California Flavor Ban Postponed

California’s controversial ban on flavored e-cigarettes will not take effect on Jan. 1, 2021. According to a report by Halfwheel, the Superior Court for the County of Sacramento has approved an agreement that postpones the enforcement date at least until the signatures are verified for a ballot measure proposal that seeks to repeal the law.

In November, the California Coalition for Fairness turned in more than 1 million signatures seeking to qualify a referendum for the November 2022 ballot aimed at overturning the legislation. Those signatures need to be verified at the county level, a process that is underway but might not be completed until Jan. 21, 2021, after the law was set to take effect. Now, the parties have agreed to delay the law until after the signature verification process is completed.

If the verified signature threshold is not met, the law would take effect once the Secretary of State has verified the process is complete. If the signatures are verified the flavor ban would be suspended until at least December 2022.

To get on the ballot, those in support of the referendum needed to get 623,212 verified signatures from California voters.

Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Aug. 28, the California law prohibits the sale of all flavored tobacco and vapor products, including those with menthol flavor. The legislation does not make it illegal for someone to purchase, possess or use flavored tobacco or vapor products, however.

The bill contains a provision that would impose a $250 fine for each violation.