The City of Hayward accepted a $153,000 grant from the California Department of Justice Tobacco Grant Program during the Jan. 27 council meeting. The program works to prevent illegal tobacco sales to minors, especially e-cigarettes.
The grant money will go toward the city’s Code Enforcement Division. The money will be used within a span of three years to conduct over 100 retailer inspections a year. Staff will work with store owners to comply with tobacco laws and talk to owners about restricting the sale of flavored products in order to protect public health. The city does not need to hire more staff in order to run the program.
Hayward went through a competitive application process to receive the state grant. They are one of four Alameda County entities that received grant funding. The other three awardees are the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Alameda.
