R- 10354City Council Meeting: October 14, 2008 .Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 10354 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA MONICA SUPPORTING LOCAL AND STATEWIDE LAWS THAT PROHIBIT
THE SALE AND PROMOTION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN PHARMACIES AND
DRUGSTORES IN CALIFORNIA; AND URGING ALL LOCAL PHARMACIES AND
DRUGSTORES NOT TO SELL OR PROMOTE TOBACCO PRODUCTS
WHEREAS, tobacco use takes a tremendous toll on the health of Californians,
with nearly one of every five deaths in the state in 1999 attributed to smoking; and
WHEREAS, nonsmokers are also at extreme risk, with an estimated 4,560-7,800
nonsmokers dying. of lung cancer and ischemic heart disease from secondhand smoke
exposure each year in California; and
WHEREAS, in addition to health, the economic costs are unacceptably high with
the total cost of smoking in 1999 in California estimated to be $475 per resident or
$3,331 per smoker, for a total of nearly $15.8 billion in smoking-related costs (1999
dollars); and
WHEREAS, a majority (78 percent) of independently owned pharmacies in
California have gone tobacco free, however tobacco products are still sold by 94
percent of chain drugstores; and
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WHEREAS, of the independently owned tobacco-free pharmacies,. 88 percent
reported that they had experiehced either no loss or an increase in business since
removing tobacco from their shelves; and
WHEREAS, an overwhelming number of California consumers (96.8 percent)
indicate that they would continue to patronize their pharmacy or drugstore as often or
more often if it stopped selling tobacco products; and
WHEREAS, 72 percent of all California consumers are not in favor of tobacco
products being sold in drugstores and one-half of California smokers disagree or
strongly disagree that tobacco products should be sold through-drug stores; and
WHEREAS, overall, 80.6 percent of chain drugstore. pharmacists "disagree" or
"strongly disagree" that it is appropriate for pharmacies and drugstores to carry tobacco
products, and only 13.2 percent are in favor of tobacco products being sold in
drugstores; and
WHEREAS, pharmacies and drugstores are in the health care business,
providing goods and services to improve the well-being of Californians, it is
inappropriate for them to also sell tobacco products and thus contribute to tobacco-
related disease, suffering, and death,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
1. The City of Santa Monica strongly recommends and supports local and
statewide laws that prohibit the sale and promotion of tobacco products in all
pharmacies and drugstores in California.
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2. The City of Santa Monica urges all local pharmacies and drugstores
voluntarily to refrain from selling or promoting tobacco products.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
MA A J S OU I
Ci Attorne
Adopted and approved this 28th day of Oct
I, Maria Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Resolution No. 10354 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 28th day of October, 2008, by the following vote:
Ayes: Council members: Genser, Holbrook, McKeown, O'Connor, Shriver
Mayor Katz, Mayor Pro Tem Bloom
Noes: Council members: None
Abstain: Council members: None
Absent: Council members: None
ATTEST:
Maria Stewart, ity Clerk