Chula Vista City Council
September 27, 2022

Ending the Sale of Flavored Tobacco
Products is a Win for Chula Vista!
John Dale Noriega,
Community
Organizer
Myth: Kids get their tobacco
products from the internet;
retailers do not sell to minors.
• Chula Vista Vaping & Smoking Survey (2021)
⚬ 44% of students got their tobacco products
from vape shops and convenience stores
⚬ 18% got their products from the internet
• County Young Adult Tobacco Purchase Survey (2020)
⚬ measured number of tobacco sales made to
persons under 21
⚬ 20% of tobacco retailers sold to minors
Fact: Prohibition is NOT
racist
• Big Tobacco has a long history of targeting and
exploiting historically marginalized groups for
corporate gain
• Although non-flavored tobacco product use has
decreased among young people, menthol cigarette
use is on the rise among Black, Latino, and White
youth
• Black community members die disproportionately
from tobacco-related diseases stemming from the
industry’s predatory marketing
Myth: Prohibition Will
Lead to Financial
Hardships • Business models are adaptable!
• Convenience stores were fully operational
before flavored tobacco became a regular
product
• Massachusetts saw an increase in the number
of convenience stores after flavored tobacco
products were prohibited
• When bars banned smoking, many argued
that bars would have to close
⚬ We have no shortage of bars
The Benefits of Ending the Sale of Flavored
Tobacco Products?
Prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco
products will:
⚬ Reduce the youth access and initiation of
tobacco products in Chula Vista
⚬ Lead more users to quit
⚬ Enhance health equity
⚬ Reduce health care spending
John Dale Noriega, Community Organizer
[email protected]