Tobacco Retailer Licensing (TRL) Ordinances 

Communities are adopting tobacco retailer licensing (TRL) laws as one way to combat the public health problems associated with tobacco use, reduce tobacco-related health disparities, and ensure compliance with tobacco laws.

TRL laws are effective at:

• Preventing youth addiction to candy flavored nicotine
• limiting youth access to tobacco 
• providing a framework for implementing and...
• enforcing other tobacco control policies that can advance health equity—including policies to counter predatory tobacco industry tactics that disproportionately target under-served communities. 

Fact: Tobacco retailer licensing also creates a self-financing program that allows for regular enforcement.

Fact: It only takes one unethical or careless store clerk to addict an entire neighborhood of teens. 

Questions: 

1. What if several clerks in your community stores continue to sell tobacco and vape products to youth? 

2. What if this could be stopped in your community as it has been in so many California jurisdictions? 

Answers: 

1. Community leaders protected their youth from predatory marketing of addictive products to youth with TRL policies.  

2. Tobacco Retailer License (TRL) programs have significantly reduced underage tobacco and vape product sales in many California communities.