Currently, this bill has no exemptions, meaning that it would impact all tobacco products. In response to this bill, the Premium Cigar Association’s (PCA) deputy executive director, Joshua Habursky, issued the following statement:
“We are deeply concerned about AB 935 and any legislation that seeks to restrict the rights of premium cigar smokers. These proposals are not based on scientific evidence, but rather on a political agenda that seeks to demonize adult cigar smokers and restrict their freedom to enjoy a legal product. Clearly it is no longer a hidden agenda of the anti tobacco groups to support full prohibition.”
While phased tobacco bans is a somewhat new concept in the U.S., it has become more common internationally. In an effort to phase out smoking, New Zealand banned the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 2008. This move, made in 2022, was made after officials determined that in order to achieve its goal of reducing New Zealand’s national smoking rate to 5 percent by 2025, a phased ban was necessary. How effective this ban has been in reducing smoking rates has yet to be determined.
Those who oppose this measure are urged to speak with their representatives and voice their opposition. You can read the proposed bill in its entirety by clicking here.
