Tobacco Bills Protect Children

from "Public Policy Update", Breathe Easy news magazine, Fall 2006/Winter 2007 )

Two tobacco control bills supported by the American Lung Association of California would help protect children from the deadly effects of tobacco use. One aims to protect children from secondhand smoke while the other would reduce illegal tobacco purchases by minors over the internet.

Assembly Bill 379 (Koretz) would prohibit smoking in cars when young children are present. Particle pollution concentrations from smoking in a car are up to 10 times higher than found in the homes of smokers, according to a recent report by the California Air Resources Board.

Senate Bill 1208 (Ortiz) would effectively ban the sale of cigarettes over the internet, reducing access to cigarettes by minors, who have been able to purchase tobacco products online illegally because there is no reliable way of verifying age.