Tobacco Control News & Updates
A recent survey showed Californian voters would overwhelmingly support more regulation
of tobacco products and greater enforcement of laws against the sales of tobacco products
to minors.
On August 2, 2011, the Center for Tobacco Policy and Organizing released the
results from a survey of 600 California voters to assess their views on tobacco retailer
licensing ordinances and other policies in the tobacco retail environment. The poll showed
strong support (83%) for the idea that store owners should be required to obtain a
license in order to sell cigarettes. Enforcement measures include using underage youth
decoys, accompanied by law enforcement personnel, to check on whether stores are breaking
the law. Other highlights of the survey demonstrated support for several policy options
that can be "plugged-in" to the basic licensing ordinance, including restricting
the location of tobacco retailers near schools, requiring health warning signs to be posted
in stores, and prohibiting tobacco sales at businesses that sell meth pipes.
The survey results also showed that:
-
88% agree that a store owner who repeatedly sells cigarettes
to minors should have their license to sell tobacco products suspended
-
80% favor a fee of a few hundred dollars a year that would be used
to enforce the law against selling cigarettes to minors
-
82% support requiring stores that sell tobacco products to post
warning signs about the dangers of tobacco use
-
73% support a law prohibiting any business
located within 1,000 feet of a school from selling tobacco products
More than eighty-five cities and counties in California have adopted a strong local tobacco
retailer licensing ordinance. Other municipalities are considering the new policy options asked
about in this survey and incorporating them into local licensing laws.
The Sutter County Tobacco Control Program offers technical assistance on this issue and can be
contacted at (530) 822-7215.
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