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Flavored Tobacco Papers Outlawed in Illinois

The law, which takes effect immediately, bans the sale of all tobacco wrapping papers including cigarette papers, blunt wraps and cigar wraps that are flavored with anything other than menthol.

It's now illegal to sell flavored tobacco papers in Illinois under a measure Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law Thursday.

The law, which takes effect immediately, bans the sale of all tobacco wrapping papers including cigarette papers, blunt wraps and cigar wraps that are flavored with anything other than menthol.

Supporters of the law argued that the papers, which come in flavors including grape, chocolate and vanilla, were marketed to children and young adults who use them to roll drugs such as marijuana and crack cocaine.

Anyone caught selling flavored papers will face fines that start at $100. Like any of the hundreds of new state laws passed each year, it will have to be enforced to be fully effective.

The law also establishes tougher penalties for the sale of heroin by lowering the amount of the drug -- from 5 grams to 3 grams -- someone must sell to be eligible for prison.

©2012 the Chicago Tribune

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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