[ Search ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
91_SB1583
LRB9112815STsbA
1 AN ACT concerning distribution of bidi cigarettes.
2 WHEREAS, Recent studies by the United States Centers of
3 Disease Control and Prevention, and by other organizations,
4 have found that a product known as "bidi cigarettes" has
5 become increasingly popular among young people; and
6 WHEREAS, Bidi cigarettes generally deliver more nicotine
7 and are therefore more addicting than other cigarettes, in
8 part because they contain tobacco that is wrapped in a
9 slow-burning material that requires shorter and harder puffs
10 to withdraw the smoke; and
11 WHEREAS, A number of reports have indicated that one
12 reason for the gaining popularity of bidi cigarettes is the
13 product's similarity in appearance, and in some cases odor,
14 to marijuana cigarettes; and
15 WHEREAS, Studies have indicated that cigarettes are a
16 "gateway" drug for some youths who go on to use illegal
17 drugs; and
18 WHEREAS, It is reasonable to conclude that prohibiting
19 the sale of bidi cigarettes will lead to a reduction in
20 smoking addiction among youths, will remove a product that
21 may be particularly likely to lead young smokers to illegal
22 drugs, and will eliminate law enforcement problems that may
23 be associated with a common product that resembles marijuana
24 cigarettes; now therefore
25 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
26 represented in the General Assembly:
27 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Bidi
28 Cigarette Act.
-2- LRB9112815STsbA
1 Section 5. Distribution of bidi cigarettes prohibited. No
2 person shall sell, give away, barter, exchange, or otherwise
3 furnish to any other person a bidi cigarette.
4 As used in this Section, "bidi cigarette" means a product
5 that (i) contains tobacco that is wrapped in temburni or
6 tendu leaf, or that is wrapped in any other material
7 identified by rules of the Department of Public Health that
8 is similar in appearance or other characteristics to the
9 temburni or tendu leaf; and (ii) does not contain a smoke
10 filtering device.
11 Section 10. Penalties.
12 (a) Any person convicted of a first offense for
13 violating Section 5 is guilty of a petty offense and shall be
14 punished by a fine of $200.
15 (b) Any person convicted of a second offense in a
16 12-month period is guilty of a petty offense and shall be
17 punished by a fine of $400.
18 (c) Any person convicted of a third or any subsequent
19 offense within a 12-month period is guilty of a petty offense
20 and shall be punished by a fine of $600 for the third and
21 each additional offense.
22 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23 becoming law.