Flavor country in San Francisco might be getting a bit more bland if city leaders get their way.
Supervisors are scheduled to take a look at possibly banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products within the city after the Public Safety and Neighborhood Committee endorsed the plan on Wednesday.
"Restricting the sale of flavored tobacco is a forward-thinking, evidenced based policy. Children and young adults, African Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQ people have been selectively profiled, targeted, and ultimately killed by lethal products for far too long" Supervisor Malia Cohen wrote in a post on Facebook. Cohen is sponsoring the legislation.
If the ban goes through, retailers in the city would be prohibited from selling any tobacco products with menthol and other flavored liquids that aren't already covered under a previous FDA ban. The 2009 ban prohibits fruit, candy and spiced-flavored cigarettes from being sold. The ban would not prevent people from owning or having any flavored tobacco products - just the sale of them.
Supporters say the ban is necessary thanks to increased marketing from the tobacco industry that tries to attract young people to its product.
"It is the right and the duty of states and localities to ensure that our communities are healthy, solvent, and safe." Cohen wrote.
If passed, the law would go into effect in January of 2018.