SAVE LIVES CALIFORNIA
TOBACCO BILL PACKAGE TALKING POINTS
FOR INTERNAL USE
SB 5 X2 (Leno)/ AB 6 X2 (Cooper)
Add e-cigarettes to existing tobacco products definition. Senator Mark Leno and
Assembly Member Jim Cooper.

E-cigarettes contain many of the same toxic chemicals found in traditional
cigarettes. Recent studies have found that levels of formaldehyde, a knowncarcinogen, may be 15 times higher in e-cigarettes.

Kids are at risk. In the past two years, teen use of e-cigarettes has tripled,
surpassing other tobacco products. E-cigarettes are available in kid-friendly
flavors like cotton candy, bubble gum and chocolate.

This bill would properly classify e-cigarettes as tobacco products, making them
subject to California’s Smoke Free Act and banning their use in schools,
restaurants and many other public settings.
SB 6 X2 (Monning)/ AB 7 X2 (Stone)
Close loopholes in smoke-free workplace laws, including hotel lobbies, small
businesses, break rooms, and tobacco retailers. Senator Bill Monning and Assembly
Member Mark Stone.

Smoke-Free workplaces are the only way to ensure workers are protected from
secondhand smoke. But our current law has too many loopholes. Young, lowincome and minority workers are disproportionately likely to work in settings
where they are exposed to cigarette smoke.

Twenty-six other states provide greater secondhand smoke protection in the
workplace than California.

Smoke-free workplace laws are popular and good for business. More than 90%
of Californians approve laws to ensure smoke-free workplaces.
SB 7 X2 (Hernandez)/ AB 8 X2 (Wood)
Increase age of sale for tobacco products to 21. Senator Ed Hernandez and Assembly
Member Jim Wood.

95% of adult smokers began before turning 21. The ages of 18 to 21 are a critical
period when many smokers move from experimental smoking to regular, daily
use.

Each year, 21,300 California kids start smoking. Underage smokers consume 45
million packs of cigarettes annually in California.

Increasing the tobacco age to 21 will help counter the efforts of the tobacco
companies to target young people.
SB 8 X2 (Liu)/ AB 9 X2 (Thurmond and Nazarian)
Require all schools to be tobacco free. Senator Carol Liu and Assembly Members Tony
Thurmond and Adrin Nazarian.

It has been demonstrated that schools that enforce tobacco-free policies
decrease smoking among their students.

Under current law, only school districts that receive Tobacco Use Prevention
Education (TUPE) funding are required to implement 100% tobacco-free policies.
Two-thirds of California’s Local Education Authorities (LEAs) have no obligation
to ban tobacco on their campuses.

It would also expand the definition of tobacco products to include e-cigarettes
and other nicotine delivery methods.
SB 9 X2 (McGuire)/ AB 10 X2 (Bloom)
Allow local jurisdictions to tax tobacco. Senator Mike McGuire and Assembly Member
Richard Bloom

Nearly 40,000 Californians die from tobacco related illness each year. Tobacco
taxes, whether they are at the state, federal or local level have been proven to
be one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking and improve health
outcomes, particularly in low income and minority communities.

For every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes, there is a 4 percent
reduction in overall cigarette consumption and a 6.5 percent reduction in youth
consumption.

More than 600 local jurisdictions nationwide have their own cigarette taxes or
fees, bringing in more than $430 million in annual revenue and reducing smoking
rates, especially among youth, and decreasing smoking-caused death, disease,
and costs.
SB 10 X2 (Beall) / AB 11 X2 (Nazarian)
Establish an annual Board of Equalization (BOE) tobacco licensing fee program.
Senator Jim Beall and Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian.

The current one-time fee of $100 doesn’t cover the costs of running the Tobacco
Control Licensing program. According to the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO),
between 2005 and 2013, the program ran an average annual shortfall of $7
million. This grew to $8 million in 2013-14.

Inadequate funding has led to lack of enforcement, allowing flagrant violators to
compete with legitimate business operators. It also reduces the funding brought
in through fines.

Many other businesses in California must pay much larger license fees for the
privilege of conducting their businesses. For example, the state liquor license for
stores that sell beer, wine and spirits for consumption off premises is $13,800
with an annual renewal fee of $582.

Field enforcement is key to ensuring compliance with the Stop Tobacco Access to
Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Program and the Tobacco Master Settlement
Agreement (MSA).