Legislative Democrats Push Anti-Tobacco Measures

Democrats in the California Legislature have introduced six bills they say would reduce tobacco use and tighten its regulations.

The measures are all part of the special session on funding California’s health care system called by Gov. Jerry Brown as part of last month’s state budget deal.

The proposals include two measures that recently stalled in the Legislature’s regular session: one that would regulate e-cigarettes like other tobacco products and another that would raise the age for the purchase of tobacco products from 18 to 21. Another bill would allow counties to tax tobacco distributors.

Correction: The original story incorrectly described one of the proposals as a tobacco tax. In fact, that bill would allow counties to tax tobacco distributors. We regret the error.