Sacramento, Calif. – Today, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of enacting an ordinance that will end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, without exemptions. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds the decision 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 targeting populations with limited incomes, communities of color and LGBTQ+ communities, with flavored products which has led to a disproportionate cancer burden. For example, Blacks have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial group for most cancers. And Black men have the highest cancer incidence rate.
“We thank the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors for ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products -- including menthol cigarettes and e-cigarettes. This is a critical first step to protect kids from the dangers of tobacco and help decrease health disparities in our communities.”