Sacramento, Calif. – Starting today, tobacco retailers in Sacramento County are required to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products – including menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes and flavored shisha.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) recognizes ending the sale of flavored tobacco products as a critical step to prioritize the health of children and historically marginalized communities over Big Tobacco’s interests and bottom line.
The following is a statement from ACS CAN California Managing Director Jim Knox:
“Menthol, other candy- and fruit-flavored tobacco products are a key part of the tobacco industry’s strategy to entice our youth into a potential lifetime of addiction. Research shows that flavors drive the unprecedented increase in youth tobacco uptake, with 81% of kids who have ever tried tobacco starting with a flavored product.
“Big Tobacco also has a long history of using flavored products to target populations with limited incomes, communities of color and LGBTQ+ communities, resulting in disproportionate death and suffering due to tobacco-related diseases like cancer.
“By ending the sale of all flavored tobacco productions, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors steered toward creating a healthier and more equitable environment, where our children and all our communities can thrive.”