Breathe California recognizes and implements three successful strategies in its Tobacco Control programming: advocacy work, education and outreach, and quit smoking services. This three-pronged approach leads to reduced tobacco product consumption and increased quit rates in our communities. The amazing work of Breathe California staff and volunteers were instrumental in getting these ordinances passed – huge successes for Tobacco Control policy in our communities!

On January 14th, 2020: The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted to ban the sale of flavored tobacco, including menthol, and flavored e-cigarette products in unincorporated areas of the county, require tobacco retailers to pay an annual licensing fee, limit the number of tobacco retail licenses to 1 per 2,500 unincorporated residents, and set a minimum retail price of $8 per pack of 20 cigars.

On February 11th, 2020: Los Altos City Council voted to prohibit the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes, prohibit the sale of tobacco in pharmacies and stores that contain pharmacies, and prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco. Unfortunately, the ordinance as passed also exempts stores that only sell tobacco from any of the new restrictions.

On May 19th, 2020, Palo Alto City Council voted 4-3 to mirror the County ordinance to further restrict their Tobacco Retail License! Santa Clara County’s tobacco retail licensing program is among the strongest in the state.

On May 12th, 2020, Oakland City Council unanimously passed an emergency ordinance that not only ends the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol, but also ends the sale of electronic smoking devices and the sale of tobacco sold in pharmacies. Also, they set a minimum price and pack size for products. The 2017 tobacco ordinance created a loophole that would allow the selling of flavored tobacco in “adult only” tobacco stores. This caused the amount of those stores to go up tenfold but the new ordinance abolishes that loophole.

On May 5th, 2020, Pleasanton City Council voted to approve the first reading of their proposed tobacco retail ordinance. The ordinance will prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco city-wide with no exemptions. It will also prohibit the sale of electronic smoking devices and related paraphernalia city-wide, prohibit new tobacco sales within 1,000 feet of public schools/parks/recreation centers, and establish a minimum price floor and pack size requirements. Lastly, it will be prohibiting discounts/coupons/promotions, and including a reasonable grace period between adoption and enforcement.

At a meeting on May 28th the city of Hayward’s Planning Commission forwarded a recommendation to the City Council to approve stringent new controls on their Tobacco Retail Code.