CHULA VISTA, Calif. — The city of Chula Vista voted unanimously in favor of banning flavored tobacco products in the area on Tuesday.
City leaders heard the concerns of both high school kids and convenience store owners.
Students who spoke at the meeting say flavored tobacco is the reason their friends are developing chronic diseases.
Business owners on the other hand, are upset that city staff did not include them in the city’s study when gathering data on the impact tobacco is having on the city.
Many speaking at the meeting demanded leaders vote for the proposed ordinance that could make tobacco products unlawful to sell or distribute in the city.
“Children are way more susceptible in purchasing these items because of peer pressure and the targeting from major companies,” said Danica, who goes to Bonita High School.
The products are already banned in the city of San Diego, unincorporated areas of San Diego county, Imperial Beach and Encinitas, but high school students from Bonita high school say Chula Vista needs to be next.
Others in support of the ban argue the products are harmful and the only group that benefits from the sale of them are tobacco companies.
According to the National Youth tobacco survey, in 2021 more than 2 million kids nationwide used e-cigarettes, and 85% of them used flavored tobacco products.
However—tobacco companies say a ban is the wrong action, adding that they take pride in their business and have enforced the law of not selling tobacco products to minors.
They also say the ban will only cause a significant loss of revenue to small convenience stores.
“We are really only two months away from the whole state of California, every citizen is going to tell them what they think and what they believe is this ban will happen or not. By the time this ordinance is implemented it will be less than a month away. I want to know what the urgency was,” said Arkan Somo, who owns a liquor store in the city.
The ban will go into effect January 1, 2023.
WATCH RELATED: Chula Vista latest community that could ban sale of flavored tobacco products (September 2022)