The SAAFE Act was introduced by Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, and bans flavoured vaping and tobacco products with the exception of premium flavoured cigars, flavoured loose-leaf tobacco, and hookah. Also exempt are unflavoured or tobacco flavoured e- cigarettes as well as FDA-approved cessation devices.
Last week, mayor Todd Gloria signed the ban into law. “This new law is going to save lives and safeguard children’s health,” said von Wilpert. “Our new partnership with San Diego schools will empower parents with vital health resources so we do everything possible to prevent Big Tobacco from hooking our children and hijacking their futures.”
Are flavour bans the answer?
Meanwhile, renowned cardiologist and smoking cessation researcher Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, has recently reiterated that vape flavours are crucial at helping smokers switch to safer nicotine alternatives.
The researcher has recently published, “The Case for Flavours in Tobacco Harm Reduction, to Save Lives”, a paper which discusses the link between flavoured nicotine products and smoking cessation success in detail. The report highlights that ultimately flavour bans are a form of prohibition, which only fuel the growth of massive black markets and also lead to increased smoking rates, as many vapers would turn back to smoking.
Discussing the report in a recent episode on Regulator Watch, Farsalinos discussed Health Canada’s recently proposed ban, saying that their case for such a ban may be crumbling as evidence keeps indicating its potentially negative impact on public health.
Read Further: kpbs
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