomes the Second State to End the Sale of Menthol Cigarettes.