Mill Valley will ban all retail sales of tobacco products and e-cigarettes starting Feb. 1, 2027, after the City Council adopted the ordinance at its Monday, Oct. 5 meeting.

The ban covers cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches, vaping products and related devices. It also prohibits delivery sales into the city, including online, app-based and mail-order purchases, according to the city’s press release.

Five gas stations and convenience stores in Mill Valley sell tobacco products. All five will have to stop selling those products by Feb. 1.

The ordinance does not prohibit individual purchase, possession or use of tobacco products. FDA-authorized nicotine cessation products marketed and sold for their authorized purpose are also exempt.

“This is a big deal — after February 1, 2027 our community will say no longer will we allow the sale of harmful tobacco and nicotine products,” Mayor Max Perrey said in the city’s announcement.

The ordinance was placed on the Oct. 5 consent calendar. The council unanimously introduced the measure at its first reading on Sept. 21, according to the official action minutes.

Business impact

Eddie Diaz, co-owner of the Fuel 24/7 gas station and convenience store on Miller Avenue, told the council at the Sept. 21 first reading that tobacco products make up 52% of his store’s sales. Diaz said his business has donated more than $100,000 to local schools and verifies IDs for buyers 21 and older, according to Marin Independent Journal reporting reproduced by Enjoy Mill Valley.

City Manager Todd Cusimano estimated the ban would cost Mill Valley upward of $30,000 in sales tax revenue, according to the same report.

City staff began outreach to the five affected businesses before the council took up the ordinance and will continue an “education-first approach” through the transition period, according to the city’s press release.

Health data and history

Marin County Public Health data shows 17% of 11th graders in Marin report vaping, compared with 10% statewide.

Mill Valley follows Corte Madera as the second municipality in Marin County to adopt an outright retail sales ban, according to the report reproduced by Enjoy Mill Valley. The Feb. 1 operative date aligns with Corte Madera’s implementation timeline, according to the city.

The city first regulated smoking in public places in 1992, expanded those rules to multi-residence buildings in 2015 and banned flavored tobacco sales in 2020, according to the official staff report.

The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the Creekside Room at the Mill Valley Public Library, according to the city’s calendar. Additional information about the ordinance is available in the city’s announcement.