California IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Law Urged to Limit Access to Tobacco

Citing statistics showing that cigarette smoking will take the lives of more young people than the combined use of all drugs, a bipartisan group of lawmakers stepped up their attack against easy access to tobacco products by children. Several in the group urged the enactment of legislation that would end easy access, vowing to buck the powerful tobacco lobby, an important source of political campaign contributions. The legislation would, among other things, prohibit the distribution of free tobacco samples in public places, limit the placement of cigarette vending machines to areas off limits to minors, such as bars, and require state licensing of tobacco sellers. Another measure would increase the state tax on cigarettes from 35 to 45 cents a package. The additional money would help close an anticipated $10-billion state budget shortfall.