SACRAMENTO, Apr 26th – The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee approved a bill to ban smoking and vaping of tobacco, cannabis and other medicinal herbs. The bill, AB 62 by Asm. Jim Wood, passed by a unanimous vote and now proceeds to the full Assembly.
Cal NORML opposed the bill on the grounds that it bans cannabis as well as tobacco, making it impossible for medical cannabis patients to inhale their medicine legally. Unlike cannabis users, tobacco smokers are allowed to smoke in the streets, where use of cannabis is banned under Prop 64. Cal NORML argued there is no reason to think that cannabis poses the same second-hand exposure risks as tobacco.
Other opponents of AB 62 included the ACLU, the Western Center on Law and Poverty and Califrornia Rural Legal Assisance Foundation. They argued against the inclusion of electronic cigarettes on the ground that it will increase the risk of eviction and therefore homelessneess among public housing residents, which is a greater health risk than smoking. Federal rules already prohibit smoking in public housing, but don’t include e-cigarettes. This is because there is no evidence that e-cigs pose a significant public health hazard, as they effectively eliminate harmful smoke toxins.
While anti-smoking zealots have successfully prevailed on the California legislature to treat vaping like smoking, British health authorities have advocated them as a helpful harm reduction substitute for tobacco users, citing evidence showing they are at least 95% safer than smoking.
Meanwhile, Cal NORML continues to hear from seriously ill Californians who are being evicted for smoking or vaping medical cannabis. Some landlords are even said to be tolerating tobacco smoking in common areas while disallowing cannabis use. So far, however, the state legislature has been deaf to appeals on behalf of cannabis users.
Cal NORML is joining with Americans for Safe Access for a Lobby Day in Sacramento on June 5, where this bill and others will be on the agenda. Sign up for Lobby Day.
Contact your Assemblyperson about AB 62. (Stay tuned for a NORML action alert.)
