Sale Of Flavored Tobacco, Vaping Products Banned In Marin County
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) - Flavored tobacco and vaping products will be banned from Marin County store shelves in a matter of months. Lawmakers are hopeful it will curb the surge in teen use of the products
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for the ban on Tuesday.
The ban includes e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and other nicotine tobacco products seen as a lure for young people.
According to the California Healthy Kids Survey, use of electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices more than doubled among Marin County 11th graders in the study. Almost a third of them were regularly using these "highly addictive" products.
"I've seen people dealing their vape pens in class, I've seen people vaping around campus and I really don't want this to effect the next generation including my little brother so I'm here to make sure I have a say in this, said Leyla Winton of Children for Change an after school program in Ross.
The ordinance takes effect July 2019. Tobacco stores have until 2020 to sell off their inventory.
The study said vaping in Marin mirrors a national trend and is a gateway for cigarette smoking.
Tobacco is still one of the leading causes of premature death in the country.