Nicotine Use In Kids: Murrieta Gets State Funding To Combat It

MURRIETA, CA — Murrieta City Council is poised to sign off on a $134,061 state grant aimed at preventing tobacco use — cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vaping, etc. — in local children.

During the Feb. 6 City Council meeting, councilmembers are set to accept the grant from the California Department of Justice that was applied for by the Murrieta Police Department.

With the money, Murrieta police and the Murrieta Valley Unified School District will collaborate to develop and schedule classes for all students at MVUSD elementary, middle and high school campuses. Among the project’s goals is to increase awareness among students on the negative health effects of consuming tobacco products, according to city documents.

The money will also be used to help ensure retailers comply with federal, state and local laws regarding sales of tobacco products. Nationwide, it is illegal to sell a tobacco product to anyone under 21 years of age — no exceptions.

In California, a “tobacco product” is defined as a product containing, made, or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption, whether smoked, heated, chewed, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed or ingested. This includes traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and snuff. “Tobacco product” also includes an electronic smoking device that delivers nicotine or other vaporized liquids to the person inhaling from the device such as an electronic cigarette, cigar, pipe or hookah, according to the California Department of Public Health.

In October 2023, the state DOJ informed the Murrieta Police Department that its application was approved for the highly competitive three-year grant authorized under the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016.

See the full Feb. 6 Murrieta City Council meeting agenda here. The 6 p.m. meeting takes place at City Hall, 1 Town Square.