More Restrictive Tobacco Laws Await Governor’s Pen
Sacramento, CA — Governor Jerry Brown’s desk now has six bills on it seeking to further restrict tobacco use, especially among young adults.
Democratic leaders in the State Legislature invoked house rules and held back the bill package for well over a month in an effort to foil a referendum threatened by the tobacco industry. If signed by Gov. Brown, the bills will effectively raise the smoking, dipping, chewing and vaping tobacco age in California from 18 to 21 as well as ban electronic cigarettes in restaurants, theaters and other public places where smoking is prohibited.
The Governor, who has yet to comment on his plans to sign the new laws, now has 12 days to approve, veto or send them back to state lawmakers. Opponents against the more restrictive tobacco laws seeking to bring the matter to voters in November would need to collect 366,000 valid signatures within three months of Brown signing the legislation.
