Provide feedback on a proposed ordinance that would establish a tobacco sales license, enact fees to ensure compliance, and raise the minimum age of tobacco purchase to 21 years old.
Do you support establishing a tobacco sales license in the City of Tempe?
Yes
Why or why not?
Tobacco products are potentially addictive and depending on which product is used, can be deleterious to one's health. If laws are established to monitor sales to minors, there must be penalties to enforce the laws. One penalty would be the removal of the license to sell products to anyone for repeated violations of the prohibition on sales to minors.
If a tobacco sales license is established, do you support the proposed fees to ensure compliance?
Yes
Why or why not?
The fees should be used exclusively to pay for enforcement activities. Otherwise, enforcement activities are not likely to happen or not frequently enough to be effective.
Do you support increasing the minimum age for purchase of tobacco products to age 21?
Yes
Why or why not?
Tobacco products are potentially addictive and depending on which product is used and can be deleterious to one's health. Similar substances like alcohol and marijuana have age 21 sale limitations. If laws are established to monitor sales to minors, there must be penalties to enforce the laws.
Do you currently use tobacco products?
No
Do you currently own, manage or work at an establishment that sells tobacco products?
No
Do you have any other comments?
These laws strike the correct balance between the public health need to protect youth but allow access for adults. Specifically, we should not restrict e-cigarettes (tobacco and other flavors included) because they are a proven lifesaving tobacco harm reduction strategy for adults who want to use nicotine but are unable or unwilling to quit the much more dangerous forms of nicotine like combustible cigarettes. Complete prohibition of products that adults want to use did not work for alcohol or marijuana and it will not work for e-cigarettes.
Tempe Forum is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in Tempe Forum is voluntary. The responses in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any government agency or elected officials.
Do you support establishing a tobacco sales license in the City of Tempe?
Why or why not?
Tobacco products are potentially addictive and depending on which product is used, can be deleterious to one's health. If laws are established to monitor sales to minors, there must be penalties to enforce the laws. One penalty would be the removal of the license to sell products to anyone for repeated violations of the prohibition on sales to minors.
If a tobacco sales license is established, do you support the proposed fees to ensure compliance?
Why or why not?
The fees should be used exclusively to pay for enforcement activities. Otherwise, enforcement activities are not likely to happen or not frequently enough to be effective.
Do you support increasing the minimum age for purchase of tobacco products to age 21?
Why or why not?
Tobacco products are potentially addictive and depending on which product is used and can be deleterious to one's health. Similar substances like alcohol and marijuana have age 21 sale limitations. If laws are established to monitor sales to minors, there must be penalties to enforce the laws.
Do you currently use tobacco products?
Do you currently own, manage or work at an establishment that sells tobacco products?
Do you have any other comments?
These laws strike the correct balance between the public health need to protect youth but allow access for adults. Specifically, we should not restrict e-cigarettes (tobacco and other flavors included) because they are a proven lifesaving tobacco harm reduction strategy for adults who want to use nicotine but are unable or unwilling to quit the much more dangerous forms of nicotine like combustible cigarettes. Complete prohibition of products that adults want to use did not work for alcohol or marijuana and it will not work for e-cigarettes.