The Oakland City Council unanimously voted May 12 to ban the sale of flavored and menthol tobacco products at all tobacco retailers, closing the so-called “tobacco store” loophole in the city’s 2017 ordinance. The exemption had permitted retailers to continue selling flavored tobacco at “adult-only” tobacco stores. As detailed by ASPiRE CAB member Paul Cummings at our CAB meeting last year, the exemption resulted in a dramatic increase in adult-only stores, with many retailers simply setting up a sequestered adult-only part of their stores so they could continue to sell flavored products. Most were located in low-income neighborhoods whose residents are people of color. The council also voted to require on-site purchase of tobacco products and mandate a minimum package size and price for cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes. Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said, “This measure is necessary to prevent flavored tobacco products from addicting a new generation of kids and reversing the enormous progress we have made in reducing youth tobacco use.”

Watch a CBS TV story about the vote.
Read a news release from the CTFK.