SB 151: Tobacco products: minimum legal age.

Existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act, establishes various requirements for distributors and retailers relating to tobacco sales to minors. Existing law prohibits the furnishing of tobacco products to, and the purchase of tobacco products by, a person under 18 years of age. Under existing law, a person is prohibited from making various promotional or advertising offers of smokeless tobacco products without taking actions to ensure that the product is not available to persons under 18 years of age. Existing law also requires the State Department of Public Health to conduct random, onsite sting inspections of tobacco product retailers with the assistance of persons under 18 years of age.

This bill would extend the applicability of those provisions to persons under 21 years of age. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to conduct random, onsite string inspections of tobacco product retailers with the assistance of persons under 21 years of age.

The bill would also provide that the STAKE Act does not invalidate existing local government ordinances or prohibit the adoption of local government ordinances requiring a more restrictive legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products.

By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.