Claremont Cops To Fight Underage Vaping, Tobacco Use

CLAREMONT, CA — The Claremont Police Department was awarded $77,258.00 in state grant funding from California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to combat the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to minors. The grants, $37.5 million in total, were distributed to 71 entities throughout the state. The Claremont Police Department will use these funds to conduct enforcement operations, educate retailers, install signage, provide youth outreach and programs in schools, inspect tobacco retail licensed establishments, train sworn personnel, and other activities.

“Tobacco remains a very serious public health concern,” said Attorney General Becerra. “These grants will provide additional tools to law enforcement to help educate kids about the dangers of smoking. The grants will also help local communities enforce laws against selling tobacco products to minors. These grants are an important step toward reducing illegal sales and building a healthier California.”

Proposition 56 (Prop. 56), the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016, was approved by voters in November 2016. Effective April 2017, it raised the cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack, with an equivalent increase on other tobacco products. Prop. 56 specifically allocates $30 million of revenue to be distributed annually by the California Department of Justice to local law enforcement agencies for the support and hiring of peace officers for various activities, including investigations intended to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors.

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