Story by Rafa Estolano-Sridharan
Staff Writer
Photo by Madeline Madrigal
Staff Photographer
The Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center delivered a presentation to the South Pasadena City Council concerning reducing youth access to tobacco during the council’s Sept. 4 meeting. Dr. Julia Ruedas and other experts also discussed attitudes towards tobacco and recommended policy changes alongside members of the South Pasadena Breathe Clean Coalition.
Ruedas presented statistics about youth access to tobacco in LA County. Research found that 64 percent “of current and former adult smokers” began smoking by age 18, and 96 percent had started smoking by the age of 26. Further, of current hookah users in LA County schools, 87 percent reported using flavored hookah. Ruedas then handed off to American Academy of Pediatrics Tomas Torices to discuss the ways that tobacco use affects youth.
10 percent of high school students currently vape or use tobacco products, according to Torices. In 1999, that number was 29 percent, but public health interventions brought it down to 3 percent by 2016. However, today that statistic has risen to 10 percent because of vapes and flavored tobacco. Torices also emphasized that early vape use had a much stronger potential to cause nicotine addiction later in life, and left the council with literature concerning nicotine addiction and American Academy of Pediatrics policy recommendations.
Ruedas also introduced a list of tobacco licensing policies that have been developed since the passing of the retail permit 15 years ago. Among the policies was the establishment of minimum prices on tobacco products, limiting the sale of tobacco products in “youth sensitive areas,” and “closing exemptions,” meaning extending of California’s flavored tobacco ban to previously exempted products.
A 2024 survey of South Pasadena tobacco retailers found that 80 percent of retailers had “at least one flavored tobacco product on display.” Additionally, more than one third surveyed were convenience stores with gas.
A separate survey conducted the same year found that 13 percent of South Pasadena retailers were willing to sell tobacco products to those aged under 21. In surveys from previous years, 0 percent of retailers were willing to sell to people younger than 21.
The presentation also went over public attitudes toward tobacco in the South Pasadena community. According to a 2024 public opinion survey, 62 percent of South Pasadena residents believed the City Council should take action on tobacco, 90 percent are concerned about the use of fruit flavors to market to young people, 70 percent support a law prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco, and 75 percent support a law prohibiting tobacco products from being sold in pharmacies.
After her presentation, Ruedas introduced members of the South Pasadena Breathe Clean Coalition. Coalition member Judith Harris went over Breathe Clean’s goals of reducing access to tobacco products and educating the community on tobacco related issues. Harris also talked about her concerns on the strength of drugs in vapes. Another coalition member, Myron Quon, talked about the need for a stronger, more comprehensive policy on tobacco retail in South Pasadena. With that, Ruedas concluded her presentation.
Mayor Evelyn Zneimer communicated that since the passage of SB 793, which bans flavored tobacco, South Pasadena’s municipal code for tobacco control has been out of compliance. Zneimer took a moment to direct City Attorney Roxanne Diaz to conduct a review of South Pasadena’s tobacco control ordinance to be in compliance with SB 793. Council member Michael Cacciotti added an amendment to review the ordinance “to strengthen [the] ordinance to prevent sales of [tobacco] products to minors.”
The City Council plans to revisit the issue in November.
Good morning. Please note that Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center has officially changed their name to Los Angeles General Medical Center.