Santa Cruz County Bans Sale of Filtered Cigarettes, Cigars

The county became the first to make a countywide ban on the sale of filtered cigarettes and cigars, according to nonprofit Action on Smoking and Health.

Big Tobacco has found creative and inventive ways to continue selling billions of dollars worth of their killer products.Nopphon_1987/Shutterstock

Santa Cruz County in California has officially adopted a ban on the sale of filtered cigarettes and cigars in unincorporated areas, a move intended to reduce litter on the beaches.

Supervisors adopted the ban officially on Oct. 29 after voting unanimously in favor of it three weeks earlier.

Under the new law, for which enforcement does not begin until Jan. 1, 2027, stores will be subject to a temporary suspension of their tobacco licenses if they are found selling filtered cigarettes or cigars. Smoking filtered tobacco products remains legal.