By Olivia Wynkoop. Bay City News
To crack down on illegal tobacco sales to minors, cities, counties, school districts and law enforcement agencies across the state will soon receive millions of dollars in state funding, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday.
The California Department of Justice's Tobacco Grant Program, funded by a state tobacco tax, is distributing $18.6 million to 41 local government programs to report, investigate and punish tobacco retailers who sell non-cigarette products to minors under the age of 21.
Since 2017, the program has awarded $170 million in grants to governments through a competitive application process.
The grant program hopes to not only curb retailers who ignore federal tobacco laws, but also mitigate