JTI USA: Vote No on Proposition E on June 5

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May 30, 2018, 11:17 ET

TEANECK, N.J., May 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 5, San Francisco voters have the chance to strike down ill-conceived legislation, Proposition E, which would ban mentholated and flavored tobacco products, despite the fact these products are only legally available for adult consumers.

JT International U.S.A., Inc. (JTI USA) is a manufacturer of tobacco products based in New Jersey. We support sensible regulation of the tobacco industry, not legislation that unleashes unnecessary, unintended and unwanted consequences.

If Proposition E was to become law, it would:

Impact more than 700 retailers
Invite contraband cigarette smugglers into San Francisco, making illegal tobacco too easily available to minors

"Proposition E does little to protect minors, vulnerable to criminals who sell illegal tobacco products out of their cars," said Anthony Hemsley, JTI USA Corporate Affairs & Communications Director. "Criminals don't ask for ID. Minors should never smoke and should not be able to obtain tobacco products of any kind. The solution is to tighten the minimum purchase age enforcement – not arbitrarily ban entire categories of products."

Laws are in place to govern and determine who is allowed to purchase tobacco products, whether flavored or not. Prohibiting the sales of menthol and flavored tobacco and vapor products in San Francisco would simply push the existing demand for these products across city limits, where adult consumers have ready access to them, thus depriving hardworking San Francisco retailers of revenue.

"This short-sighted law will penalize an industry that complies with all regulations, pays taxes and creates jobs, while kicking open the doors to criminals to peddle illegal cigarettes to underage individuals," said Hemsley.

JTI is a leading international tobacco company with operations in more than 130 countries. In the USA, JT Group of Companies consists of: JTI USA, with four cigarette brands – Wave, Wings, Export 'A' and global flagship brand LD; Logic Technology Development, a category leader in the US vapor products market; and Prime Time International Distribution, an industry leader in filtered cigars and pipe tobacco. Globally, JTI employs close to 40,000 people and was awarded Global Top Employer for four consecutive years. JTI is a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies. For more information, visit www.jti.com.

SOURCE JT International U.S.A., Inc.