Corte Madera explores tighter tobacco restrictions
Corte Madera is pursuing stronger tobacco laws.
The Town Council on Tuesday considered introducing an ordinance placing limits on merchants, but delayed the vote to tweak the language.
The town’s ordinance is modeled after a Marin County ordinance that passed last year. The county’s law prohibits tobacco retailers from accepting coupons or providing discounts on tobacco products; requires retailers to prominently display the cost of tobacco products and keeps tobacco products in the manufacturer’s original packaging; and bans electronic smoking devices, heated smoking devices, and their components.
The council unanimously agreed to also include a ban on the sale of tobacco and nicotine pouches. The revised ordinance will be reintroduced at the next council meeting. A similar ordinance was adopted in Fairfax last month.
The town also directed staff to explore the possibility of a full tobacco and nicotine ban. Corte Madera has seven tobacco retailers.
“No matter what we do on these pouches, the this, the that, the vape, they’re going to come up with something else,” said Councilmember Pat Ravasio. “I really think the only solution is to pursue the ban.”
Tiburon and Ross passed full bans last year. Neither town has tobacco retailers.
The countywide movement, spurred by a group of Marin youth who have made the rounds at various council meetings, is aimed at preventing young people from purchasing tobacco products.
On Tuesday, student after student spoke during public comment.
“As a Redwood High School student, I see these products on campus every single day, whether it’s in the bathroom, the back of a class or hidden use during lunch or passing period,” said 17-year-old Tatum Bouy. “These products have single-handedly destroyed the health of hundreds of kids across the TUHSD school district.”
Nora Minkoff, a fourth-grade student, said her grandfather has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a result of using tobacco.
“It makes me sad to see him like that,” she said. “I don’t think kids should be seeing cigarettes and vaping in stores like they’re normal. I hope our town can help protect kids and families from these things.”
Vice Mayor Fred Casissa said he wasn’t aware of nicotine pouches or their use until meeting with some student advocates last month.
“A year ago there was nothing like this in Marin,” he said to the students. “You have got the county, Tiburon, Ross, you now have Fairfax, and you have Corte Madera. Think of the impact you’re making, so be proud.”
If restrictions are passed, the county would be responsible for enforcement and would work with retailers on education and compliance, according to Anita Renzetti, senior program coordinator for the county’s Tobacco Prevention Team.
While all council members supported researching a ban, Mayor Rosa Thomas said the council should consider the potential consequences of implementing bans “in an effort to protect people from different things.”
“Will this open up whatever could be next?” she said. “Are we going to ban alcohol? Or cars?… I think it’s really important to look at where do we want to end up and how we craft our laws so that we don’t have unintended consequences as we go forward.”