Tempe seeking feedback on proposed ordinance aimed at curbing youth vaping rates

Two public meetings and an online survey will gather feedback from community members & stakeholder groups about the proposed ordinance.

Oct. 12, 2022

TEMPE, AZ - The Tempe City Council is considering a potential ordinance that would aim to curb youth and teen vaping, which has reached epidemic levels in the United States. The city will be reaching out to stakeholders and the larger Tempe community to gather feedback about the proposed language before bringing an ordinance to a vote.

Two public meetings will be held along with an online public survey to gather feedback.

The current proposed ordinance would amend Tempe City Code by creating a requirement for a new tobacco sales license, prohibiting the sale of flavored vape products and defining the minimum age for purchase of tobacco products at age 21. If the proposed ordinance goes into effect, any business selling tobacco within the City of Tempe would be required to apply for a tobacco sales license.

After feedback is gathered and the changes are finalized, state law requires that written notice of the proposed new fee be advertised on the city’s website 60 days prior to its consideration. The City Council will then hold two public hearings before a proposed ordinance would be voted on by the Council.  An ordinance could come to the Council for consideration at the beginning of next year.

Public Meetings and Survey
Two public meetings – one virtual and one in-person – will allow community members to learn more about the ordinance, ask questions and submit feedback. The virtual meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 25 at noon. A recording of the virtual meeting will be available online after the event. The in-person meeting will take place the same day, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Tempe Transportation Center Don Cassano Community Room, 200 E. Fifth St. Free parking is available in the City Hall garage.

An online survey will be open on tempe.gov/forum through Oct. 30 for community members to read the proposed ordinance and provide feedback. Staff will be reaching out to stakeholders including businesses, Tempe school districts, parents and other groups to coordinate an additional stakeholder meeting.

Background
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 51% of Arizona high school students have tried electronic vaping products. Teens who vape are nearly four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes compared to their non-vaping peers. In 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning that e-cigarette use has become an epidemic among youth.

The issue of youth vaping was brought to the city by multiple nonprofits and organizations, including the Tempe Coalition. The Tempe City Council’s Human Services and Community Safety Committee took up the discussion after receiving direction to review this topic from the full Council at a Work Study Session on Nov. 17, 2021.

The committee reviewed research and developed a draft ordinance. At the committee’s meeting on June 24, 2022, Tempe City Councilmembers Doreen Garlid and Joel Navarro recommended the ordinance discussion be forwarded to the full City Council for consideration and public input.

“The heart of the issue here is public safety,” Garlid said. “We want our kids to be safe, and it is our responsibility as a community to do all that we can to make sure our youth and teens are protected from the long-term, negative effects of nicotine and cigarette use.”

“We know that cigarettes are harmful, and Tempe was one of the first cities to outlaw indoor smoking,” Navarro said. “We have the opportunity to be a leader and attempt to curb this issue so that the teens of today will not be subject to the serious health issues that come with these products down the line.”

Visit tempe.gov/vaping for more information.