The town of Tiburon in Marin County is on the verge of becoming the first jurisdiction in Northern California to ban the sale of all tobacco and nicotine products. Last week, the Tiburon town council unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits the sale of products such as vapes, traditional cigarettes, and oral nicotine pouches like Zyn. The only exception is for FDA-approved smoking cessation products. The ordinance aims to address youth nicotine addiction, as Marin County teens reportedly vape at more than double the statewide average.
Tiburon Mayor Holli Thier introduced the ordinance, emphasizing the need to protect future generations from nicotine addiction. “By banning all tobacco sales, we’re preventing youth from getting addicted,” she said. The ordinance will be presented for adoption on November 5 and, if approved, will take effect 30 days later.
Rhett Krawitt, a senior at Redwood High School and a member of the county health department’s Youth Advocacy Committee, expressed support for the ordinance, citing the prevalence of vaping among his peers. “If you walk into the bathroom, it’s just a wall of vape smoke,” Krawitt said.
However, the ordinance has faced opposition from the National Association of Tobacco Outlets. Jaime Rojas, a representative, argued that the ban is unnecessary since Tiburon currently has no tobacco retailers. Rojas also stated that the policy would duplicate existing state laws and create additional enforcement costs.
The ordinance is backed by several public health groups, including the San Francisco Marin Medical Society and UCSF’s Center for Tobacco Control and Research. If passed, Tiburon would join Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach as the only cities in California with such comprehensive bans.
Recent Comments