Watsonville Bans Flavored Tobacco, Vaping Devices

WATSONVILLE, CA — A ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products and electronic smoking devices in the city of Watsonville will go into effect beginning Nov. 23, 2019, as will the sale of all tobacco products in pharmacies.

The ban was unanimously approved by the Watsonville City Council during its regularly scheduled Oct. 22 meeting. City officials said the ban is an effort to protect the health of local youth.

“This is a great example of the community coming together to stand up to a corporate threat,” said Santa Cruz County Tobacco Education Coalition Co-Chair Rachel Kippen. “The alarming rise of youth vaping has been fueled by candy- and fruit-flavored products. The residents of Watsonville clearly said that our children’s health is not for sale.”

During the Oct. 22 Watsonville City Council meeting, more than two dozen community members spoke in support of the ordinance, including teens, parents and public health advocates. Local high school students talked about the peer pressure they face to vape and the toll they see it taking on their siblings and peers.

Other local jurisdictions, including the City and County of Santa Cruz and the City of Capitola, have also banned the sale of flavored tobacco products beginning January 1, 2020.

There are currently over 1,600 cases nationwide and 34 deaths associated with vaping use, according to an Oct. 22 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients who vape THC and/or nicotine products experience difficulty breathing, chest pain, fever, vomiting and weakness, according to the CDC.

The California Department of Health is warning people to avoid electronic cigarettes entirely until a cause has been determined.

“Watsonville has a responsibility to protect our youth," said Watsonville councilwoman Rebecca Garcia, who championed the ordinance. “Many in our community contacted us. We listened and consequently we decided to ban flavored cigarettes, vaping products and tobacco in pharmacies.”