SB 793 Advanced on the Heels of a Statewide Poll Showing Strong Bipartisan Support for Legislation to Strengthen Tobacco Control Amid COVID-19
Sacramento, CA – In a bipartisan vote (May 2020), the California Senate Health Committee voted to advance SB 793, landmark legislation authored by Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) to end the sale of candy-flavored tobacco products and menthol cigarettes across the state. This decision comes soon after the release of a poll showing nearly 70% of voters support Senator Hill’s measure.
“Today’s vote is a huge step forward to protect our kids from a harmful and potentially lifelong addiction to nicotine. For too long, Big Tobacco has been using candy-flavored products to get young people hooked,” said Lindsey Freitas, Advocacy Director for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “It is especially encouraging to see bipartisan support for SB 793, which will play a critical role in the battle against COVID-19 by protecting public health.”
“We applaud the Senate Health Committee for supporting SB 793 amidst the largest increase in youth e-cigarette use we’ve ever seen – 135% over the last two years alone,” said Erica Costa, Advocacy Director, American Lung Association. “As our fight against Big Tobacco converges with the battle against COVID-19 to protect public health, it’s time to end the sale of candy-flavored tobacco products and menthol cigarettes for good.”
“We commend the Senate Health Committee for taking bold action in supporting the health of California’s children. The passage of SB 793 is a critical step in the fight against the tobacco industry’s unrelenting efforts to use flavored tobacco products to hook a new generation to a lifetime of addiction and preventable disease,” said John Maa, M.D., American Heart Association California Advocacy Committee Chairman. “We know that flavored tobacco products hook kids. This bill will ensure a new generation isn’t lost to nicotine addiction.”
“Flavors are proven starter products for youth and have no place on the market whatsoever,” saidBechara Choucair, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Community Health Officer for Kaiser Permanente. “Kid-friendly flavors mask the poison, entice kids to experiment with tobacco products, and potentially addict them for life.”
“The California Medical Association (CMA) is pleased to see the successful passage of Senator Hill’s SB 793 which would prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco in the state of California through the Senate Health Committee. We need to do everything we can to protect ourselves from a new generation of highly addictive tobacco products.” said CMA President Peter Bretan, M.D. “We know that the use of tobacco products is a direct threat to the health of an individual, and to the public. The passage of this bill through the Health Committee is a small victory in a long battle towards expanding and protecting the public health of our state.”
The bill now moves to a full vote on the Senate floor.
