The Philadelphia City Council Committee of Public Health and Human Services held a hearing to discuss the status of Tobacco sales and regulation. The Committee discussed resolution 241149, which covered the prevalence of vaping among children and the effectiveness of current enforcement. Nina Ahmed, the chair of the Committee, and the vice-chair, Quetzy Lozada – who was absent from the meeting – have spearheaded the conversation around the tobacco sale violations toward minors. Chair Ahmed mentioned how close the country was to eradicating tobacco use, especially in younger generations. It was the birth of E-cigarettes and vaping devices that derailed the hard work and valiant efforts.
Cindy Bass, the councilwoman for the eighth district, spoke at the meeting and emphasized the importance of educating the public on the harms of tobacco and e-cigarette use. Bass also stated the need for increased product costs and banning advertisements for the substance in the media. There is a significant misconception about the use of tobacco products that they are safer and more regulated; that is rarely the case.
Philadelphia as a city is in a deficit in regulating tobacco use, as was stated during the hearing. Many smoke shops sell and market products without a valid tobacco license and will also sell fake illegal products to their customers. Essentially, smoke shops will sell cigarettes in packages resembling genuine cigarette cartons but are packed with fake cigarettes that are full of unknown matter – not tobacco. As Bass put it, they are “selling a product that is not the product you think it is.” As well, these packages are not stamped with the necessary Pennsylvania tax stamps or licenses to both operate and sell tobacco.
Tobacco sales in Philadelphia have been increasingly occurring under the radar. The inability to regulate the market and transactions happening in relation to tobacco, especially minors in the city, has created a strain and worry on the council.
Robert Listenbee, the first assistant District Attorney for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, appeared before the committee to discuss the vaping restrictions imposed on sellers in the city. Listenbee brought before the council Title 18 Section 6305 of the PA crime code, which “prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors. It also prohibits the placement of tobacco vending machines in places accessible to minors,” as was stated during the hearing. Title 18 Section 6305 reiterates the urgency of important tobacco-selling regulations.
Minor transactions concerning tobacco and e-cigarettes have various fines depending on the seller. Penalties for violations of selling to underage people range from $100 to 1000, depending on the level of the infraction. Minors lying about their age and attempting to purchase tobacco are sentenced to 75 hours of community service and can be fined $200.
