HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/07/2026 - Item 6.1 - Support of Zoning Amendments for Tobacco Retailers/Smoke ShopsTobacco-Free Coalition of Santa Clara County
150 W Tasman Dr
San Jose, CA 95134
May 7th, 2026
Gilroy City Hall
7351 Rosanna St.
Gilroy, CA 95020
RE: 5/7 Planning Commission Meeting – Item 6.1 – Support of Zoning Amendments for Tobacco Retailers / Smoke Shops
Dear Gilroy Planning Commission,
The Tobacco-Free Coalition (TFC) of Santa Clara County is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and well-being of
all communities throughout Santa Clara County. The Coalition includes 148 members across 60 stakeholder groups, including
local tobacco prevention, lung health, youth-serving organizations and community residents. We are writing to ask that the
City of Gilroy adopt a strong enforcement mechanism and have policy levers in place to prevent bad actors from returning.
Historically, the tobacco industry has targeted vulnerable populations, especially youth. Expansion of tobacco product
technology and flavors lure youth to try vaping, cigarettes, and other products like ZYN pouches. In Santa Clara County, the
average age that students first report using a tobacco product is 14 years old, and 83.8% report the first product that they try
is a vape. Flavored tobacco use in California is reported as highest for e-cigarettes / vapes (89.1%) out of all tobacco.
All tobacco products contain nicotine, which addicts and keeps users hooked on tobacco. Nicotine poisons adolescent brains
and is dangerous for youth brain development. Also, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Smoking alone costs California $43.54 billion in health care costs and reduced workforce participation from smoking-related
illness and early death.
A policy that strengthens Gilroy’s protection of youth is sales restrictions on all flavored tobacco and vaping products. The
State’s current code language makes exemptions for the sale(s) of flavored shisha by a hookah retailer, premium cigars sold in
cigar lounges, and looseleaf tobacco / premium cigars. Since there are no hookah or cigar lounges in Gilroy, this is an optimal
time to prevent this problem in the future by adopting a solution now. As a result, the City of Gilroy would continue to show
their residents, especially youth, how serious they are about protecting them from any future bad actors.
To the Tobacco-Free Coalition, the following provisions, in addition to a local flavor ban, would help keep Gilroy on its current
trajectory of protecting residents, especially youth:
• Detailed enforcement provisions, including adequate fees that will ensure enforcement activities
• Limitations in tobacco retailer density, including buffer zones from youth-sensitive areas and other retailers
• A cap on the number of retailers to address tobacco density issues
• Limit grandfathering to existing retailers, ensuring they do not apply to new retailers, and phasing them out over time
so all retailers comply with the updated TRL ordinance
We urge you to make the changes needed to keep Gilroy moving forward and protect current and future Gilroy youth from
the risk of trying tobacco, becoming hooked on nicotine and experiencing poor health outcomes as a result. Strengthening
enforcement and including the policy levers outlined above can better hold retailers accountable, prevent illegal sales, and
foster healthier, more equitable environments for all Gilroy residents.
Lastly, TFC of Santa Clara County is appreciative of your past efforts in Secondhand Smoke work in the past year. We thank
you for your ongoing support of this topic and continued commitment to ensure a healthy, united community in Gilroy.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Marvin, Chair of Tobacco-Free Coalition of Santa Clara County
Create healthy environments where you can live, work, play, and be…tobacco free!