Sonoma County Bans E-Cigarette Sales
Sonoma County supervisors voted to ban the sale of nicotine vaping products in a 4-1 vote last week. The ban applies only to unincorporated areas of the county.
The decision followed a survey indicating e-cigarette use is a serious problem among the county’s youth. 46% of 11th-graders say they have used vapes. According to 76% of local kids, obtaining e-cigarettes is “fairly” or “very” easy.
"Today’s action signals the Board’s ongoing commitment to the health and safety of local youth," said Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Coursey. "By banning the sale of certain tobacco products that have pervaded youth culture, we can make it harder for children to access these dangerous products."
Other jurisdictions within the county have passed similar bans, including Petaluma, Sebastopol and Windsor. The state also bans most flavored tobacco products.
According to Patch, the ban will impact 79 licensed tobacco retailers in unincorporated Sonoma. In addition, supervisors have increased the minimum sales price of a pack of cigarettes from $7 to $10.
