Assembly Passes Bill to Raise Smoking Age (CA)

LA Times ^ | 8/22/02 | JON ORTIZ and MIGUEL BUSTILLO, TIMES STAFF WRITERS

[randita]

Assembly Passes Bill to Raise Smoking Age

Health: The measure would bar those under 21 from buying tobacco products. It now goes to the state Senate.

By JON ORTIZ and MIGUEL BUSTILLO, TIMES STAFF WRITERS

SACRAMENTO -- The Assembly passed a measure Wednesday that would raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products in California to 21, siding with health advocates despite concerns that the measure could hurt state tax revenue.

With the end of the legislative year looming, an Assembly committee passed sweeping legislation that would bolster the privacy protections enjoyed by California consumers, but only after watering the bill down by adding a loophole sought by insurance companies. However, another committee is expected to restore the bill to its original form today, setting up a showdown when it hits the Assembly floor.

The tobacco legislation reached the Assembly after a bipartisan group of lawmakers hollowed out the language of a Senate bill, SB 1680 by Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), and injected the provisions of a bill by Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood).

The measure would prevent anyone younger than 21 from legally buying tobacco in the state. Assemblyman Rod Pacheco (R-Riverside) carried the amended bill.

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[randita]

"Some people have actually come to me with a straight face and said they're opposing this measure because the state would lose money," Pacheco said during the Assembly floor debate. "Can you believe it?"

Is Pacheco really that naive?

[Phantom Lord]

Governments are more addicted to tobacco tax money than smokers are to nicotine. I have no doubt about it.

If tobacco companies decided to close down and stop producing their products who would freak out the most, smokers, or governments?

I say governments.

[apillar]

Hey doesn't CA have a severe budget crisis ?!?

Shouldn't they be REDUCING the smoking age to 12...

[bandleader]

I think that you are ABSOLUTELY right!When are they going to RAISE the age that you have to be to DIE for your country?

[Grit]

"This bill will save lives of young people who will never take up smoking during those crucial last years between 18 and 21," he said.

If this were the real agenda they would raise the driving age to 35. Think of all the lives that could be saved! What an A-hole.

[Grit]

The Assembly passed a measure Wednesday that would raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products in California to 21

Anyone familiar with this know if there is a 'possession' provision?

The measure would prevent anyone younger than 21 from legally buying tobacco in the state.

Exactly.

[Great Dane]

"Some people have actually come to me with a straight face and said they're opposing this measure because the state would lose money," Pacheco said during the Assembly floor debate. "Can you believe it?"

Kind of funny, but yes I can believe it........ it always was the money.