26 Nov Brentwood Residents Celebrate Strongest Youth Tobacco Policy in County

Brentwood residents and the Contra Costa Health tobacco prevention program celebrate their tobacco policy success on Nov. 14. (Emily Molina / The CC Pulse)

By Emily Molina

Concerned about rising vaping among local teens and an increase in tobacco retailers in the city, Brentwood families and health advocates gathered Nov. 14 to celebrate a major win: the passage of what they say is the county’s strongest tobacco-prevention policy designed to reduce youth access to tobacco products.

With the support of the Contra Costa Health tobacco prevention program and the Village Community Resource Center, the group of residents worked for over a year to bring to the attention of the Brentwood City Council the rise in tobacco use among Brentwood youth.

When registered nurse Flora Dodoo noticed that some of her young patients had a high nicotine dependency, the mother of four felt a responsibility to help prevent tobacco access among Brentwood youth.

“I came in thinking like a nurse to the community,” said Dodoo. “Tobacco is taking our childhood away from them because of the pressures of it.”

>>>Curbing Youth Tobacco Sales a Social Justice Issue, Advocates Say<<<

Dodoo said the issue of nicotine addiction among youth has changed since her childhood because the rise of newer products like flavored e-cigarettes has made tobacco use more appealing to young people.ette flavors and newer products appealing to youth.

At the Aug. 26 City Council meeting, the Brentwood Police Department reported that of the 25 tobacco retailers they inspected, five illegally sold tobacco to minors.

According to the 2024 California Healthy Kids Survey, 24% of 11th graders surveyed in the Liberty Union High School District reported ever using vape products, and 11% reported use within the last 30 days.

Data also showed the local retail landscape was shifting.

“Between 2020 and 2023, tobacco retailers in Brentwood increased 33% which was the highest increase of tobacco retailers within the county,” said Isabelle Kirske, who leads the tobacco prevention effort.

The increase raised concerns. In 2022, the City Council passed an emergency moratorium on new smoke shops after a neighboring city tightened its tobacco rules, prompting concerns that retailers would shift toward Brentwood, where fewer regulations existed. At the time, Brentwood was one of only two Contra Costa jurisdictions with any local tobacco protections.

“The steep increase in tobacco retailers, combined with Brentwood being one of only two jurisdictions with any tobacco sales regulations, made it clear that change was needed,” Kirske said in an email.

Contra Costa Health collected data that guided the effort. Store observations showed that 79% of retailers were selling flavored products prohibited under SB 793, the state’s flavored tobacco ban. A community survey found that two-thirds of Brentwood residents wanted the City Council to take action to reduce youth access and prevent sales near schools.

The tobacco retail policy will require stores to have a license to sell tobacco products, prevent stores that sell tobacco from being near schools, and require annual compliance inspections.

Thirteen Contra Costa jurisdictions now have similar protections, but Kirske said Brentwood’s is the most comprehensive because it includes built-in enforcement and a fee structure that fully funds inspections.

“With enforcement being a core component of the license, instances of retailers selling prohibited tobacco products will hopefully be reduced or non-existent as inspections occur more regularly,” she wrote.

Tobacco Retailer License policies are measures that cities can implement to address youth tobacco use. A 2019 study in California found that communities with a strong tobacco policy experienced a positive impact, with youth being 33% less likely to have started using cigarettes.

For volunteers like Brenda Lozano, the victory reflects a year of learning and stepping into community-oriented work.

Lozano, a stay-at-home mom who recently moved to Brentwood, received support from the Village Community Resource Center and the tobacco prevention team as she attended council meetings and spoke with council members about youth tobacco use.

“When I joined the group, it was because I’m someone who likes to advocate and explore,” said Lozano.

She expressed a feeling of empowerment working alongside her neighbors to find solutions to a serious public health issue.

“Our future is our children, and through this work, I formed great ideas to help the community.”