Last month, California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta announced the awardees for the 2024-2025 Tobacco Grant Program, a program spearheaded by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) that aims to support local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to reduce illegal tobacco sales and usage, particularly among minors. Bonta also provided an update on “Operation Up in Smoke,” a comprehensive law enforcement operation targeting illegal tobacco sales. These updates illustrate that California continues to prioritize coordinated law enforcement efforts against businesses that make illegal tobacco sales, particularly to minors.

Overview of the Tobacco Grant Program

The Tobacco Grant Program is funded by Proposition 56, the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016. The act increased the California cigarette tax by $2 per pack, with equivalent increases on other tobacco products. A portion of the revenue generated by the tax increases is allocated to the California DOJ to administer the Tobacco Grant Program.

The primary objectives of the Tobacco Grant Program include:

  • Reducing the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors.
  • Enforcing state and local tobacco-related laws.
  • Educating the public about the dangers of tobacco use.

For the 2024-2025 cycle, the Tobacco Grant Program awarded a total of $28.5 million to 76 local agencies across California. These agencies include police departments, sheriff’s offices, and school districts. The grants will fund various initiatives such as undercover operations, retailer compliance checks, public education campaigns, and youth outreach programs.

Operation Up in Smoke

In conjunction with the announcement of the grant awardees, the AG’s office also released details on Operation Up in Smoke, which involved coordinated efforts between the California DOJ and local law enforcement agencies. Key highlights of Operation Up in Smoke include:

  • Undercover Operations: Law enforcement conducted undercover operations to identify retailers selling tobacco products to minors.
  • Compliance Checks: Retailers were subjected to compliance checks to ensure adherence to state and local tobacco laws.
  • Seizures and Citations: The operation resulted in numerous seizures of illegal tobacco products and citations issued to noncompliant retailers.

The detailed report on Operation Up in Smoke summarizes several key metrics:

  • Minor Decoys: 245 minor decoy operations were conducted across the state.
  • Number of Retailers Inspected: 204 retailers were inspected during the operation.
  • Seizures: More than $1 million worth of illegal tobacco products were seized, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
  • Citations Issued: Dozens of civil and criminal citations were issued to retailers throughout the state for violations such as selling tobacco products to minors, selling flavored tobacco products, and failing to comply with state and local regulations.

The California DOJ will likely continue to execute rigorous enforcement efforts and expand its initiatives to further reduce illegal tobacco sales.

Conclusion

The 2024-2025 Tobacco Grant Program and Operation Up in Smoke represent significant and coordinated law enforcement efforts in California’s battle to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco products in the state. By providing financial support to local agencies and conducting targeted enforcement operations, the state is taking an aggressive and proactive stance on combating these types of sales.