Under 21? Soon You Won't Be Able To Buy Smokes At Some County Stores

SANTA CLARA COUNTY - Starting Jan. 1, 2016, the age to purchase tobacco and electronic smoking products in unincorporated Santa Clara County increases from 18 to 21, according to county officials.

The ordinance will affect 17 retailers located in unincorporated county areas. (A list of locations is provided below.)

“Our county continues to be a national leader in protecting the health of our residents, particularly our children and youth, from the harms of tobacco,” said Supervisor Ken Yeager in a statement. “The new tobacco purchase age of 21 clearly puts the health of our youth before any special interests.”

In June, the County of Santa Clara became the first California county to pass an ordinance raising the purchase age for tobacco and electronic smoking products.

In July, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department began notifying tobacco retailers of the new requirements that prohibits the selling and distributing of tobacco and electronic smoking products to anyone under age 21, and more recently through in-store education with store owners and/or employees in partnership with the Department of Environmental Health.

According to the county, these are the new ordinance requirements beginning Jan. 1:

• Retailers are required to post a notice of minimum age for purchase of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices at each point of purchase. The notice will state that selling tobacco products and electronic smoking devices to anyone under 21 years of age is illegal and subject to penalties.
• Positive identification will be required for purchases. No retailer shall sell or transfer a tobacco product or electronic smoking device to another person who appears to be under 30 years of age without first examining the customer’s identification to confirm that the customer is at least the minimum age required to purchase and possess the tobacco product.

It is estimated that 90 percent of tobacco users start before the age of 21; roughly 80 percent first try tobacco before age 18, and 75 percent of teen smokers continue into their adult years.

County officials cite a recent report by the Institute of Medicine that predicts raising the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products to 21 may, over time, reduce the smoking rate by about 12 percent and smoking-related deaths by 10 percent.

For more information, you can visit: www.sccphd.org/tobacco. The public may call the County Tobacco Violations Reporting Line 408-885-4466 to report non-compliant tobacco retailers in unincorporated Santa Clara County.

Tobacco retailers in unincorporated Santa Clara County needing more information about the Tobacco Retailer Ordinance and the new purchase age restrictions, can call the Santa Clara County Public Health Department at 408-793-2745 or email nicole.coxe@phd.sccgov.org.

TOBACCO RETAILERS IN UNINCORPORATED SANTA CLARA COUNTY

1. 7-Eleven Food Store #14278f/2234, 14700 Camden Ave., San Jose, Ca 95124

2. 7-Eleven Food Store #2233-14269a, 350 N White Rd., San Jose, Ca 95127

3. 7-Star Liquor & Groceries, 2115 Scott St., San Jose, Ca 95128

4. Bevmo! 14800 Camden Ave., San Jose, Ca 95124

5. Cask N Flask,14520 Camden Ave., San Jose, Ca 95124

6. Coyote Discount Bait & Tackle, 8215 Monterey Rd., Coyote, Ca 95037

7. H And S Tobacco Outlet, 14392a Union Ave., San Jose, Ca 95124

8. Mama’s Market, 13305 Sycamore Ave., San Martin, Ca 95046

9. Old Gilroy Service, 2035 Pacheco Pass Highway, Gilroy, Ca 95020

10. Redwood Store, 20121 Broadway Dr., Los Gatos, Ca 95030

11. Rocca’s Market, 13335 Monterey Rd., San Martin, Ca 95046

12. San Martin Gas & Mart, 13235 Monterey Rd., San Martin, Ca 95046

13. Santa Teresa Golf Club, 260 Bernal Rd., San Jose, Ca 95119

14. Smokers Lounge, 418 S Bascom Ave., San Jose, Ca 95128

15. Stuff N Puff, 1931 W San Carlos St., San Jose, Ca 95128

16. Tesoro/Shell #68117, 1370 Camden Ave., Campbell, Ca 95008

17. Tip Top Liquor, 439 S Bascom Ave., San Jose, Ca 95128

(Image via Shutterstock)