Tobacco Industry Continues to Fight California’s Flavored Tobacco Law
In the latest example of the tobacco industry continuing its dirty tricks to prevent meaningful public health protections, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent California’s new flavored tobacco products from going into effect, claiming that California’s law violates federal tobacco product laws.
In response, ANR joined a group of 23 public health, medical, and community organizations in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court opposing R.J. Reynolds' injunction, spelling out the critical public health justification and need for California’s law and explaining how the law is not in violation of any federal laws.
Previously, R.J. Reynolds filed a lawsuit challenging California’s flavored tobacco law the day after it was upheld by voters on the November 2022 ballot, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Reynolds’ attempt to block the law.
Background: In August 2020, the California legislature adopted SB793 to end the sale of flavored tobacco products with a few exemptions. As soon as SB793 was signed into law, tobacco companies began working to overturn this important public health legislation and spent millions of dollars to gather enough signatures to put the issue on the November 2022 ballot as Proposition 31. California voters saw through the tobacco industry’s deceptive actions and upheld the decision to end the sale of flavored tobacco products with Proposition 31 receiving 63.4% of the vote.
Public Health Groups Amicus Motion & Amicus Brief
MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE BRIEF AS AMICI CURIAE AND BRIEF OF PUBLIC HEALTH, MEDICAL, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AS AMICI CURIAE IN OPPOSITION TO THE EMERGENCY APPLICATIONS FOR WRIT OF INJUNCTION
State's Opposition Brief
OPPOSITION TO EMERGENCY APPLICATION FOR WRIT OF INJUNCTION
Three Dangerous Marijuana Bills
September 15, 2021
California legalized the adult use of marijuana in 2016, and now communities and the state are facing threats to smokefree air laws and other public health protections. Read more on our Marijuana page about three bills that have been introduced regarding marijuana in California.
Tobacco Industry Interference
Same Old Story
Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds are at it again in California, seeking to overturn the recently signed flavors law by sending thousands of petition workers out to collect signatures with misinformation.
IN THE NEWS
OCTOBER 20, 2020
The Los Angeles Times outlined a complaint of illegal signature gathering filed by the Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund in its article "Campaign to overturn California’s flavored tobacco sales ban accused of misleading voters."
OCTOBER 14, 2020