San francisco

SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco will become the first major city in the United States to ban the sale of e-cigarettes as officials look to control the rapid uptick in teenage use of nicotine devices made by companies such as Juul Labs Inc.The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance on Tuesday (Jun 25), banning the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes until they have approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.States and cities across the United States have already moved to ban flavored e-cigarettes and raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21, but San Francisco's new approach is the most far-reaching yet.No other major cities have proposed a similar hardline ban, though San Francisco's move could lead others to consider it.The city council in Beverly Hills, California, this month approved a ban on the sale of tobacco products beginning 2021, though it carved out exceptions for some cigar lounges and hotels.Juul, which is based in San … [Read more...] about San Francisco first major US city to ban e-cigarette sales

San Francisco will become the first US city to ban all sales of e-cigarettes. (Bangkok Post photo) SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco supervisors moved a step closer Tuesday to becoming the first city in the United States to ban all sales of electronic cigarettes to crack down on youth vaping.In a unanimous vote, supervisors approved a ban on the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes until the Food and Drug Administration completes a review of their effects on public health. Another proposal would ban the manufacturing of e-cigarettes on city property. The measures will require a subsequent vote before becoming law. "We spent the '90s battling big tobacco, and now we see its new form in e-cigarettes,'' supervisor Shamann Walton said. The supervisors acknowledged that the legislation would not entirely prevent youth vaping, but they hoped it would be a start. "This is about thinking about the next generation of users and thinking about protecting the overall health and sending a … [Read more...] about San Francisco closer to ban on e-cigarette sales

SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco on Tuesday became the first US city to ban use of facial recognition technology by police or other government agencies. Backers of the legislation argued that using software and cameras to positively identify people is, as city councillor Aaron Peskin put it, “not ready for prime time”. All but one of the nine members of San Francisco’s board of supervisors endorsed the legislation, which will be voted on again next week in a procedural step not expected to change the outcome. “The propensity for facial recognition technology to endanger civil rights and civil liberties substantially outweighs its purported benefits, and the technology will exacerbate racial injustice and threaten our ability to live free of continuous government monitoring,“ read the legislation passed Tuesday. The ban was part of broader legislation setting use and auditing policy for surveillance systems, creating high hurdles and requiring board approval … [Read more...] about San Francisco bans facial recognition use by police