14-07RESOLUTION NO. 14-07
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CLEARWATER URGING TOBACCO RETAILERS TO
HELP STOP THE SALE AND MARKETING OF
FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN THE CITY OF
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the
United States, and almost 90 percent of tobacco users started using tobacco products
before they were 18 years old, and
WHEREAS, in Pinellas county, 1 in 5 high school students and nearly 1 in 14
middle school students have used tobacco in one of more forms in the past 30 days,
and
WHEREAS, according to the 2012 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, 17.% of
Pinellas County high school and middle school students have used or tried flavored
tobacco products, which is a 3.4% higher rate than Florida's rate of 13.9 %; and
WHEREAS, tobacco manufacturers are banned from directly or indirectly
targeting youth in advertising, marketing and promotion of tobacco products aimed at
initiating, maintaining or increasing youth use of tobacco in accordance with the 1998
Master Settlement Agreement; and
WHEREAS, research from the Harvard School of Public Health found that
tobacco manufacturers are targeting youth with flavored products that mask the harsh
and toxic properties found in tobacco smoke and spit residue; and
WHEREAS, internal tobacco industry documents strongly suggest that
manufacturers intentionally target youth through the various flavors in tobacco products
and their marketing; and
WHEREAS, tobacco companies use youth- oriented colorful and stylish
packaging, and exploit adolescents' attraction to flavors such as Green Apple, Cherry,
Root Beer, French Vanilla, Grape, Mango, Peach and numerous other flavors identified
in retail outlets in Pinellas County; and
WHEREAS, national studies have found that the vast majority of people using
these flavored tobacco products are youth and young adults; and
WHEREAS, research by the Students Working Against Tobacco youth and the
Tobacco -Free Coalition of Pinellas County found that 100 percent of tobacco retailers
sell flavored products of various kinds, and
Resolution 14 -07
WHEREAS, flavored tobacco products are defined as loose tobacco, snuff, flour,
plug and twist tobacco, fine cuts, long cuts, chewing tobaccos, dissolvable tobaccos,
snus, shisha tobaccos, cigarettes, cigarillo, cigars, other smoking and snuffing products
and all other forms of tobacco products, that contain any product or additive, either
artificial or natural, that is designed to be a characterizing flavor of either the tobacco
product or the byproduct it produces.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLEAWATER, FLORIDA:
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Clearwater urge all local retailers
who sell tobacco products to cease the sale and marketing of all candy flavored tobacco
products, which tend to promote and influence underage and /or youthful consumption;
and urges citizens not to purchase or use candy flavored tobacco products in order to
reduce the exposure and use of tobacco products to Clearwater's youth.
Section 2: That this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its
adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 6th day of February, 2014.
— geoflc(lCrc tHof
George N. Cretekos
Mayor
Approved as to form: Attest:
amela K. Akin
City Attorney
ilk -i`li (U a- dale
Rosemarie Call
City Clerk
2 Resolution 14 -07