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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 16, 2015 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-h <br /> SUBJECT: Resolution on Rescinding Preemption of Local Tobacco Control <br /> DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1) Youth Access Law (North Carolina <br /> General Statute 14-313) Colleen Bridger, 919-245-2412 <br /> 2) Centers for Disease Control Letter Coby Jansen Austin, 919-245-2424 <br /> Regarding Preemption <br /> 3) Orange County Board of Health <br /> Resolution to Rescind Preemption <br /> 4) Proposed Board of Commissioners <br /> Resolution <br /> UNDER SEPARATE COVER <br /> 5) 2014 Point-of-Sale Strategies Report <br /> — Only available electronically <br /> at http.//cphs s.wust1.edu/Products/Oo <br /> currents/CPHSS TCLC 2014 Point <br /> ofSa12Strate ies1.j2df <br /> PURPOSE: To adopt a resolution (Attachment 4), which is similar to an Orange County Board <br /> of Health resolution, that calls on the North Carolina General Assembly to restore local control <br /> over tobacco policies by rescinding preemption. <br /> BACKGROUND: Research shows that the strongest, most innovative, and most effective <br /> tobacco control policies have most often originated at the local level. However, preemptive <br /> legislation at the state level prevents local communities in North Carolina from implementing <br /> most tobacco control policies related to the retail environment (e.g., price, promotion, minimum <br /> sale age, taxation, licensing). Preemption became effective almost two decades ago when the <br /> Youth Access Law (Attachment 1) was adopted. That law was recently modified to extend <br /> preemption to a-cigs as well. To re-institute local control, the North Carolina General Assembly <br /> would need to revise this statute. <br /> In March 2015, an Institute of Medicine report showed that increasing the minimum legal sale <br /> age for tobacco to 21 years would reduce youth initiation and save lives. More than 58 <br /> communities in 12 states have increased the minimum sale age, and Hawaii is poised to be the <br /> first state to do so. Multiple opinion polls show popular support for raising the tobacco sales age <br /> to 21. Orange County and other localities in NC are preempted from changing the minimum <br /> legal sales age. <br />