HB0603 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 07354 RLC 17440 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0603

Introduced 2/6/2009, by Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough - LaShawn K. Ford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

720 ILCS 685/2	from Ch. 23, par. 2358-2
720 ILCS 685/3	from Ch. 23, par. 2358-3
720 ILCS 685/4	from Ch. 23, par. 2358-4

Amends the Tobacco Accessories and Smoking Herbs Control Act. Provides that no person shall knowingly sell, distribute, or offer for sale or distribution in this State or to any person in this State a flavored cigarette.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning criminal law.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Tobacco Accessories and Smoking Herbs Control Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, and 4 as follows:

(720 ILCS 685/2) (from Ch. 23, par. 2358-2)

Sec. 2. Purpose.

(a) The sale and possession of marijuana, hashish, cocaine, opium and their derivatives, is not only prohibited by Illinois Law, but the use of these substances has been deemed injurious to the health of the user.

It has further been determined by the Surgeon General of the United States that the use of tobacco is hazardous to human health.

The ready availability of smoking herbs to minors could lead to the use of tobacco and illegal drugs.

It is in the best interests of the citizens of the State of Illinois to seek to prohibit the spread of illegal drugs, tobacco or smoking materials to minors. The prohibition of the sale of tobacco and snuff accessories and smoking herbs to minors would help to curb the usage of illegal drugs and tobacco products, among our youth.

(b) The General Assembly finds and declares that there has been a proliferation of flavored cigarettes in recent years. Many of these products have flavors that are particularly attractive to minors. These cigarettes have included flavors such as various fruits, candy, chocolate, vanilla, honey, sugar or sugar substitute, nut, mint, cocoa, desserts, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, herb and spice flavorings or other flavorings that are attractive to minors. According to survey evidence and public health experts, minors are more likely to choose flavored cigarettes and thus the existence of these products increases the incidence of cigarette use among minors. Moreover, the earlier that an individual begins using tobacco, the more likely he or she will become addicted to tobacco products and will continue to use tobacco products throughout his or her lifetime. Accordingly, flavored cigarettes result in increased tobacco use, increased addiction, a greater incidence of smoking-related illnesses, increased health care costs, and more smoking-related deaths. The General Assembly therefore finds and declares that the existence of flavored cigarettes presents a significant threat to public health and to minors, and that the sale of flavored cigarettes must be restricted.

(Source: P.A. 82-487.)

(720 ILCS 685/3) (from Ch. 23, par. 2358-3)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to this Act:

(a) "Tobacco accessories" shall mean cigarette papers, pipes, holders of smoking materials of all types, cigarette rolling machines, and other items, designed primarily for the smoking or ingestion of tobacco products or of substances made illegal under any statute or of substances whose sale, gift, barter, or exchange is made unlawful under this Act.

(b) "Smoking herbs" shall mean all substances of plant origin and their derivatives, including but not limited to broom, calea, California poppy, damiana, hops, ginseng, lobelia, jimson weed and other members of the Datura genus, passion flower and wild lettuce, which are processed or sold primarily for use as smoking materials.

(c) "Bidi cigarette" means a product that contains tobacco that is wrapped in temburni or tendu leaf or that is wrapped in any other material identified by rules of the Department of Public Health that is similar in appearance or characteristics to the temburni or tendu leaf.

(d) "Flavored cigarette" means any cigarette product, or any component part thereof (including but not limited to the tobacco, paper, or filter, and any components for roll-your-own cigarettes), which contains a natural or artificial constituent or additive that causes such cigarette or its smoke to have a characterizing flavor other than tobacco or menthol.

(e) "Characterizing flavor" includes but is not limited to any fruit, candy, chocolate, vanilla, honey, sugar or sugar substitute, nut, mint, cocoa, dessert, soft drink, alcoholic beverage, herb or spice flavoring, but does not include tobacco or menthol. In no event shall a cigarette or any component part thereof (including but not limited to the tobacco, paper, roll or filter) be construed to have a characterizing flavor based solely on the use of additives or flavorings, or the provision of an ingredient list made available by any means.

(Source: P.A. 91-734, eff. 1-1-01.)

(720 ILCS 685/4) (from Ch. 23, par. 2358-4)

Sec. 4. Offenses.

(a) Sale to minors. No person shall knowingly sell, barter, exchange, deliver or give away or cause or permit or procure to be sold, bartered, exchanged, delivered, or given away tobacco accessories or smoking herbs to any person under 18 years of age.

(a-5) Sale of bidi cigarettes. No person shall knowingly sell, barter, exchange, deliver, or give away a bidi cigarette to another person, nor shall a person cause or permit or procure a bidi cigarette to be sold, bartered, exchanged, delivered, or given away to another person.

(a-6) No person shall knowingly sell, distribute, or offer for sale or distribution in this State or to any person in this State a flavored cigarette.

(b) Sale of cigarette paper. No person shall knowingly offer, sell, barter, exchange, deliver or give away cigarette paper or cause, permit, or procure cigarette paper to be sold, offered, bartered, exchanged, delivered, or given away except from premises or an establishment where other tobacco products are sold. For purposes of this Section, "tobacco products" means cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or tobacco in any of its forms.

(c) Sale of cigarette paper from vending machines. No person shall knowingly offer, sell, barter, exchange, deliver or give away cigarette paper or cause, permit, or procure cigarette paper to be sold, offered, bartered, exchanged, delivered, or given away by use of a vending or coin-operated machine or device. For purposes of this Section, "cigarette paper" shall not include any paper that is incorporated into a product to which a tax stamp must be affixed under the Cigarette Tax Act or the Cigarette Use Tax Act.

(d) Use of identification cards. No person in the furtherance or facilitation of obtaining smoking accessories and smoking herbs shall display or use a false or forged identification card or transfer, alter, or deface an identification card.

(e) Warning to minors. Any person, firm, partnership, company or corporation operating a place of business where tobacco accessories and smoking herbs are sold or offered for sale shall post in a conspicuous place upon the premises a sign upon which there shall be imprinted the following statement, "SALE OF TOBACCO ACCESSORIES AND SMOKING HERBS TO PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR THE MISREPRESENTATION OF AGE TO PROCURE SUCH A SALE IS PROHIBITED BY LAW". The sign shall be printed on a white card in red letters at least one-half inch in height.

(Source: P.A. 91-734, eff. 1-1-01.)