Explanation
BACKGROUND: On December 12, 2016 Columbus City Council approved ordinance number 3156-2016 to require retailers to obtain a license for selling tobacco products and product paraphernalia, and prohibit the sale of tobacco and product paraphernalia to individuals under the age of 21.
Columbus City Council’s Tobacco 21 program will prohibit tobacco sales, inclusive of all products and paraphernalia, including hookah, e-cigarettes, pipes, rolling papers, etc., to anyone under the age of 21. By raising the age for tobacco, other nicotine products and paraphernalia to age 21, we can reduce approximately 90% of new smokers from even starting the dangerous and addictive habit.
To increase awareness of the Tobacco 21 program, a Tobacco 21 educational campaign will be funded with the goal to aim to reach people living in Columbus, inform them of the new law and the risks of tobacco and of the new enforcement of Tobacco 21.
The campaign includes materials that will go directly to the tobacco retailers as well as messaging directed to consumers. The campaign will utilize social media, which can be geotargeted to specific neighborhoods and populations, to educate the population (both retailers and consumers) about the new law and dangers of tobacco products. There will also be outdoor elements to the campaign, such as bench ads and billboards, to bring the campaign into the neighborhoods our population walk, bike and drive through every day.
The purpose of this ordinance is to appropriate $45,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund to support the Tobacco 21 Educational Campaign.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency so as to allow this appropriation so that the Tobacco 21 Educational Campaign can begin as soon as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this ordinance shall be appropriated in the amount of $45,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund.
Title
To authorize and direct the appropriation of $45,000.00 within the Neighborhood ...
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