Mohave Today

A proposed tobacco ordinance that aims to decrease tobacco and e-cigarette use by youths is headed to Tempe City Council for two public hearings and a vote. 

The proposed ordinance would increase the age to purchase tobacco products in Tempe from 18 to 21 and implement a licensing program for tobacco retailers.

The public is invited to attend and provide comments at two public hearings. The first hearing will be held Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. and the second public hearing and vote is scheduled for Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. Meetings are held at Tempe City Council Chambers, 31 E. Fifth St. or virtually. Submit comments or request to speak at tempe.gov/clerk.

Currently, Arizona is one of 10 states that does not have a statewide tobacco licensing registry. This means that retailers who sell tobacco products can continue to sell the products even after repeated violations for selling to minors. The proposal would establish a citywide registry, which would enact penalties to ensure compliance and revoke a license for repeat offenses. 

If passed, Tempe would join other Arizona cities, such as Tucson and Flagstaff, which have passed retail tobacco licensing ordinances and raised the minimum age to 21 in alignment with federal legislation signed into law in 2019. The current proposal does not ban flavored tobacco products.

The proposed tobacco seller’s annual license fee is $300. Fees and penalties will go toward enforcing the ordinance. In order to apply for a license, retailers must complete the Arizona Retail Tobacco Training.

Proposed penalties:

•    First violation: $500 and the agent of the tobacco retailer must attend an Arizona retail tobacco training class

•    Second violation: $750 and the tobacco retailer is prohibited from selling tobacco products for 7 days

•    Third violation: $750 and the tobacco retailer is prohibited from selling tobacco products for 30 days

•    Fourth violation: $1,000 and license revocation

The ordinance was brought forward by Tempe City Council’s Human Services and Community Safety Committee, which is chaired by Councilmembers Doreen Garlid and Joel Navarro. Two rounds of public input were held over the last year to gather feedback about proposed policies. 

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 51% of Arizona high school students have tried electronic vaping products. In 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning that e-cigarette use has become an epidemic among youth.

Learn more at tempe.gov/TobaccoOrdinance

Original source can be found here.