2012 -- S 2522 AS AMENDED

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LC01831

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - CHILDREN

     Introduced By: Senators Pichardo, Metts, Felag, and Jabour

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-9-13.7 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-9 entitled "Children"

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are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-9-13.7. Signs concerning sales to individuals under age eighteen (18). -- Signs

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provided by the department of mental health, retardation and hospitals, behavioral healthcare,

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developmental disabilities and hospitals, or an exact duplicate of it made privately, shall: (1)

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Contain in red bold lettering a minimum of three-eighths (3/8") inch high on a white background

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the following wording: in both English and Spanish:

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     THE SALE OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO PERSONS

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UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IS AGAINST RHODE ISLAND LAW (Section 11-9-13.8(1), Rhode

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Island Statutes) PHOTO ID FOR PROOF OF AGE IS REQUIRED FOR PURCHASE.

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      (2) Contain the phone number at the department of mental health, retardation and

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hospitals, behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, where violations of

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sections 11-9-13.2 -- 11-9-13.19 can be reported, in addition to any other information required by

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the department of mental health, retardation and hospitals behavioral healthcare, developmental

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disabilities and hospitals.

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     (3) Be The signs shall be displayed prominently for public view wherever tobacco

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products are sold at each cash register, each tobacco vending machine, or any other place from

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which tobacco products are sold. The signs shall be electronically available in both English and

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Spanish online on the website of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental

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disabilities and hospitals.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 11-9 of the General Laws entitled "Children" is hereby amended by

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adding thereto the following section:

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     11-9-13.8.1. Signs concerning the health effects of tobacco. – (a) Cigarette smoking

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causes many harmful effects. In Rhode Island, seventeen and three-tenths percent (17.3%) of

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adults, and twenty and three tenths percent (20.3%) of women of child bearing age, eighteen (18)

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to forty-four (44) years of age, are smokers. Smoking in women of child bearing age increases the

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risk of preterm delivery. Premature and low birth weight babies face an increased risk of serious

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health complications during the newborn period, chronic lifelong disabilities and health problems,

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and death. Smoking causes approximately eighty-seven percent (87%) of all lung cancer deaths,

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as well as causes cancer of the larynx, mouth, pharynx, esophagus and bladder. Smoking also

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increases the risk of heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in the United States. In

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all, tobacco use causes nearly one in five (5) deaths, killing four hundred forty-three thousand

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(443,000) people in the United States each year, yet smoking is the single most preventable cause

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of death in the United States.

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     (b) Signs provided by the department of behavioral health care, developmental

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disabilities and hospitals, or an exact duplicate of it made privately, shall: (1) Contain in red bold

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lettering a minimum of one-quarters of an inch (1/4") high on a white background the following

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wording, in both English and Spanish: WARNING: SMOKING CIGARETTES CONTRIBUTES

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TO LUNG DISEASE, CANCER, HEART DISEASE, STROKE AND RESPIRATORY

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ILLNESS AND DURING PREGNANCY MAY RESULT IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT AND

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PREMATURE BIRTH.

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     (c) The signs shall also include information regarding resources available to Rhode Island

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residents who would like to quit smoking.

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     (d) The sign shall be displayed prominently for public view wherever tobacco products

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are sold at each cash register, each tobacco vending machine, or any other place from which

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tobacco products are sold. The sign shall be electronically available in both English and Spanish

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online at the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals

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website.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2012.

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LC01831

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - CHILDREN

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     This act would require the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental

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disabilities and hospitals to issue new smoking warning signs which would include language that

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smoking can contribute to lung and heart disease, respiratory illness, and that smoking during

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pregnancy can result in premature births and low birth weights. The new signs would also

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encourage smokers who want to quit to call a phone number on the sign or visit a website for a

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quit smoking organization.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2012.

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LC01831

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