Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors closer to adopting a ban on the sale of filtered tobacco products
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Santa Cruz County is one step closer to banning cigarette butts locally.
The Board of Supervisors moved forward with an ordinance Tuesday created to prohibit the sale of filtered tobacco products.
If the ban gets adopted, enforcement would take effect January 1, 2027 or when two other cities pass a similar ordinance, whichever comes later.
"Cigarette butts are the singular most picked up item on the Monterey Bay, beaches, rivers and public areas," said Katie Thompson, Save Our Shores executive director. "Over a 10 year period, we removed nearly half a million cigarette butts from beaches, rivers and parks, which make up about a third of the plastic debris that we pick up."
Those in favor of the ban say that it will help tackle environmental and health issues impacted by cigarettes, while those who oppose the ban are concerned about a reduction of income for local businesses.
"I think we need to find other solutions. We've been proposing solutions like having disposals at the beach and having some of my colleagues are going to speak on behalf of that issue," said Felix Blanco, a local business owner. "But what I urge you to do for us, Santa Cruz, businesses, all the retailers, we're not going to be able just to adjust,"
Dozens of people showed up to the supervisors meeting Tuesday for public comment on the ordinance consideration.
Supervisors ended up voting unanimously to move forward with the ordinance as well as mentioned focusing outreach to help retailers in adjusting to the proposed changes.
The Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors considers a ban on the sale of filtered tobacco products
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors is considering an additional restriction in the fight to tackle plastic pollution locally.
They are looking into a proposed ordinance that could soon ban the sale of filtered tobacco products like cigarettes in the county.
In May 2023, the Board of Supervisors recognized tobacco product waste as a public health and environmental threat, and even assembled a county subcommittee who worked for 16 months developing the ordinance in response to reducing tobacco litter.
According to the county, the only opposition that they've received has been from tobacco retailers who worry about the loss of income from lower sales.
“The reason why we didn't ban all tobacco products is because we do understand that there would be an impact to the retailers, and we're really being data driven," said Santa Cruz County District 3 Supervisor Justin Cummings. "I mean, cigarette butts are what we're picking up on the beach, right? And so there's a wide variety of products that will still be offered.”
Supervisor Cummings also addressed the fiscal concerns over a potential loss in tax revenue by telling KION that the move would balance out the amount of money they're already spending on public cleanups.
There's a public discussion about the ordinance scheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m., and if it gets adopted, it would take effect on January 1, 2027.
