Following in Watsonville’s footsteps, the Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday will weigh the creation of an tobacco retail license fee to fund programs designed to reduce access to cigarettes by minors. The council will vote on directing staff to study how many businesses would be affected and how the fee would be administered. The council would consider an actual proposal later. In August, Watsonville City Council passed a similar measure, ... Jump to full article >>

A new bill passed last month by the Minnesota Senate and House updates the state’s tobacco laws. It takes effect Aug. 1, 2010. The Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act of 2010, signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in May, makes sure tobacco cessation products won’t be taxed as tobacco products, among other changes. “This is an issue where legislators on both sides of the aisle agreed that more control is needed over these products,& ... Jump to full article >>