SACRAMENTO, Calif. – On October 3, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 573 into law to help curb the sale of illegal flavored tobacco products. The legislation, introduced by Asm. Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa) and co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), will increase yearly tobacco retailer licensing fees from $265 to up to $600. The additional funding is key to strengthening the enforcement of tobacco control laws and cracking down on retailers for the illegal sale of flavored tobacco products.
The following is a statement from Jen Grand-Lejano, ACS CAN Pacific Region managing director:
“While the law ending the sale of flavored tobacco products has made great strides in reducing the sale of these highly addictive products, unscrupulous tobacco retailers across the state continue to sell them illegally, even to kids. Meanwhile, only a fraction (11%) of the approximately 30,000 tobacco retailers in California are inspected per year. We urgently need regular inspections to hold bad actors accountable for undermining the law and to keep these dangerous products off store shelves.
“We commend Gov. Newsom and the Legislature for supporting this critical legislation. Comprehensive, strong tobacco control policies create healthier communities, helping them stave off tobacco-related diseases such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and more than a dozen types of cancer.”