The sale of flavored tobacco will be coming to an end in San Rafael, Calif., as city leaders voted 4-0 with one member absent on Tuesday to ban the sale of such products within the city.
As for what constitutes a flavored tobacco product, the city defines it as any tobacco product that contains a constituent that imparts a characterizing flavor, and looks to whether or not a manufacturer or any of the manufacturer’s agents or employees, in the course of their agency or employment, has made a statement or claim directed to consumers or to the public that the tobacco product has or produces a characterizing flavor. This could include text, color, and/or images on the product’s labeling or packaging that are used to explicitly or implicitly communicate that the product has a characterizing flavor.
Additionally, the city is also prohibiting pharmacies from selling any type of tobacco product.
The ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021, giving retailers time to sell off existing stock and prepare to comply with the ban.
San Rafael is located just under 20 miles north of San Francisco and is home to approximately 59,000 residents.