HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-3-2018 Supplemental Attachment
Item 3.3. Preview of Annual Code Update for 2018 Page 1 of 1
CITY OF SARATOGA
Memorandum
To: Mayor Bernald & Members of the Saratoga City Council
From: Debbie Bretschneider, Interim City Clerk
Date: October 3, 2018
Subject: 2.1. Ordinance Amending Tobacco Retailer License Penalties & Banning Flavored
Tobacco (Written Communications)
After publication of the agenda packet for the October 3, 2018 City Council Meeting, the
attached written communications was received for 2.1. Ordinance Amending Tobacco Retailer
License Penalties & Banning Flavored Tobacco
[Type here]
Breathe California
of the Bay Area
1469 Park Avenue
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 998-5865
Toll-Free: 1-877-3-BREATHE
Fax: (408) 998-0578
www.breathebayarea.org
info@lungsrus.org
Tax ID#: 94-1156307
Board of Directors
Chairperson
Amresh Prasad
Secretary
Sulochina Lulla, MD
Treasurer
Justin Henry
Directors
Roslyn Bienenstock, RRT,
MPH
Thomas M. Dailey, MD,
FCCP
Tony Delas
Sogol Karkouti
Abhay Tewari
Acting Executive Director
Margo Sidener, MS, CHES
A member of the
Breathe America ™
Alliance
October 3, 2018
Saratoga City Council
City Hall
13777 Fruitvale Avenue
Saratoga, CA 95070
Dear Honorable Mayor Bernald and Councilmembers,
I am writing on behalf of Breathe California of the Bay Area to provide
information regarding the October 3, 2018 agenda item 2.1: Ordinance
Amending Tobacco Retailer License Penalties and Banning Flavored Tobacco.
Breathe California of the Bay Area is a non-profit organization founded in San
Jose, California in 1911 to fight lung disease in all its forms. As the clean air
and healthy lungs leader, Breathe California works with our communities to
promote lung health. We envision a world that promotes healthy lungs and a
healthy environment. Our organization is dedicated to working with
communities to provide education and eliminate the negative impacts caused
by tobacco use.
In 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gave the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to regulate the tobacco
industry. As you may know, this act prohibited cigarettes from containing any
characterizing flavor, exempting tobacco and menthol. Menthol is used in
many products that has a cooling and analgesic property. It masks the
harshness of tobacco and creates a cooling effect, making it easier to smoke.
These effects may make menthol more appealing to young, inexperienced
smokers. Using menthol tobacco products is also reported as making cessation
more difficult. There has been evidence from tobacco industry documents that
they disproportionately target African Americans, LGBTQ, ethnic
communities, blue collar workers, and low socioeconomic workers with
menthol products.
Thank you for your commitment to public health.
Sincerely,
Michelle Lam
Public Health Coordinator