Chula Vista leaders may put more restrictions on tobacco retailers in an attempt to crack down on illegal sales and concerns about “overconcentration” of the businesses on the city’s west side.
City councilmembers indicated last month they may consider new ordinance changes that would ban pharmacies from carrying tobacco products, cap the number of licensed retailers and establish higher fines. The council voted to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco in September 2022, several months before a statewide ban was passed.
Officials signaled interest in recent changes in nearby National City. Councilmembers there late last year imposed advertising limits, a cap on the number of retailers, and other restrictions based on density and proximity to places like parks, schools and daycares. Retailers with new permits can no longer operate within 1,000 feet of existing tobacco businesses…