Phased Complete Tobacco Ban Proposed in CA - AB935 (2023-2024)

Written on 27 February 2023.

Anyone born after 2006 could never buy tobacco products under new California bill.

Introduced by Assemblyman Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), AB-935 would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2007.

The tobacco products included in the ban would be “cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, vaping liquid, or snuff and more,” according to the bill’s text.

AB 935, as introduced, Connolly. Tobacco sales: phased tobacco ban.

Existing law licenses retailer sellers of cigarettes and tobacco products. Existing law prohibits a person from selling tobacco products to a person under 21 years of age. Existing law also prohibits a tobacco retailer from selling flavored tobacco products, as specified. Existing law prohibits smoking in various places, including government buildings, public transportation, schools, playgrounds, and workplaces.

This bill would implement a phased tobacco ban by prohibiting a tobacco retailer, as defined, from selling tobacco products, as defined, to any person born on or after January 1, 2007. The bill would clarify that it does not authorize the sale of tobacco products to any person born before January 1, 2007, that is otherwise prohibited. The bill would provide penalties for violations, including escalating civil fines and the suspension or revocation of the sellers license to sell tobacco products. The bill would require that enforcement of these provisions be the responsibility of the State Department of Public Health.

We will be watching this very closly.

Here is a link to the proposed legsilation.