Stockton Pauses New Tobacco Retail Licenses: A Critical Opportunity to Strengthen Protections

Stockton Pauses New Tobacco Retail Licenses: A Critical Opportunity to Strengthen Protections

submitted by Kimberly Bankston-Lee, Executive Director of The SOL Project

The City of Stockton has taken an important step forward by approving a 10-month moratorium on issuing any new tobacco retailer licenses. This temporary pause gives the city time to rework its ordinance and adopt stronger policies to better protect public health—especially for youth and vulnerable populations.

Down from the original number of 270 in 2023, there are 163 licensed tobacco retailers currently operating, the moratorium also halts the relocation, physical expansion, or reopening of businesses that have closed, helping to curb overconcentration of retailers in sensitive areas.

Now is the time to get it right for Stockton’s Tobacco Retail License (TRL) program.

The original goal of the TRL was clear: reduce the accessibility of tobacco products to minors and the broader community. Yet despite these intentions, a troubling trend had emerged. In 2023, 1 in 5 stores in Stockton illegally sold tobacco to minors, according to the Young Adult Tobacco Purchase Survey conducted by San Joaquin Public Health Services. Contrary to public conceptions, violations were not limited to smoke shops—36% were convenience stores, 29% were tobacco stores, 21% were liquor/convenience outlets, and 14% were small markets.

Recommendations for a Stronger TRL Ordinance

The Coalition for Tobacco Free San Joaquin is advocating for several key improvements:

• Include all retailers, not just smoke shops, in the ordinance requirements.
• Update definitions and enforcement strategies using technical assistance from the Public Health Law Center (PHLC) and align with national best practices.
• Eliminate exemptions that allow licenses to survive after a business closure, which perpetuates overconcentration.
• Require at least one compliance check annually per retailer, with a recheck within 90 days if violations occur.
• Increase the buffer distance to 1,000 feet between tobacco retailers and schools, parks, and other youth-sensitive areas.
• Prohibit license transfers when businesses close or the use of the property changes.

It is critical that enforcement applies directly to licensees—not individuals purchasing, using, or possessing tobacco—and that violations like retailing without a license are met with meaningful consequences, such as suspensions and fines.

The Coalition remains committed to working collaboratively with the City of Stockton to ensure the updated ordinance fulfills its original purpose: safeguarding the health and well-being of all Stocktonians. To learn more about, the Coalition, visit their facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/nosmokesj

Now is the time to act—and to ensure the TRL is a true tool for community protection, not just another policy on paper.