COMMITTEES STATE CAPITOL
CHAIR: HEALTH Assembly P.O. BOX 942849
BUDGET SACRAMENTO, CA 94249-0002
INSURANCE (916) 319-2002
JOINT LEGISLATIVE AUDIT California Regislature FAX (916) 319-2102
WATER, PARKS, AND WILDLIFE DISTRICT OFFICES
BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE NO. 1 ON HEALTH 200 S SCHOOL STREET, SUITE D AND HUMAN SERVICES UKIAH, CA 95482
SELECT COMMITTEES (707) 463-5770
HEALTHCARE ACCESS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES FAX (707) 463-5773 CRAFT BREWING AND DISTILLING 50 D STREET, SUITE 450
JIM WOOD
SEA LEVEL RISE IN CALIFORNIA SANTA ROSA, CA 95404
ASSEMBLYMEMBER, SECOND DISTRICT
(707) 576-2526
FAX (707) 576-2297
1036 5TH STREET, SUITE D
EUREKA, CA 95501
(707) 445-7014
FAX (707) 455-6607
Dear RISE Members and Supporters:
Thank you for the work you are doing to curb tobacco use in your community. I have serious concerns about the use of tobacco and other nicotine products, especially among young people. I was a practicing dentist for 30 years and saw first-hand the damage these products have on people's health.
Youth usage of flavored tobacco products has exploded in recent years due to kid friendly flavors like cotton candy and bubblegum. In 2018, 3.6 million middle and high school students started using e-cigarettes and the number continued to rise in 2019 with the overwhelming majority of young people citing use of popular fruit and menthol or mint flavors. In the last two years alone, e-cigarette use among youth surged by 135% and now 5.3 million young Americans use e-cigarettes regularly. 80% of these kids started with a flavored product. Masking the harshness of tobacco does one thing - gets users started on a dangerous life-long addiction.
I was one of the authors of SB 793 which prohibits the sale of all flavored tobacco and flavor enhancer products in California. When the Governor signed it into law, the tobacco companies that lost the battle submitted a referendum to overturn it to the Attorney General and it has qualified for the 2022 ballot and implementation of SB 793 is suspended until decided by the voters.
In the meantime, I strongly support the local municipalities choosing to ban these products and implement a Tobacco Retail License to bring tobacco sales into a uniform set of regulations designed to protect youth and assure that the laws surrounding tobacco sales are observed and enforced.
Thank you for making your community a healthier place!
Respectfully,
Cun Wood
JIM WOOD
Assemblymember, 2nd District
Printed on Recycled Paper