Commission backs tobacco licensing

The Santa Cruz County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission recently endorsed licensing of tobacco retailers in unincorporated county areas.
Commissioners who met July 20 in Scotts Valley unanimously adopted a resolution recommending that county supervisors enact an ordinance to require the licenses.
Laurie Lang, director of the County Health Services Agency Project, and health educator/coordinator Andrea Silva-Solano addressed commissioners on the need for licensing to enforce state tobacco laws and to curb the sale of tobacco products to youth.
A recent Youth Tobacco Purchase Survey conducted in Santa Cruz and the county’s unincorporated areas showed a high rate of retailers willing to sell tobacco to minors, Silvia-Solano said.
Commission Chairman Peter Nichols blamed the high rate on a lack of enforcement.
“It’s clear to me that some retailers are taking advantage of the situation in order to increase tobacco sales,” he said.
Lang said the annual licensing fees are necessary to support law enforcement.
In May, the American Cancer Society reported that more than 60 communities in California had adopted similar measures. The report noted positive results in before-and-after retail sales surveys.
“In some cases, cities and counties reported amazing reductions in stores willing to sell to teenagers after the ordinances were passed,” Silvia-Solano said.
The commission resolution urged that some of the licensing fee proceeds be dedicated to prevention and treatment programs run by the Health Services Agency. It also urged supervisors to encourage cities to enact similar requirements.
“In order to be effective, the annual licensing requirement would have to apply to retailers throughout the county,” Lang said.