California's ban on most flavored tobacco effective Wednesday

Don't be surprised if you won't be able to buy your favorite flavored vape at your local smoke shop today.

In the past election, California voters approved Proposition 31, reaffirming a ban on flavored tobacco. Lawmakers passed the ban two years ago, claiming that fruit and candy-flavored e-cigarettes, vape pods and chewing tobacco encouraged teens to get hooked on nicotine. According to the official ballot argument, supporters claimed that 80% of kids who have smoked started with a flavored tobacco product. 

The law was reaffirmed when the United States Supreme Court refused a request from tobacco companies to stop the ban.

The ban went into effect on Dec. 21, requiring retailers to stop selling, offering to sell and possessing with the intent to sell flavored cigarettes and tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and tobacco product flavor enhancers. 

Additionally, California has banned the following products, regardless if they contain nicotine:

• Electronic cigarettes or vape devices that contained or are sold a flavored liquid or element 
• Flavored "eliquids", "ejuices" or pods 
• Components, parts or accessories of a tobacco product that contains or is sold with a flavored constituent 
• Flavored little cigars or cigarillos, smokeless tobacco, loose-leaf roll-your-own tobacco, blunt wraps or rolling papers 

Flavored premium cigars with a wholesale price of $12 or more and flavored loose-leaf pipe tobacco are exempt from the new ban. Also, This law does not apply to hookah lounges that sell flavored tobacco to be used inside the store, as long as they only admit might people 21 or older.

Retailers and wholesalers with a surplus of a banned flavored tobacco product can contact their suppliers and request a refund. In turn, distributors can request a refund of the excise tax paid to the state. 

Any retailers who violate the ban are subject to a $250 fine per infraction.