1. The Dance of Local Tobacco Legislation November 2003 - September 2005 Robert Peterson, M.P.H. Office of Tobacco Licensing County of Riverside Department of Public Health

2. The Problem Selected Riverside County Cities’ Sales to Minors Rate  Countywide- 44% –Riverside- 65% –Palm Desert- 50% –Banning- 33% –Corona- 29% –Indio- 16% Based on sting operations, 2002-2005

3. Steps To Licensing  Coalition Strategy  Survey  Letters of Support  Youth Commission  Building the Case  Walking the Board  Final Vote

4. The Survey  Random selection from the community  Unscientific study  Using the results –90%+ said underage tobacco use was a serious public health problem –86% favorable attitude toward licensing tobacco (similar to alcohol) Smokers and non-smokers included in survey

5. Youth Commission  One appointed to each of five supervisorial districts.  Meet in Board Chambers.  Identify youth problems  Propose solutions to youth problems.  Extremely valuable in licensing process.

6. Framing The Issue 1. S ales to Minors 2. E conomic Impact of Tobacco Use 3. P roduct Regulation

7. Need A License?

8. Upstream vs. Downstream  Today’s underage smoker is tomorrow’s emphysema and cancer patient.  Low SES individuals smoke at twice the rate of middle income individuals.  Tax payer burden will continue to grow UNLESS…

9. Walking The Board

10. Features of Ordinance No. 838 Riverside County Tobacco Retail Licensing Ordinance  Annual renewable license.  License fee- $350 annually.  No mobile sales of tobacco.  Must comply with all federal, state and local tobacco laws.  Age of clerk selling tobacco must be at least 18.  License revocation on first offense.  Department of Public Health is lead agency for oversight, regulation and enforcement.  No net cost to the county.

11. The Vote September 13, 2005 5-0 VICTORY!

12. “It is much easier to lead the revolution, than it is to govern.”