Cigarettes have long wreaked havoc on the health of people who become hooked on their addictive properties. We all know the frightening statistics that have proliferated since the effects of smoking have been made public; according to The Real Cost, people who smoke cigarettes die ten years sooner than their non-smoking counterparts, with nearly 1 in 5 deaths occurring in the U.S. being smoking-related. Up until a 2006 landmark case that charged tobacco companies with breaking civil racketeering laws, these corporations lied to the public about the adverse effects of cigarette smoking. In a manipulative effort to expand their influence and popularity, these corporations purposefully hid the glaring mortality rates and gruesome health impacts that cigarettes cause, resulting in the deaths of more than 480,000 Americans each year. Big Tobacco was also charged with marketing its products to minors and minority populations.  

This does not even begin to touch on cigarettes’ detrimental environmental impacts. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the tobacco industry has cost 600 million trees, 22 billion tons of water, and 84 million tons of CO2. Not only do tobacco products constitute the “most littered item on the planet,” but roughly 4.5 trillion cigarette filters pollute the world’s bodies of water and its ecosystems. Cigarette pollution is then consumed by local wildlife, contributing to their premature deaths or life-threatening health problems.

Sayonara, Smoke!

Looking at Santa Cruz County in this vital context, residents can surely picture the remnants of pollution that collect on our beaches. Cigarette filters can be found strewn within the sand or littering the edges of scenic pathways, marring the beautiful coastal ecosystem we and the native creatures call home. One quantitative example of cigarette pollution can be seen in one of the most popular marine sanctuaries in California. A study conducted by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary between 2017 and 2021 revealed that cigarette butts made up a shocking 25% of all litter found on its beaches.

Despite this dismal image, county residents can find a reason to rejoice; as of October 8, 2024, Santa Cruz County approved a ban on the sale of filtered cigarettes in the unincorporated areas of Live Oak, Soquel, the San Lorenzo Valley, and others. This decision signals the beginning of a momentous shift toward prioritizing the health of our community rather than the profit of a multi-billion dollar industry.

Justin Cummings: An Agent for Change

The proposition to ban filtered cigarettes began with Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings. Cummings, elected in 2022, is the first African American appointed to the County Board of Supervisors and serves on the Arts Council Santa Cruz County, the Community Action Board, and the Integrated Waste Management Local Task Force. He also leads the Tobacco Waste Subcommittee alongside Supervisor Manu Koenig, which largely shaped the character of the proposal. The subcommittee, established in 2023, is backed by many community leaders, environmental activists, and nonprofits seeking to mitigate tobacco waste’s adverse effects on human and ecological health.

The proposal’s enforcement would begin in 2027 and temporarily revoke the tobacco licenses of stores selling filtered cigars and cigarettes. However, the sale of other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and unfiltered cigarettes, would remain unchanged. While the ban only narrowly aims at banning a specific type of product, it mirrors a broader trend of tobacco alienation within local communities.

Those disproportionately targeted by this manipulative industry are ready to say “sayonara” to cigarette smoke and its harmful toxins and “hello” to a healthier future thanks to Cummings’ strides. The ban will be subject to final approval on October 29, so watch out for the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors’s decision in the latter half of this month!