GOLETA — Starting in December, flavored tobacco products can’t be sold in Goleta.
The Goleta City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday in favor of the ban at the city’s 32 licensed tobacco retail locations.
The ban will be in effect within the city limits.
The city is the latest to adopt a ban, following the actions of Santa Barbara County and the cities of Carpinteria, Santa Maria and Guadalupe.
“We have taken this action to protect the health and safety of our vulnerable youth,” Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said in a news release. “Testimony from countless parents, teachers and medical professionals convinced us that this action is both justified and necessary.”
The ban is independent of Senate Bill 792, a statewide ban that the legislature adopted in 2020. It won’t take effect unless approved by California voters in the November 2022 election. Until then, cities are deciding on their own rules.
— Dave Mason
