Chula Vista, Calif. Passes First Reading of Flavored Tobacco Ban, Premium Cigars Exempt

On Tuesday, Chula Vista took a significant step towards becoming the latest city in California to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, as the city council unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance that will do just that.

The ordinance is largely focused on electronic cigarettes, which the ordinance referred to as “starter products” for youth. As such, it does contain an exemption for shisha, loose-leaf tobacco and premium cigars, which the city defines as “any cigar that is handmade, has a wrapper that is made entirely from whole tobacco leaf, and has a wholesale price of no less than twelve dollars. A Premium Cigar does not have filter, tip, or non-tobacco mouth.”

In real-world terms, this presents the same issue as several other bans passed within the state. In order to qualify for the exemption, a premium cigar would have to have an MSRP of approximately $24, which then becomes quite a bit more at the register once taxes are added, upwards of $37 by halfwheel estimates using California’s current tax rate of 56.93 percent of the wholesale price.

The exemption mirrors the statewide ban that will go before voters as Proposition 31 in the upcoming November election.

Chula Vista’s ordinance must still go through a second vote before it can become law. If approved again, the ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, and notably includes products with menthol, which has been a controversial topic for other cities passing similar bans.

Chula Vista is home to approximately 275,000 residents, making it the second largest city in San Diego County and the seventh most populous city in California.