National City adopts tobacco retail licensing ordinance after contentious public hearing

National City’s City Council adopted a new tobacco retail licensing ordinance after a long public hearing that drew more than two dozen speakers for and against the measure.

The newly adopted ordinance establishes a city-issued tobacco retail license, sets a cap on the number of retail licenses, creates distance limits from sensitive uses, and defines a multi-part compliance program. The council’s final vote to adopt the ordinance was 3–2.

Supporters told council the licensing program is needed to reduce youth access to flavored nicotine products and strengthen local enforcement. “Tobacco retail licensing is not about punishing small businesses, it’s about accountability, ensuring retailers adhere to laws, protecting kids, reducing exposure to harmful products,” said Megan Stewart, a youth-prevention advocate. Irma Hernandez, chair of the local National City for a Better Health Coalition, told the council that “if you are responsible, then you’d have nothing to worry about” under the new rules.

Public-health organizations and county advocates also spoke in favor. Emily Miller, Community Impact Director for the American Heart Association in San Diego, urged the council to require more frequent “decoy” checks of sales to underage decoys. Blythe Young of the American Heart Association and Lena Delgado Flores of the American Lung Association urged the council to make annual checks routine and to fund enforcement through licensing fees.

Oppo…