Newark students and residents press council to ban flavored tobacco and vapes; staff says draft ordinance expected in October

Catherine Faraci, a ninth grader at Newark Memorial High School, and resident and registered nurse Renata Farajii urged the Newark City Council to adopt a strong Tobacco Retail Licensing (TRL) ordinance that would prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol, hookah and vaping products, with no exemptions.

"I came here today to voice my support for a stronger tobacco retailer licensing ordinance in Newark, which would include banning flavored hookah and vapes with no exemptions," Faraci told the council during the public comment period. She asked the council to include enforcement measures such as at least one annual compliance check and a youth decoy operation per store.

Farajii, who said she works with asthma and allergy patients, told the council that youth vaping has increased in recent years in area middle and high schools and called for Newark to follow other Alameda County cities that have enacted full bans. "I'm coming here today to ask you to ban all vapes in Newark," she said, adding she would share a review of health evidence with the council.

Both speakers cited public-health research in urging a broad approach. Faraci referenced material attributed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about youth initiation with flavored products; Farajii cited the 2022'23 California Healthy Kids survey results for Newark Unified School District in arguing that youth access to vapes remains a problem.

City staff responded that a draft Tobacco Retail Licensing ordinance has been circulated to stakeholders. "Staff has engaged, has conducted a few stakeholder meetings, including the retail licensees. Staff has drafted an ordinance, and we are preparing that for consideration, and presentation of the council, at a council meeting in October, potentially as early as Oct. 10," said Mister Banu, a city staff member. He reminded speakers that state law prevents council members from debating non-agenda items in the open meeting and directed residents to provide contact information to Community Development Director Steven Turner for follow-up.

What happens next: The council has not debated or voted on the ordinance at this meeting. Staff indicated the TRL ordinance will return to the council for consideration in October and encouraged residents who spoke to follow up with Steven Turner so their concerns can be reflected in the draft ordinance.