California’s Senate Bill 793, which imposed a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products throughout the state, is being challenged once again by the tobacco industry. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August 2020. The senate bill was designed to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products in the state of California with the exception of premium cigars, pipe tobacco and hookah tobacco.
California Coalition for Fairness, a group funded by big tobacco companies, has launched a campaign that’s seeking to overturn the flavor ban. The group is seeking to get a veto referendum on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot. Already, the group has managed to get over one million registered voters to sign a petition as it looks to qualify the referendum.
“If the required number of registered voters sign this petition and the petition is timely filed, there will be a referendum challenging a 2020 law on the next statewide ballot after the November 3, 2020 general election. The challenged law prohibits the retail sale of certain flavored tobacco products and tobacco flavor enhancers. The referendum would require a majority of voters to approve the 2020 state law before it can take effect,” the California Coalition for Fairness explains.
