WARNING: Tobacco Addiction and Disease Now in Assorted Flavors

Bay Area Cities Must Protect Kids from Flavored Tobacco Products

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About this Campaign

The tobacco industry is scheming to hook another generation of youth by selling products in flavors like gummy bear, banana smash and “smooth menthol.” These products are widely available in many areas and very popular with kids. Flavored e-cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products are undermining efforts in the Bay Area to reduce youth tobacco use.

In order to prevent a new generation of kids from nicotine addiction and the serious health harms that result from tobacco use, many communities in the Bay Area have passed local ordinances to end the sale of these flavored products for good. Recently, cities such as Berkeley and Oakland have passed ordinances to put an end to the sale of flavored tobacco. The City of Hayward is hoping to be next.

Hayward City Council was a leader in the state when they passed their tobacco ordinance in 2014 to restrict the sale of some cheap flavored tobacco products. However, the current ordinance in Hayward does not apply to all tobacco stores and includes an exemption for menthol cigarettes. So the community is gearing up to strengthen the current law.

Hayward City Council is currently considering action to strengthen the existing tobacco retail license ordinance. Community organizations and public health advocates are urging the City Council to strengthen the tobacco ordinance and align with the best practices in the neighboring cities in the County:

  • End the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarette products, cigars and menthol cigarettes
  • Add a minimum price requirement of $8.00 for cigarettes and little cigars/ cigarillos and cigars and a minimum pack size of 20 little cigars/ cigarillos
  • Reduce the total number of tobacco retailers in the city over time
  • End the sale of tobacco in pharmacies
  • Strengthen compliance and enforcement

Taking action will support efforts to address these health and racial inequities associated with tobacco-related disease and death. For more information or to get involved in the Hayward effort, please contact: [email protected]

Listen: Oakland Radio Spot

Listen: Oakland Radio Spot

Get the Facts

Flavored tobacco products undermine efforts to reduce youth tobacco use and put a new generation of kids at risk of nicotine addiction and tobacco-caused death and disease.

  • Over 80 percent of kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product.
  • Youth smokers are more likely to use menthol cigarettes than any other age group. Over half (54 percent) of youth smokers ages 12-17 use menthol cigarettes, compared to less than one-third of smokers ages 35 and older.
  • Prevalence of menthol use is even higher among African American youth: seven out of 10 African-American youth smokers smoke menthol cigarettes.

Fact Sheets

THE FLAVOR TRAP: How Tobacco Companies Are Luring Kids with Candy-Flavored E-Cigarettes and Cigars

FACT SHEET: Menthol Cigarettes and African-American Communities

In the News

Take Action

Hayward Residents

Tell City Council to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products.

TAKE ACTION

 

 

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