Sonoma County approves ban on e-cigarette, flavored tobacco sales in unincorporated areas
SONOMA COUNTY – The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products and electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes in unincorporated areas of the county.
County officials said in a statement that the changes are in response to public health data that show the increasing use of e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco among high school-aged youth.
A study by the California Healthy Kids Survey revealed 46 percent of 11th graders in Sonoma County said they have used an e-cigarette, and 76 percent of them responded that it is "fairly" or "very" easy to obtain e-cigarettes.
"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," Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement.
Sonoma County's recent move aligns with the cities of Petaluma, Sebastopol and Windsor, which have also banned the sale of e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco.
According to county officials, there are currently 79 licensed tobacco retailers in the county's unincorporated areas, comprising 23 percent of the total number of tobacco retailers throughout the county.
Since 2022, California law has banned the sale of most flavored tobacco products, with some exemptions. Local jurisdictions, such as Sonoma County, are allowed to implement more restrictive policies.
In 2022, the American Heart Association warned of the negative effects of flavored tobacco products and e-cigarettes on pulmonary and cardiovascular function, brain health, mental health and sleep health.