The wording of the new ordinance points to environmental and safety problems that littered cigarette butts can cause, and cites how butts can "lead to severe burns and/or ingestion hazards to park patrons and wildlife, can significantly detract from a healthy environment, and reduce the enjoyment of the County's beaches and parks." Those in violation of the ordinance could be subject to a $74.50 fine, plus possible additional costs
Julia Vassey, lead author of the study and a researcher at the UC Berkeley Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Leukemia and the Environment, said the study found that the average amount of likes on pro-vaping Instagram posts actually went up once the FDA campaign started
Smokers habits and choice of brands, moreover, served as a marker of identity, typically reflecting differences in socio-economic standing, regionalism, and political beliefs
dying every year from smoking-related causes
RJ Reynolds and other major tobacco companies have a profit motive for supporting the amendment while taxes on their products would increase by 60 cents a pack, taxes on their off-brand competitors would increase by $1.27 a pack (the reason for this is fairly technical and involves an equity fee being assessed on certain tobacco companies due to a court settlement from the 1990s)
