By Khalida Sarwari
For the fourth year in a row, a local coalition awarded Saratoga its highest marks in tobacco-control efforts among cities in Santa Clara County.
The “Tobacco Retail Environment Report Card” was released by the Tobacco Free Coalition of Santa Clara County and Community Advocate Teens of Today, in partnership with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, to monitor Santa Clara County cities’ tobacco-control policies and encourage enforcement efforts.
Grading was based on tobacco advertising and displays and preventing youth access to tobacco. Points were awarded for a high compliance rate with window advertising regulations, enforcement of underage tobacco sales laws and creation of policies requiring a tobacco retailer license. Saratoga received 95 out of 100 points, placing it in the “A” grade category.
Councilman Chuck Page credited the grade to the work of business owners and law enforcement officials.
“We’ve stepped up from the beginning and started doing things [like] putting restrictions on the sale of tobacco,” he said. “We’ve put in place the no smoking in parks. This all adds up.”
The city continues to “maintain the status quo,” Page said. That entails monitoring retail establishments and upholding restrictions on where tobacco can be sold.
On June 19, the Saratoga City Council approved a resolution supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of menthol in cigarettes and flavoring in tobacco products. The council took action at the request of participants in the Menthol and Flavored Tobacco Prevention Project, a Santa Clara County Tobacco Free Coalition-led initiative. The initiative is part of a larger effort to reduce the number of new smokers and make tobacco products less attractive to youth.
Page had said last year that he would like to see Saratoga move to smoke-free business districts over the next few years, especially in outdoor dining areas. He reiterated that he would still like to see that happen, but as long as the other stakeholders in the community are on board, from the residents to restaurant owners and the Chamber of Commerce. There are no restrictions currently on smoking outside of restaurants.
“I’m looking to make this a priority,” he said. “In certain commercial districts it would make sense. I’d want to talk to business owners and restaurant owners and see if they feel that way … and make sure we get a law that works for our whole city.”
It would help if more restaurants began offering al fresco dining, Page said, because that could be a catalyst for making those changes.
“Once restaurants do more outdoor eating, that will then give us more of a reason to say, ‘Gee there shouldn’t be smoking in that area,’ ” he said.
Smoking remains banned in Saratoga’s parks and on school campuses.
Saratoga is grade ‘A’ when it comes to local tobacco control
