San Mateo County Board president eyes filtered cigarettes ban

Speier raised concern that banning the sale of filtered cigarettes will only push smokers to opt for more harmful methods of smoking, calling into question the safety of unfiltered cigarettes, which was also a matter of discussion in Santa Cruz County. 

Mueller suggested that while staff and supervisors look into the topic, they should also consider an alternative route of implementing a tax placed upon retailers of filtered cigarettes that could generate revenue to help clean up pollution caused by filtered cigarette butts. 

The environmental impact of cigarette butts was a driving factor in Santa Cruz County’s decision to implement a ban. Cigarette butts are “the single-most common form of litter on earth, with 4.5 trillion butts discarded annually,” a press release from Santa Cruz County reads. 

In October 2024, the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors banned the sale of filtered cigarettes and cigars, if two other cities approved similar bans. As of Sept. 11, the cities of Santa Cruz and Capitola both approved their own bans making the ordinance now law in both cities and in unincorporated areas effective Jan. 1, 2027. 

Canepa said the item will be agendized at a future undisclosed date.