A Northern California metropolis has moved to ban the sale of all tobacco and nicotine merchandise from shops within the rich enclave.
The Corte Madera City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to advance an ordinance that will prohibit companies from promoting, commercially distributing or delivering tobacco and nicotine merchandise throughout the Marin County group, in response to SFGate.
The sweeping ban would cowl conventional cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco, in addition to newer merchandise comparable to e-cigarettes, vapes, heated tobacco gadgets and nicotine pouches comparable to Zyn.
Corte Madera — which has a median family earnings $232,763, in response to the U.S. Census Bureau — is house to roughly 10,000 folks. The ordinance would give retailers a restricted window to filter out their stock earlier than the ban takes impact.
Underneath the proposal, shops could be allowed to promote their remaining tobacco and nicotine merchandise by Jan. 31, 2027.
Starting Feb. 1, 2027, gross sales of the merchandise could be prohibited.
The measure doesn’t ban residents from personally possessing or utilizing tobacco or nicotine merchandise.
The council’s vote got here after an emotional public-comment session that included a number of college students from Redwood Excessive Faculty’s Tobacco Use Prevention Schooling group.
Mari Silva, a senior on the faculty, urged officers to consider households who’ve already misplaced family members to tobacco-related sicknesses, SFGate reported.
“Take into consideration the folks not right here,” Silva stated. “Defend yet another household from this type of loss.”
One other Redwood scholar, junior John Watson, informed council members that he misplaced his grandfather to smoking and stated he usually sees college students utilizing tobacco or nicotine merchandise in class bogs.
“I ask that you simply assist these children … you’ll be serving to them and a whole technology,” Watson stated.
The problem has additionally sparked fierce opposition, with some residents warning that the city might be crossing a harmful line.
Corte Madera resident David Macpherson described the proposal as a “slippery slope,” whereas resident Peter Massick bluntly declared: “I’m additionally in opposition to prohibition.”
Councilmember Eli Beckman, nevertheless, argued that the council ought to take the scholars’ considerations severely.
Beckman backed an possibility that will additionally prohibit gross sales of tobacco and nicotine merchandise marketed for “different therapeutic functions.” He stated a current go to to Redwood Excessive Faculty drove house how prevalent nicotine pouches have turn into, claiming he noticed faculty rest room urinals crammed with them.
Beckman was joined by council members Pat Ravasio and Fred Casissa in voting to maneuver the measure ahead.
The city had beforehand cautioned residents on social media that an Aug. 4 assembly on the topic was solely a step within the course of and that no ban had but been adopted at that time.
The council waived extra readings of the ordinance, that means the measure is predicted to return at a future assembly for formal adoption.
The proposal additionally comprises an exception for FDA-authorized tobacco-cessation or therapeutic merchandise when they’re marketed and offered solely for his or her accredited goal.
If adopted, Corte Madera would successfully turn into a no-go zone for retailers seeking to promote cigarettes, vapes, Zyn and different lined nicotine or tobacco merchandise, whereas residents would nonetheless be free to own and use them.
