Senate Bill 793 (SB 793) banned the retail sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol products. SB 793 was enacted in November 2022, and went into effect January 2023.
Here are some common questions and answers related to the new ban:
About the Ban
- Does this mean I can’t vape flavored products?
- The ban does not make it illegal to use flavored products. This ban only applies to tobacco retailers.
- Well, if it doesn’t stop me from vaping, then what is the point?
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Most tobacco users get their products locally in stores. Senate Bill 793 aims to decrease the easy accessibility of flavored nicotine. While it doesn’t legally outlaw the usage, it could influence the number of people purchasing and using these products. Removing access to similar products has proven to decrease usage.
- Where did this flavor ban even come from?
- There has been a local flavored tobacco ban in Davis since September 1st, 2020. In addition, Sacramento has banned flavored tobacco since January 1st, 2020. SB 793 is not something that is completely novel; there are many additional local bans that have been enacted all over California.
- If the ban was passed, why do I still see products being sold in stores?
- Enforcement does not occur overnight. Some counties are still finding resources to enforce the bill. Some counties have already enforced a local ban, and flavored vapes are already off the shelves. In addition, the industry has already reacted to the state ban, creating new products that, though they claim are not flavored, are still as dangerous and addictive as flavored vapes.
Health Concerns
- Isn’t vaping better than smoking?
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Vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. The flavors add another level of attraction, especially to high schoolers and other young adults, which makes quitting more challenging once addicted. Additionally, due to the size of electronic smoking devices, users can discreetly vape large quantities of nicotine, making it more difficult to identify addicted users.
- Is vaping really that bad? Are there any other consequences?
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Vaping comes with a variety of health consequences, both physical and mental.
Vapes produce a number of dangerous chemicals including certain aldehydes and acrolein, which can cause lung disease and cardiovascular disease, acute lung injury and COPD, and may even cause asthma and lung cancer. There are several additional harmful chemicals in vape products, so even if you do not have asthma, you are still at risk for developing these health issues.
There are also mental health consequences of vaping. Research has found that teens and young adults who vape are more likely to report anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts compared to their peers who did not vape. So although many younger people claim that a nicotine hit calms them down, it can actually generate dependency, leading to negative long term health effects.
Learn more about health concerns of vaping - Doesn’t vaping help people calm down when they are stressed?
- As mentioned earlier, many people report feeling immediate relief from vaping. However, there are long term physical and mental consequences of vaping that can be much worse for you in the long run.
- It’s my body and my choices - why should other people care that I vape?
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You’re right. It is your body, and you get to decide what you want to do with it. However, there are two main ways vaping can affect the people around you: secondhand smoke and the environment.
First, secondhand smoke can directly harm the people around you. When aerosol is exhaled from the user into the air, people around them could breathe it in, thus, exposing them to risks of the same health consequences, despite not being a user.
Second, there are several environmental impacts of vaping. Vape products must be disposed of in toxic trash. If disposed of incorrectly, both the cartridges and batteries from vapes can contribute to water contamination or leak into the environment. In addition, vapes can also contribute to indoor air quality pollution.
Learn more about the environmental impact of vaping